Regina's December 2003 Journal

1-2004  My Home Away From Home

So another Christmas break has come and gone. I'm back in my apartment after a relaxing vacation with lots of sleeping.

It's always fun coming back to the apartment, because it feels, in a way, like coming home. I'm usually the first one back; I love greeting each of my roommates as they return. We always hug and act as if we haven't seen each other in months, although it has only been a few weeks.

After a few days, we're all back into the swing of things, including classes, activities and living together. For some odd reason, living together
seems to be the biggest adventure.

I am the youngest child of 7 and am used to my mother cleaning up for me

	My roommate's beloved fish, Simon.

(not personal things, but my dishes, etc.). This obviously had to change when I began living with three other people, and I am slowly still learning. I'm  much better with putting my dishes in the dishwasher instead of the sink, and I occasionally even take out the garbage. While I like to get off the hook by saying that my purpose in the apartment is not to clean but to entertain, I am quickly shot down.

Adapting each of our living styles to each other has shown to be a challenge every once in a while, but it has definitely forced me to grow up a great deal. I've stopped asking for reassurance every time I clean up after myself and have even washed all the pots and pans in the sink, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher several times without calling attention to it (although my
roomies tend to notice and congratulate me without being asked to).

Here is the kitchen in our apartment -- for once, actually clean!

I really love living in the Village because it is so close to everything I need. Because I am so involved with the theatre, it is extremely convenient to simply walk across the parking lot and be right there (although now I have
less of an excuse to be late); my workstudy job and most of my classes are also in the same building.

I also love the home-y feel the townhouses have. With carpet and wood trim, it's very comfortable and makes a nice place to come home to.

Keeping the apartment clean is a challenge, but a necessary one. With every new experience I grow a little more, which is what I think college is all about.