Communal Living
Here’s my take on my virgin experience living in a student residence hall where I have to worry about the smell (if any) after taking a dump, or feel obliged to style my morning-bed hair before heading to the kitchen to grab that yoghurt and morning coffee.
The Good
We always begin with good news, then we kinda have a buffer for the bad news yeah? Okay whatever, that’s my style anyway so you be cramppin’ it.
1. Meeting new friends from all walks of life
Granted, this is probably one of the best upsides of staying in a student residence hall. I mean, my neighbours are predominantly Belgians, but they’re from all over – Antwerp, Ostende, Hasselt etc. Then there’s the only other non-Belgian living a few rooms down from mine where she’s from Africa. Pretty cool ain’t it? And more interestingly are their fields of study. With a wide array of Medicine, to Biomedical Science and there’s even a girl who majors in Japanese Language, which I found really cool when she first introduced herself previously. (Yay! She likes them Asians! I think she sincerely does since she’s always greeting me with a huge smile). You may think I am insane, but smiles are precious in Europe. Not anyone is gonna be reciprocal and smile back at you even though you flossed your teeth the night before. They just don’t buy it.
2. Minimal Cleaning
Okay I say this to be minimal because you still have to eventually. But let’s save that for later when I list the ugly. Being typically Asian, I read all Kitchen Rules and House Rules diligently, and took note of all important cleaning days. (You may applaud now) Since toilets, showers, and kitchens are all communal, this means that a cleaning lady is paid to come by these areas on a weekly basis and clean up any residual dirt. Well technically we are supposed to sweep the kitchen floor, wipe the sinks, unclog the drains of hair from the showers etc. But you are talking to a bunch of students who probably have better things to do, or they’re just dead lazy. So, maybe not?
3. Save ka-ching!
This can be tied in with the fact that we share certain utility areas, so it also means that you don’t have to shell out money for that 3-ply paper. And it also means, a collective funds system to pay for dish-washing liquids, thrash bags, rag cloths etc. Highly beneficial for exchange students like myself since staying here for a measly 5 months does not warrant having to pay for 1L washing liquids or Family Packets of 10 sponges. Did you also know that thrash bags comes in a set of 20 black bags for 10 bloody euros???? Let’s save that for later too.
4. Your own little sanctuary
Don’t get me wrong here, I know I used to liken my room to a jail cell, but I have grown to actually like it. It’s mega cosy and I somehow sleep well here. Even my mom who has insomnia problems, remarked about how bizarre that the room has a calming effect which makes you unwind and rest well every night. There’s the right amount of space between you and the ceiling when you lie down, so all’s good! You can eat, sleep, fart, burp, go naked, do anything you want in this room, bearing in mind the walls are highly porous to noise though… And of course I think it’s cool to have your wardrobe next to your sink, which are both next to your main door. Pretty much like a hotel room, just half the size. (And minus the WC)
The Bad
I don’t mean to literally draw a line between the Good and Bad to show it’s separation, but it’s just for easier reading… (or is it not?) teehee.
1. Ting-tang-walla-walla-bing-bang
Click play below, then continue to read
Because that’s how annoying it can get sometimes. Just strings of noise pollution. Yupp, at 1:00AM. Neighbours around you who have a queer taste in their music choices, decide to jam at full blast when you’re trying to catch some shut eye. I know this is contradictory to the fact that I said my room was serene, but these noises come once in a while, thank God.
The worst downside? I did try to trace the noise to its origins in my pyjamas, thinking I can go all ‘YO MAMA’ on them, only to end up back in my room feeling bitter and cold with my earphones on. I guess they call that life…………………………………………………………….. of a loser.
2. Kitchen mysteries
Well, yeah the title pretty much highlights it all. There was this once when I returned from Lourdes, France after a trip with my parents, only to find out that my fork had been used to eat a freaking spaghetti bolognese. How did I know they ate a spaghetti bolognese??? BECAUSE THE PERSON LEFT MY FORK AT THE SINK, WITH HARDENED TOMATO SAUCE AND DRIED UP CHEESE ALL STUCK IN BETWEEN THE GROOVES OF THE FORK’S TEETH. Common sense would’ve said, “if you borrow something from someone without asking, the least you could do is put it back exactly how you found it.” This person was just pushing his/her luck. Fine, since I was brought up to forgive people’s trespasses, I did. I mean, I just had to sterilize the fork a little, do the scrubbing on my own, and I could use it again. Easy peasey!
But once more, a champion decides to take an entire tub of unopened bread and salad spread… From the communal fridge, off MY shelf. Just when I wanted to eat my lunch!! You know how a hungry Cammy is an angry Cammy. Nobody messes with me when it comes to food. But my mom who was holding up in my tiny room decided to be all forgiving and puts this note in the fridge:
NB: nah-bei #kidding
After our NB note, nobody stole from us again. They stole from other people’s shelves instead. And stealing from the Kitchen Leader’s shelf was not such a wise idea… Long story cut short, we never found the culprit(s). But a serious kitchen meeting was held and our foods did not miraculously disappear ever since. Big brother’s watching, yeah?
3. Duties and Responsibilities
I hope I haven’t clouded your mind with all the bad stuff that you forgot the Good side of it. If you remember, I said that there was minimal cleaning since a nice middle-age lady would come cleaning the entire dorm’s hallways and communal spaces, right? God bless her.
I don’t mean to be Nationalist or Racist or Sexist or whatever, but if that’s the only way I can identify them, then these group of Spanish girls are always making a huge mess out of the kitchen after their cookouts… (And Sherlock Cam plus other dorm mates think these Spanish girls stole our foods due to their suspicious constant loitering in the kitchen) But I shall not linger on at Point 2 anymore. Point 3 is about people who don’t know how to clean up after themselves.
It’s not just the kitchen that’s always reeking of rotting food, mind you. Nor the garbage bags bursting at its seams. The bathing areas sometimes have strands of hairrrrrr all over, which I really loathe. Or the entire shower area has sand and weird dust balls all over the floor. I sometimes wonder if it requires too much energy on anyone’s part to simply use the water hose to shove it down the drain???? It seems so apparently.
The worst of all: Pee stains on the toilet seat. Seriously, if I had all the money in the world, I would buy a potty trainer for every single one who can’t pee properly, or are just oblivious to the mess they make after their small/big business.
In essence, communal living has been an eye opener for me. It requires of me to be more understanding towards other people and their ‘oddities’ of living. They may think I am weird too anyway since I am the only one who boils water atop the stove…. But nothing beats having your own family as your ‘dorm mates’, your own kitchen, your own room and your own throne! (ahem, toilet seat)
And that is one of the reasons why I am looking forward to going home.