I just gained admission into college, and I am very happy I will be experiencing what life feels like living in the hostel and having roommates. While growing up I have heard my elder sister and friends in the neighborhood always talk about how a roommate behaved and how they handled the situation, so many stories, both good and bad, about roommates and living in the hostel. Some even had stories to tell about living in a haunted hostel, but instead of being scared, it made me look forward to when I will get to experience living in the hostel. Finally, I gained admission and wanted to have my own personal experience.
"I will not want him to stay in the hostel because of a lot of things that happen in the hostel, especially the boys' hostel." I overheard my sister talking to my parents.
"Kachi has always wanted to experience what life is like in the hostel; he will not like that you don't want him to live in the hostel or have that experience like many other students." My mother responded.
"I think Kachi is intelligent and wise enough to know how to handle himself, whatever is happening in the hostel, whether good or bad. I trust him to find a way to maneuver. We should not take away that experience from him because it helps one in their journey through school." My dad added
"Thank you very much, Mom and Dad." I said from my hideout where I was eavesdropping, "Don't mind all these people that don't want me to see and experience what they have seen and experienced." I added as I gave my sister a bombastic side-eye.
"I am not trying to take the experience away; I am just trying to save you from a lot of stress, but fine then, go and experience everything firsthand, and maybe later you will wish you followed my advice." My sister said as she walked away.
Despite making my stance clear, my sister kept coming back to try and convince me to live off campus with her, who has already had her experience and knows what it feels like to live in the hostel. I wanted my own experience, and her trying to get me to give up trying to live in the hostel made me feel like there was something she really did not want me to know or experience as well, and maybe it was something bad, but to me, I wanted all the experiences, both the good and the bad, and I did not mind how it went; I just wanted it to be that when others talk about their experience in the hostel, I will also have a story to tell.
A week later I reported to school and started making moves to secure myself a room in the hostel while squatting with my sister, who wanted me to live with her permanently. It was really not easy to secure a room, and at some point it felt like my sister's wish was about to become my reality, and then luckily I got myself a room, and it was time to move out.
"When you move into the hostel, don't do joint cooking with roommates; don't even try it because it always ends badly." My sister advised.
I could not make that promise, so I did not respond or say a word. Despite my sister's warning and advice, I got to the hostel room and engaged in joint cooking with roommates, and like my sister warned, things turned sour when one of our roommates started claiming to be wiser than every other person. Whenever we want to cook, he claims not to have anything to contribute, but then when the food is ready, he wants the lion's share. He also claims to be the last born of his family and does not know how to sweep or clean, leaving the rest of us to do almost everything in the room.
"Do we have to keep playing the fools in this room?" I asked my other roommates to hear their opinion.
"I have been waiting for when this conversation or topic will be discussed." Albert jumped in.
"I thought you guys would say nothing; I was about to start behaving like Mezie too. I will tell you guys I have nothing to contribute, and then when the food is ready, I will ask for the lion's share." Odinaka added
"He is taking all of us for fools; he does literally nothing in this room aside from fetching water, of which he still uses almost all of it." I said,
"Today is already Wednesday, and we have given him so much time to see if he will start contributing and acting right, but since he has chosen not to change, by the weekend it is either we announce the discontinuation of cooking together or we tell him to be doing things separately because we are not the fools he thinks we are; we are seeing everything." Odinaka said with a frown on his face, "He buys snacks every day even after eating and claims not to have money to contribute whenever we want to cook." Odinaka added
"I agree with you; it is high time we let him know we saw through his games but gave him just enough time to see if he will change." Albert supported
"So you guys were waiting for who will start up the conversation. I am not waiting until the weekend, though; today is the day we either stop cooking together or set him aside and do things only with those willing to cooperate." I said,
"I like the quick action team; let's not wait until the weekend, let's start today." Odinaka said as he jumped down from his bed.
We all waited for Mezie to come back to the room, and the moment he stepped in, I stood up and approached them.
"You might think we are fools for being quiet all this while; you might think you are smart or the wisest, but we gave you enough time to see if you will act right, but since you chose to keep playing smart, we have all agreed to stop cooking together, and from today henceforth everyone caters for themselves; everyone does other chores in this room, like cleaning the room and washing the bathroom, whether a last born or a first born." I said to Mezie, looking him in the eyes.
"Yes, all this nonsense has to stop. We are not fools; we just thought you would be human, but in the end you are what you are." Albert added,
"Now the unity we wanted to have in this room will just vanish into thin air, thanks to you, Mr. Smart Guy." Odinaka said
