Perfect Strangers

Alumni and current students tell us about their roommates – the ones who began as complete opposites and grew to be best friends, and the ones they ’d just as soon forget.

She Even Learned to Like Britney

In 2002 I came to Wooster excited and anxious, ready to follow in the footsteps of my father, Peter Alward ’75. And as the only girl in a family of just two children, I had never shared a room with another person. Not knowing a thing about who Trish Gordon was, I hoped for the best and planned for the worst.

From the beginning, it was clear that we were complete opposites. As I was saying goodbye to my parents and hanging posters of Britney Spears on the walls, Trish was sitting quietly on her bed, teary-eyed, telling her parents she did not want them to leave. Trish in sweats and a t-shirt, me in my new jeans and tank top, we started our journey together as roommates.

I learned so much from living with my absolute opposite. She taught me about music, that there was more than just Britney Spears and Top 40 radio. She discovered that my kind of music wasn’t so bad after all. I finally got her to start staying at school on the weekends, and she, although she will never admit it, began to love this school as much as I do.

Trish taught me that just because you get older, you don’t have to give up childlike enthusiasm. I taught her that it is okay to be serious sometimes – some things are really worth it. She taught me how to laugh, and I showed her it was okay to love. Together, I think that we were the best roommates that ever were.

– Emily N. Alward ’06, Moline, Illinois

What’s a Punch Between Friends?

David Weiss and I were placed together in the basement of Stevenson Hall for our freshman year. We couldn’t have been more opposite. He came from a small town in Virginia and a prep school in Pennsylvania. I was the product of public schools in southern Florida, and I had never shared a room with another person. I was loud and outgoing. He was calm and reserved. I was a morning person; he definitely was not. I was a neat freak. He preferred decorating with clothes.

The year started pretty well. We shared food and beverages without incident; we played on the same intramural teams; we had mutual friends. David laughed at me when I decided to stay up all night to see my first snowfall. When snow fell – three days later – I went crazy and eventually awakened David at 6 a.m. with my enthusiasm. He was happy for me. But he warned that if I ever did anything like that again, I would have to die.

A couple of times that year, we nearly did kill each other. I knew how to irritate Dave, and once I ducked just as his fist came flying at me – so it smashed into the cinderblock wall. Try as we might to infuriate each other, we always came to each other’s aid: a skirmish with another Section, a certain incident at Bowling Green, a midnight rescue from the Shreve swamp , harboring each other from law enforcement, etc. Why did we help each other? Maybe it was fear of what might happen if we didn’t.

We’ve seen each other at least once a year since graduation. We usually spend Memorial Day on David’s farm in Virginia with other Wooster friends. Always, a tale from our dark past comes up, with a debate as to who was at fault. Surprising as it may be to our families and those who witnessed our turbulent freshman year, I consider David one of my closest friends. I would do just about anything for him, if he’d only admit that I was correct that time when.

– John Faust ’86, Hudson, Ohio

When You’re a Jet, You’re a Jet...

On January 31, 1998, my roommate, Holly Kyle ’98, earned the title of World’s Most Understand-ing Roommate. Holly’s twenty-second birthday began as a normal Friday evening in Bissman. Some time later in the evening, an old acquaintance of mine showed up to visit and felt threatened by the presence of one of my male friends. A fight erupted in our tiny double between the two masculine parties. The carnage that resulted was not pretty: Holly’s futon was smashed into several pieces and her birthday cake, what was left of it, was ground into the carpet.

Unbelievably, Holly laughed and compared the entire charade to some scene out of West Side Story – and I felt like Maria running down the hall afterward to catch my injured friend. The experience was a testament to Holly’s good nature and friendship. She could have claimed the "it’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to" defense, but she took the unexpected and preposterous event in stride.

– Karen Rafferty Csaba ’99

Thank Goodness for Earplugs

Matt Burger ’00 and I met on unexpected terms. We were both desperately looking for a roommate right around general room draw at the end of our first year. After sharing a quick meal, we decided to sign up together. Little did I know that we’d share a room for the next three years.

Throughout the triumphs and turmoil of college life, one thing remained constant: We made sure not to miss "Seinfeld" reruns or "Late Night With Conan O’Brien." Even if we had to prepare for a major class presentation or finish a chapter of I.S. for the following day, we’d be in the room tuned to our favorite TV programs for a laugh or two. Yet we weren’t always "two peas in a pod." I was usually the one who went to bed first because I was stuck with an early morning class. After I climbed into bed, Matt would pound away at his computer keyboard with such a vengeance that it was almost impossible to fall asleep. To this day, I don’t understand how that keyboard survived the wrath of his typing. The solution? Earplugs. Unfortunately, it took a week or two to discover this fine invention.

On the other hand, Matt had to deal with my music. Oh, how I loved to listen to music! Each time I purchased a new CD, I would have it on constant repeat. One time I crossed the line. Out of nowhere, Matt screamed, "Geeves, if I hear this song one more time, I’m gonna go nuts!" That was the last time I had that Jars of Clay CD in the stereo. Well...until the next year. It’s all about compromise.

I can’t help but think how lucky I was when we stumbled across each other’s paths back in 1997. It’s comforting to know that we’re still great friends. I take some time off to visit him in Ohio, or he drives up to Chicago to see me.

— G. V. Malmgren ’00, Chicago

Small World Indeed

In the middle of my sophomore year, my roommate left to go abroad for the spring semester. I lived in Lewis House, in what I’m convinced is the largest room in all of College housing, and my housemates weren’t about to let me keep it for myself. Plus, we needed another friendly face at Common Grounds to fill the coffee-house shift schedule. Some of my senior housemates had a friend who was looking for a room. So one night I went to dinner with my housemates and met Marta Zaborowski.

Roommates Our dinner conversation started with the usual getting-to-know-you babble, listing hobbies, majors, and hometowns. Marta was from Texas, to which I replied, "Oh, I have relatives in Texas."

"Oh, where?" she asked.

"Well, it’s this little town called Grapevine."

She gave me a blank stare, so I continued with the description that usually had to follow. "It’s near the Dallas/Fort Worth area."

"Emily," she said, "I live in Colleyville, and my brother goes to Grapevine High School."

Wow! Was this a joke? My cousins go to high school in Colleyville!

I should have realized then that this friendship was fate.

At first we were a little apprehensive: A second-semester senior, nearing the end of I.S. and college, living with a sophomore who still hadn’t decided on a major. Marta had two classes and I.S.; I had four classes plus. But once we started talking, we realized how compatible we were. Our shared love for the Cleveland Indians and shopping, our similar taste in music and values led to many great discussions. We had a fantastic semester together.

This past summer, I visited Marta in Texas – both in Colleyville and in Austin, where she attends seminary. We’ve had great visits the last two years when she has come back to Wooster for homecoming.

– Emily Ryan ’05, Zanesville, Ohio

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