Life lessons

Darcy. Roll over. Wake up and roll over!"

OK, so I snore.

I'm told that my snore is very loud and raspy. My college roommate once said it was like having a hibernating bear in the room - a bear with a severe respiratory problem.

You can tell a lot about a person by the way they sleep. I have the capacity to sleep through most loud noises, including music, smoke detectors and unfortunately, my alarm clock. I'm like a rock.

However, my roommate, who also happens to be my best friend, requires complete and absolute silence when sleeping. This is why my snoring was such a problem when we roomed together last year at college.

But college is all about dealing with unexpected challenges, like coordinating sleep schedules and learning to wear earplugs.

I don't pretend to be an expert, but I can draw on my experiences to give soon-to-be-freshmen some insider information on easing the transition.

I credit the success of my first year of college at Western Washington University to three basic principles: adaptation, balance and compromise, or, as I like to say, the ABCs of college (isn't that so clever?).

* Adaptation: Adjusting to a new life, a new home and new surroundings takes special effort. Most likely, you will be excited for a change and welcome new opportunities. But be prepared for some things that may be difficult to get used to, like the food. Get ready to eat lots of salad, cereal and peanut butter sandwiches. And keep your favorite pizza place on speed dial.

It may be hard to appreciate living in a small, closet-like dorm room, especially if you are used to having a large room at home all to yourself. Adapting to your new environment will require some creativity. It's really amazing how a few twinkle lights, some Van Gogh posters and a firefighter calendar turned our room into a home.

The structure of college classes also may be shocking at first. Mass lectures are a far cry from the intimate classroom settings of high school. Your professor will know you only by your student number, and, most likely, he will not care whether or not you are in class. So it's up to you to be responsible, crack open your textbooks and clock some study time in the library.

* Balance: Freshman year is full of ups and downs, highs and lows, and everything in between. The key to maintaining your sanity is recognizing the inevitable conflict between college and high school.

You will enjoy total freedom in college. You won't have parents around to enforce a curfew or make you clean your room. In theory, you can do whatever you want, whenever you want. Have fun, just not TOO much.

You also may have difficulty juggling old friends and new friends, home life and school life, study time and play time. Just know that any confusion or frustration is natural. And everyone else is feeling the same thing.

Note: It's also important to balance all that pizza and junk food with a little exercise to combat the Freshman 15.

* Compromise: It goes without saying that college life requires a certain amount of tolerance. And believe me, it's easy to get annoyed when you're living in a confined space.

My roommate and I disagreed on everything from music choices to room temperature. She liked to keep the windows open, I liked to keep them closed. Some days, it got ugly.

Whether your roommate is a complete stranger or your best friend, it's important to respect each other's space. Always try to avoid conflict; take phone messages, wear your headphones, don't leave clothes on the floor and ask permission before borrowing anything. In short, exercise a little common sense and consideration.

Enjoy each other's company. Or at the very least, be civil to one another. Don't let minor disagreements or differences of opinion ruin a potential friendship.

Know this: Being in college is a mind-set. And it's a new way of life that requires maturity, humility and a sense of humor. Don't be afraid to let yourself grow and learn and change.

Enjoy this time in your life. Remember, if you don't give it everything you've got, you're wasting your time and your money.

Copyright 2001 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.