So it's freshman year of college, I'm in Florence, Italy, and I live in an apartment with five other guys. I'm going to be biased and say that I would rather live by myself than have roommates, but that is based on this experience with roommates that I just about hate.
So during winter break for a month I've been living by myself in the apartment because all my roommates went home. It might just be my roommates but they are slobs, before they left they were supposed to clean the apartment and take out trash and the such. They left dirty dishes in the sink, a full bag of trash(we take turns taking out the trash and the last person was supposed to take it out, but it was left here, and it wasn't supposed to be my bag to take out), and their clothes on the drying racks. The only person who cleaned their room was bedroom roommate and that was probably only because we share the room and he wanted to leave it clean for me, though I know all he did was shove stuff in his suitcase and drawers.
Let's start with why I hate roommates(maybe just my roommates this year). With roommates there are common areas and facilities: bathroom, laundry room, kitchen, and living room, and in this case bedrooms are shared too. There is very little privacy and if there is one guy who is messy they can ruin the whole apartment. I have disgusting roommates, the bathroom is always a mess, clothes lying on the floor everywhere, always dishes in the sink. Sharing a bathroom I think is gross. If they have odd sleepy habits or odd hours they can keep you up at night. This is just a college roommate problem but they often come home drunk late at night and mess up the whole apartment. I think the major down side is that space has to be shared with everyone; a small fridge has to fit all our food. That brings up another point, there is nothing stopping your roommates from taking your stuff and eating your food and when I say taking stuff that can be anything.
Ok so maybe those aren't strong points, but I really do hate my roommates, it might just be their personalities that really piss me off and the fact they all are spoiled and useless and the other stuff is just extra.
There are good points to roommates though. If they cook dinner but make too much for themselves then they give you some. You get to listen to new types of music that they like that you wouldn't usually listen to. Get to experience different family traditions. So the list of pros isn't very long, but it all depends on the roommates and yourself. If you get to room with your best friend it would be the greatest but having to live with some kids that were just thrown together sucks.
So that a quick easy summary of why I hate my roommates.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Trippin'
Alone in my apartment needing something to focus on, I'll decide to write about the time with my family in Italy. On New Years day my family:dad, mom, brother arrived in Rome to spend ten days with me. We unexpectedly meet on the streets of Rome going to the hotel, I recognized them almost immediately but it took them a few moments to realize. It wasn't the great heart warming meet that I was expecting, instead we just said hello and we all continued to the hotel, Palatino, through the still dirty streets left after all the partying.
We couldn't check in yet so we left our bags and walked to the Coliseum only a few blocks away, it was so crazy to think that they could build that so long ago. We walked all around it and through the inside snapping photos of just about everything. That was really all we did before we checked into the hotel. We walked outside observing all the ancient ruins left and discovered.
The next day was an early day we took a metro train, during the morning rush hour; the trains were packed like sardines. Our final destination was the Vatican city. We waited in a line for at least an hour maybe two in order to get to the Vatican museum which holds the Sistine Chapel. We spent such a long time in the museum looking at everything. My parents mailed home post cards from the Vatican City, that's cool.
We saw everything worth seeing in Rome: Colosseum, Ruins, Pantheon, Vatican, the different Plazas; Piazza Navona, Piazza di Spagna, Piazza di St. Pietro. One of my favorite thing that we did was to go to the top of St. Peters cathedral, I think that was the highlight of Rome.
I loved, though, spending time in Florence, with my family. we again saw everything worth seeing: the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, The David, Santa Croce, The Uffizi. We spent every night making dinner in my apartment, except for one night out with my family and the other students here. Walking to the top of the Duomo and to Piazza Michelangelo give the best views of the city and at the Piazza there were so many recently married couples taking wedding pictures over looking Florence. We did so much stuff even things I haven't done in my three months in Florence like see the real David. We did things I wouldn't have done, like go to the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, Gucci Museum, and shop in stores I wouldn't have; which is nice. We went to many market places and everyone bought all kinds of cheap things, my brother a cheap Luis Vuitton bag, my parents leather goods. We also went shopping in the streets there are so many nice stores my brother, dad and I got pairs of leather shoes.
All the shopping and time spent together was great, I wish they were still here. I'm so glad they came to visit me, and I know we all had a great time, can't wait to see them in May!
We couldn't check in yet so we left our bags and walked to the Coliseum only a few blocks away, it was so crazy to think that they could build that so long ago. We walked all around it and through the inside snapping photos of just about everything. That was really all we did before we checked into the hotel. We walked outside observing all the ancient ruins left and discovered.
The next day was an early day we took a metro train, during the morning rush hour; the trains were packed like sardines. Our final destination was the Vatican city. We waited in a line for at least an hour maybe two in order to get to the Vatican museum which holds the Sistine Chapel. We spent such a long time in the museum looking at everything. My parents mailed home post cards from the Vatican City, that's cool.
We saw everything worth seeing in Rome: Colosseum, Ruins, Pantheon, Vatican, the different Plazas; Piazza Navona, Piazza di Spagna, Piazza di St. Pietro. One of my favorite thing that we did was to go to the top of St. Peters cathedral, I think that was the highlight of Rome.
I loved, though, spending time in Florence, with my family. we again saw everything worth seeing: the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, The David, Santa Croce, The Uffizi. We spent every night making dinner in my apartment, except for one night out with my family and the other students here. Walking to the top of the Duomo and to Piazza Michelangelo give the best views of the city and at the Piazza there were so many recently married couples taking wedding pictures over looking Florence. We did so much stuff even things I haven't done in my three months in Florence like see the real David. We did things I wouldn't have done, like go to the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, Gucci Museum, and shop in stores I wouldn't have; which is nice. We went to many market places and everyone bought all kinds of cheap things, my brother a cheap Luis Vuitton bag, my parents leather goods. We also went shopping in the streets there are so many nice stores my brother, dad and I got pairs of leather shoes.
All the shopping and time spent together was great, I wish they were still here. I'm so glad they came to visit me, and I know we all had a great time, can't wait to see them in May!
Mixed Emotions
While studying abroad I've had to make all new friends, and somehow tolerate the ones who could never be. Leaving home, alone. When the plane landed in Italy, I realized how alone I was, not knowing anyone, being in an unfamiliar place, people speak a different language. While everyone was talking to their families for some reason I forget, I couldn't. There was nothing to do every other kid was sleeping due to the jet lag, but I was fine and couldn't sleep; it was the middle of the day. I lay in bed with my temporary roommate, Alex, sleeping in his bed. I was in the verge of tears, missing home and my family. That one day was the only day I was homesick, until winter break.
All the students left to go home except for a tiny group of me and three others; and these others are kids I don't usually hang out with. It wasn't actually all for of us in Florence, two kids had their parents come and the spent time with them, leaving just me and Erica on Christmas, it was so lonely that day, and depressing. I only had to hold out for a week more then my family comes to visit.
New Years was the best day I've had all year: the celebrations with two of the other students, and my parents arrive! New Years Eve was spent out for most of the day looking at the lights that have been up for weeks, and the stages that will host concerts throughout the city. Night fall and I meet up with the others to go to a place to watch fireworks. We settled on a bridge until half past 11 and then we decide to go to a higher place, Piazza Michelangelo, so of course to make it there in time we would have to run, the first real exercise since the first week of Italy. We were two blocks away when the first real fireworks went off, people have been setting of minifireworks and firecrackers those small things since two in the afternoon. The fireworks were great, and they could be seen flying over the whole city. I had to catch an early train to Rome in the morning to meet my family, so it was a semi early night; 3am.
I grab my packed bag and head to the train station to ride the hour and a half train to Rome. I slept most of the way; having only three hours of sleep that night. I'm walking to the hotel we would be staying at and more than half way there I run into my family. They don't recognize me but I know it's them, we had a funny encounter.
I'm going to skip all the details of the trip together and rush to the end when they left.
We get all my parents stuff packed that morning and check out of the hotel. I didn't hit me until we were saying our goodbyes but then tears starting clouding my eyes. I was holding it in because we were in public. After out last hugs and they were in the train I couldn't hold out, I couldn't wait for the train to leave before heading home. I couldn't hold the tears forever I was in a rush to get home to let it all out, and their train probably didn't even leave the station yet. After a few hours the rest of the day was spent with the other three students so I didn't have any time to be sad or cry, which was great.
The next day, today, the 12th of January when my family boards their plane in Rome to go home I started writing this to have something to focus on and it was helping until the end when I wrote about them leaving, I started to cry again holding the stuffed animal they gave me. Right now I truthfully wish I was home.
All the students left to go home except for a tiny group of me and three others; and these others are kids I don't usually hang out with. It wasn't actually all for of us in Florence, two kids had their parents come and the spent time with them, leaving just me and Erica on Christmas, it was so lonely that day, and depressing. I only had to hold out for a week more then my family comes to visit.
New Years was the best day I've had all year: the celebrations with two of the other students, and my parents arrive! New Years Eve was spent out for most of the day looking at the lights that have been up for weeks, and the stages that will host concerts throughout the city. Night fall and I meet up with the others to go to a place to watch fireworks. We settled on a bridge until half past 11 and then we decide to go to a higher place, Piazza Michelangelo, so of course to make it there in time we would have to run, the first real exercise since the first week of Italy. We were two blocks away when the first real fireworks went off, people have been setting of minifireworks and firecrackers those small things since two in the afternoon. The fireworks were great, and they could be seen flying over the whole city. I had to catch an early train to Rome in the morning to meet my family, so it was a semi early night; 3am.
I grab my packed bag and head to the train station to ride the hour and a half train to Rome. I slept most of the way; having only three hours of sleep that night. I'm walking to the hotel we would be staying at and more than half way there I run into my family. They don't recognize me but I know it's them, we had a funny encounter.
I'm going to skip all the details of the trip together and rush to the end when they left.
We get all my parents stuff packed that morning and check out of the hotel. I didn't hit me until we were saying our goodbyes but then tears starting clouding my eyes. I was holding it in because we were in public. After out last hugs and they were in the train I couldn't hold out, I couldn't wait for the train to leave before heading home. I couldn't hold the tears forever I was in a rush to get home to let it all out, and their train probably didn't even leave the station yet. After a few hours the rest of the day was spent with the other three students so I didn't have any time to be sad or cry, which was great.
The next day, today, the 12th of January when my family boards their plane in Rome to go home I started writing this to have something to focus on and it was helping until the end when I wrote about them leaving, I started to cry again holding the stuffed animal they gave me. Right now I truthfully wish I was home.
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