How the other half lives
Roommates reflect, revel in shared dorm experiences
By Joanne Fox Journal staff writer | Posted: Monday, October 29, 2007
"It's just like the dorms at Morningside!" was the phrase repeated over and over by the guy roommates on their visit with Nicole Santin and Rikole Hoogeveen at Briar Cliff University's Alverno Hall.
Everything from the lofts to the closet space was evaluated and discussed as Brady Helmink, Nick McGraw and Derek Nolan (minus Troy Weber who had not returned from fall break) got the one-room tour.
"It's not that cozy," McGraw said. "I'll bet you could get 30 to 35 people in here."
"It seems to be bigger than Dimmitt," Helmink said, referring to one of the dormitories at Morningside College.
"No, I think the room is closer to Roadman," disagreed Nolan, referencing another Morningside dorm. "It's not longer, but narrower, I think."
"The closets are bigger," McGraw insisted.
"There's two bars, but one is too low," Nolan continued in his evaluation of the closet's interior, then turned 180 degrees to face the other side of the room and said a bit dejectedly while taking in the loft area, "I miss my futon!"
"I like your place," McGraw concluded. "It smells like girls."
"You've got candy!" Helmink exclaimed, as he noticed a Jack O' Lantern full of treats.
The gracious host, Santin said, "Don't be shy! Here have some! After all, we ate your mints at your place."
What's what
As the six college students maneuvered for position in the dorm room, Santin pointed out pertinent aspects of the room.
"This is Ose's area..." she began.
"What?" McGraw said.
"I mean Nicole," Santin clarified.
"What?" McGraw asked again. "What did you call her?"
"My sister couldn't say Nicole, so it was shortened to Ose, and well, that's the story," Hoogeveen explained, plopping down on the floor, since the futon space was already completely occupied.
(Reporter's note: In the first article on the roommates, Santin's mom came up with a nickname, The Ickies, when she found out Riki and Niki were going to be roommates and the girls do respond to those monikers.)
"Why? What do you call each other?" Santin asked the boys. "Do you have nicknames?"
"Just our first names," McGraw said. "Although I get Quick Draw a lot and I'll call Derek, Derekah, because that's usually the way I'll start my questions to him. You know, 'Derek, ah,',"
The girls' room and door reflected the upcoming Halloween holiday, with a scary skeleton, cobwebs and filmy material that looked like it was just torn from a shroud.
"I was kind of disappointed you guys didn't have much for Halloween," Santin observed.
"Christmas is going to be our big decorating time," McGraw announced. "We're going to get a real tree!"
"A real tree!" Helmink exclaimed. "You're gonna clean up after that!"
"It'll be fine," McGraw said assuredly, while Nolan just shook his head. "I'll vacuum and take care of it."
Needs, wants
The girls were gracious hostesses, explaining how they set up their dorm room, allocating space to hair products, study areas, and food storage. The boys listened attentively, as courteous guests.
"What would you really like to have here?" McGraw asked, pointedly.
"A sink," Hoogeveen said without hesitation.
"Oh, yeah," McGraw replied. "That would be great for just quick brushing your teeth or taking out your contacts."
"It's a hassle to go clear to the bathroom to do that," Santin said.
"But you've got your own personal microwave," McGraw noted with sincere emotion, as the girls affirmed his insight.
"We have one, but I would've really liked my own, in my own room," he continued. "Unfortunately, mine was confiscated last year after an unfortunate incident when it was used by someone..."
As everyone leaned forward to hear the rest of the story, McGraw waved it off and noted, "It's not important."
"But there's no way to arrange or rearrange anything," Santin said.
"But even in my own space, I can't do much," McGraw answered and began gesturing and gesticulating. "I've got my room positioned where I have to pull my chair out and climb onto it and throw my leg over, watching my computer, so I have to step just so."
Jumping on the I've-got-it-bad-too bandwagon was Nolan, who explained, "Last year I got myself stuck between the bed and the wall and I'll bet I spent three to four minutes like that, not knowing what to do and finally let myself slip and scraped my elbow up on the wall."
It was a tie as to who laughed harder among the males or females at that point, when Santin quipped with a deadpan delivery, "Yeah, I hate it when that happens."
Parallel experiences
As freshmen, the Briar Cliff roommates posed questions about classes, graduation requirements, and trimester versus semester approaches to the Morningside roommates who are in their sophomore and junior years. The five students were able to draw parallels between the two private colleges, although each school has its own unique approach to higher education.
But they always returned to the roommate relationship, as Santin asked, "Do you guys have a circle of friends outside of each other?" and Hoogeveen sat up and said, "Yeah, do you?"
"We all do," McGraw said, as the others nodded. "I have friends in all of my classes that I'll hang out with."
"Because Troy and I play basketball, we sometimes will hang out with those guys during the week," Helmink said.
"It's a small campus," Nolan said. "You get to know a lot of the people."
"I don't know many others outside of volleyball," Hoogeveen said, a bit dejectedly.
"Me either," added Santin. "I can't imagine what it would be like if Ose and I hadn't hit it off so well. And there's another volleyball player, Che (Chehala Pace) that we're solid with. The three of us are kind of social butterflies."
"It will get better," McGraw assured them. "The more classes you take and activities you're involved in, the more people you'll get to know."
"I think we're lucky," said Santin, as she looked across the room at Hoogeveen. "I've got a great roommate whose a great friend."
"It's hard being away from your family," Hoogeveen said. "So, it's a good feeling to have someone you can always depend on."
Everything from the lofts to the closet space was evaluated and discussed as Brady Helmink, Nick McGraw and Derek Nolan (minus Troy Weber who had not returned from fall break) got the one-room tour.
"It's not that cozy," McGraw said. "I'll bet you could get 30 to 35 people in here."
"It seems to be bigger than Dimmitt," Helmink said, referring to one of the dormitories at Morningside College.
"No, I think the room is closer to Roadman," disagreed Nolan, referencing another Morningside dorm. "It's not longer, but narrower, I think."
"The closets are bigger," McGraw insisted.
"There's two bars, but one is too low," Nolan continued in his evaluation of the closet's interior, then turned 180 degrees to face the other side of the room and said a bit dejectedly while taking in the loft area, "I miss my futon!"
"I like your place," McGraw concluded. "It smells like girls."
"You've got candy!" Helmink exclaimed, as he noticed a Jack O' Lantern full of treats.
The gracious host, Santin said, "Don't be shy! Here have some! After all, we ate your mints at your place."
What's what
As the six college students maneuvered for position in the dorm room, Santin pointed out pertinent aspects of the room.
"This is Ose's area..." she began.
"What?" McGraw said.
"I mean Nicole," Santin clarified.
"What?" McGraw asked again. "What did you call her?"
"My sister couldn't say Nicole, so it was shortened to Ose, and well, that's the story," Hoogeveen explained, plopping down on the floor, since the futon space was already completely occupied.
(Reporter's note: In the first article on the roommates, Santin's mom came up with a nickname, The Ickies, when she found out Riki and Niki were going to be roommates and the girls do respond to those monikers.)
"Why? What do you call each other?" Santin asked the boys. "Do you have nicknames?"
"Just our first names," McGraw said. "Although I get Quick Draw a lot and I'll call Derek, Derekah, because that's usually the way I'll start my questions to him. You know, 'Derek, ah,',"
The girls' room and door reflected the upcoming Halloween holiday, with a scary skeleton, cobwebs and filmy material that looked like it was just torn from a shroud.
"I was kind of disappointed you guys didn't have much for Halloween," Santin observed.
"Christmas is going to be our big decorating time," McGraw announced. "We're going to get a real tree!"
"A real tree!" Helmink exclaimed. "You're gonna clean up after that!"
"It'll be fine," McGraw said assuredly, while Nolan just shook his head. "I'll vacuum and take care of it."
Needs, wants
The girls were gracious hostesses, explaining how they set up their dorm room, allocating space to hair products, study areas, and food storage. The boys listened attentively, as courteous guests.
"What would you really like to have here?" McGraw asked, pointedly.
"A sink," Hoogeveen said without hesitation.
"Oh, yeah," McGraw replied. "That would be great for just quick brushing your teeth or taking out your contacts."
"It's a hassle to go clear to the bathroom to do that," Santin said.
"But you've got your own personal microwave," McGraw noted with sincere emotion, as the girls affirmed his insight.
"We have one, but I would've really liked my own, in my own room," he continued. "Unfortunately, mine was confiscated last year after an unfortunate incident when it was used by someone..."
As everyone leaned forward to hear the rest of the story, McGraw waved it off and noted, "It's not important."
"But there's no way to arrange or rearrange anything," Santin said.
"But even in my own space, I can't do much," McGraw answered and began gesturing and gesticulating. "I've got my room positioned where I have to pull my chair out and climb onto it and throw my leg over, watching my computer, so I have to step just so."
Jumping on the I've-got-it-bad-too bandwagon was Nolan, who explained, "Last year I got myself stuck between the bed and the wall and I'll bet I spent three to four minutes like that, not knowing what to do and finally let myself slip and scraped my elbow up on the wall."
It was a tie as to who laughed harder among the males or females at that point, when Santin quipped with a deadpan delivery, "Yeah, I hate it when that happens."
Parallel experiences
As freshmen, the Briar Cliff roommates posed questions about classes, graduation requirements, and trimester versus semester approaches to the Morningside roommates who are in their sophomore and junior years. The five students were able to draw parallels between the two private colleges, although each school has its own unique approach to higher education.
But they always returned to the roommate relationship, as Santin asked, "Do you guys have a circle of friends outside of each other?" and Hoogeveen sat up and said, "Yeah, do you?"
"We all do," McGraw said, as the others nodded. "I have friends in all of my classes that I'll hang out with."
"Because Troy and I play basketball, we sometimes will hang out with those guys during the week," Helmink said.
"It's a small campus," Nolan said. "You get to know a lot of the people."
"I don't know many others outside of volleyball," Hoogeveen said, a bit dejectedly.
"Me either," added Santin. "I can't imagine what it would be like if Ose and I hadn't hit it off so well. And there's another volleyball player, Che (Chehala Pace) that we're solid with. The three of us are kind of social butterflies."
"It will get better," McGraw assured them. "The more classes you take and activities you're involved in, the more people you'll get to know."
"I think we're lucky," said Santin, as she looked across the room at Hoogeveen. "I've got a great roommate whose a great friend."
"It's hard being away from your family," Hoogeveen said. "So, it's a good feeling to have someone you can always depend on."
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