Four girls, picked to live in a quad, and have their lives changed, more than they could have ever imagined. Freshman and sophomore year I was wrapped tightly in a cocoon of uncertainly, self consciousness, and a sense that I didn’t even know who I was. My roommates Caitlin, Lizzie, and Kristen not only made the struggles of junior year tolerable, unexpectedly, they forced their way into my life and me out of that cocoon. Each of them taught me something different that sculpted my morals and will prepare me for whatever lies ahead.

Whoever said that you meet some weird people in your life, probably said that after one encounter with Caitlin. A combination of ADD and a phobia of body hair is formula for a messy girl with her life in order. Caitlin has the biggest heart of anyone I know and the tenderness she exudes is noticed by all. One night, as Caitlin was Nairing her mustache, Caitlin stated “I just don’t want to leave here somebody I am not.” Though it was hard to take her seriously, the words resonated in my head and it really got me thinking. It was that simple. Be yourself. That night, something changed, whatever wall I was putting up for society was being bulldozed by this terse statement coming from a girl with a pseudo milk mustache. It became clear that the only way I was going to survive one more year at boarding school was to realize that I am who I am, and conforming to some social standard was no way to live. Looking at Caitlin I imagined her as a miniature Buddha with a sparkling upper lip and a flicker of wisdom in her eyes.

Martha Stewart has nothing on my own personal Suzie Homemaker. With a headband delicately placed on top of her golden blonde hair and pearl studs adoring her earlobes, Lizzie opened her arms to me when I felt as though my own world was caving in. My boyfriend and I just broke up and I thought it was the end of the world. In a stage of weakness I was under the impression that my life would cease to exist because of the loneliness that would soon take over. Lizzie looked me in the eyes and said, “People will always surprise you, the only person you can rely on is yourself.” At the time, I felt as though that was the worst thing she could have said. On top of all my heartbreak, she was facilitating my disdain for the human race and making things worse. As I pulled myself together, the quote flooded back to me. Why had I felt so worthless after something as menial as a breakup? I realized that I had stopped loving myself. Loving yourself seems like common sense, but it took a girl wrapped in a pink monogrammed blanket to pull me out of the darkness and show me the proverbial light.

Nike running shorts and Hanes t-shirts are a staple for my third roommate Kristen.
Kristen has taught me the most through my own personal observation. Watching her carefully double knot her Nikes and pull her hair tight into a rubber band, I know that she is about to step onto the field and leave everything behind. There is something to be said about someone who is captain of all three of their varsity sports. Her leadership and persistence is equally captured when it comes to her friends and family. Watching her makes me want to live my life with the same sense of dedication and appreciation for life.

With all three of my roommates going their separate ways to their respective colleges, I will have one more year at boarding school. With the help of three unique and special girls, I am equipped with the knowledge to take charge of my dorm, take charge of my life, and finish my time at Culver with another great year. Gandhi once said “The main purpose of life is to live rightly, think rightly, act rightly. The soul must languish when we give all our thought to the body.” As I begin my final year of high school without them I will relish the memories and fondly recall the lessons from Caitlin to live rightly, from Lizzie to think rightly, and from Kristen to act rightly.