College Life: Episode 3: The Cheerleader and The Boyfriends

For the summer, once a week I'll be sharing a story from my college days at CSU, 1984-1988. I will leave links at the end of each post for previous episodes.

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It did get better once The Cheerleader moved in next door. Her "real" name was Tara, and she was actually a cheerleader, for CSU, so somewhat famous on campus, and a bit of a steadying influence on the trio.  We all know how well triads work in female friendships, don't we?  (Guys: it doesn't.  Someone is always on the outside looking in at a much more solid connection, and someone else is being gossiped about.  A lot.)  I think you can see where this trio headed...

She was kinda the cream to the black coffee and sugar, trying to take something a bit bitter, and unpalatable to some, and steady out the "sweetness" of someone trying to please all the people all the time by adding a touch of something smooth, and easier to take.  I did like her, but she was definitely Mary-Jo's type, not mine.

Tara came with a sorority attitude.  This was the year she was going to pledge, and they spent hours on the floor of my room planning which one, discussing the merits, and of course the all important connection each had with a sort of "brother" fraternity, therefore making this decision all the more critical.  

I just went to my math classes.  They went to most of their classes.  They were both psych majors.  Tara was on her third major.  (Can you see how choosing a sorority might take some time when you can't decide what to study?)

Then came the afternoon I couldn't get into my room.  I'd gotten past the front door, because it wasn't after hours yet, and I had my ID and keys (two items I checked for constantly  - did NOT want to be without them in any circumstance.)  However, I couldn't get my room open.  The doorknob key worked just find, but the deadbolt wouldn't turn.  

Puzzled, I knocked on Tara's door.  No answer.  Of course I had no cell phone, so I knocked on my own dorm room door. "Mary-Jo?  Are you in there?"  No answer.  Dead silence. Frustrated, I sat down to formulate a plan.  I don't know how long I was sitting there until I started hearing faint noises from inside MY room.  I decided to wait it out.  She, or someone, was in there, had surely heard me knock, and was maybe thinking about letting me in.

I was still waiting when I met Deanna.  She wandered by, I knew she lived on our floor, and I said hi.

"Oh, the old forgot the tie on the door thing...how rude. Wanna come down to my room and meet my hideously gross roommate while you wait?"

Why not.  I didn't know about ties, but at least there was another person with a rude roommate, and she seemed nice. Anything to pass the time...

©2014 All Rights Reserved

Photo credit

Episode 1: Rommmates

Episode 2: You've Got To

College Life: Episode 2: "You've Got To!"

For the summer, once a week I'll be sharing a story from my college days at CSU, 1984-1988. I will leave links at the end of each post for previous episodes.

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"You're here!  You've got to come meet everyone!  Hi!  I'm Mary-Jo and I just know we're going to become best friends!"

She was a talker, a non-stop whirlwind of energy and gestures and I was overwhelmed.  I still needed to find some territory to call my own, unpack, and try not to freak out about leaving my boyfriend (The Engineer, by the way) behind for three months.

"Hi, I'm Tina."

"I know!  You're from Denver and that's perfect because you'll know a LOT of people here and that will help me get introduced to everyone!  We've got to do that!"

I didn't bother to tell her, at that time, that I was really not a popular person, was in fact a total nerd from a very small school, and she was out of luck if she was looking to find people through me.

"Would it be alright if we talk about some roommate stuff first?  I've got a few questions."

Family discreetly headed off to explore so that we could hammer out some co-existence policies more to my comfort.

Though her sorority girl enthusiam (no offense meant to anyone who enjoyed their sorority life, but it just wasn't something I was even remotely interested in) was overwhelming, she was actually a fairly reasonable person, and did finally understand that though I was willing to share my clothes (she had very few) and my electronics (including one awesome boom box which lasted until just five or so years ago) and my typewriter (pica font, size 14, a treasured item from Grandma Vivian), I did need some space of my own. We divied up closets and drawers.  She moved stuff.  I unpacked stuff.  I felt better.

She immediately spied one of my favorite shirts and asked to borrow it for, "Our very first dinner together in the dorms! Aren't you excited?"  Well, not really.  I was already having food issues, and hadn't really planned to spend my days in her company (read shadow) but agreed that sure, let's do that.

Family then came back, said goodbye, and I was left alone with my whirlwind.  She practically dragged me along as she introduced me to almost every person we passed, whom she'd already met during her first, "Rounds of meet and greet.  Everyone meets everyone as soon as possible.  You've got to!"

Apparently I also had to "get ready for dinner" by fixing my hair and make-up.  "It's what everyone does, you've got to!"  I complied.  I found that a lot of the time when calculating the cost of a decision involving Mary-Jo, it really was just easier to "Just do it."

Dinner was an experience, but I'll spare you. I really am going to tell actual stories, but you had to meet the players first, and this is how it happened. Next time: the cheerleader, and the boyfriends, and getting locked out...

Any stories to share?  Crazy roommates?  Bossy roommates? Good food in your dorm?

~Tina, remembering Cap'n Crunch, which became a staple of my diet, and that there was diet coke available at all times.  Even at breakfast.

©2014 All Rights Reserved

Photo credit

Episode 1: Rommmates