A Weekend of Roommates

For the first weekend in Winter Quarter, I’ve felt a sense of emotional closeness I haven’t felt since January. This weekend ultimately allowed me to reunite with my past three roommates from my first three years of college (Howard Nguyen, Jonathan Chou, and Amul Shah).

Jonathan Chou has always been a sarcastic troll ever since the first day I met him till the day he will die (before me of course). All throughout second year, we had “nighttime chats” where we would talk about the problems of the day (which were mostly my problems dealing with the pursuit of women at the time). With this weekend came the ability of me to talk to him yet again at Phil’s BBQ. Though we don’t see each other as much anymore, I am able to rekindle lost bonds very easily through my various attempts to troll him. I am able to ask him question after question, expecting some sort of answer that will either be extremely funny or completely inappropriate.

Howard Nguyen and I have always had a pretty well-established relationship. Built on the foundations of high school, and stemming from our experiences first visiting UCSD together at Admit Day, we’ve had quite an experience over the year. And though, as frustrating as it was to not be able to sleep my freshman year, we have maintained an appropriately healthy relationship. I am able to catch up with him very easily – gossip with him as if nothing had ever changed between us. Our visit to Red Robin and watching of “The Voice” this weekend gave me a chance to gossip and talk as though things had never changed – from the nights we stayed up Freshman and Sophomore year talking about random things all night, to the days where we played boardgames, consumed food, or watched television.

Amul Shah, my roommate from my Junior Year of college, also came this weekend to visit. The fact that he would go out of his way just to come see me (90 minutes approximately) shows how close our bonds were last year (especially as fellow clique members in ICRA). He still remains extremely peaceful to be around, very easy to open up to, and an essential part of my life. As we watched Scrubs, went to Everybody Reads, ate, as well as played a plethora of Boardgames (Catan, Monopoly, Munchkin Fu, etc.) I was reminded of what made our relationship great: him the passive recipient of my jokes, as well as being at the same time extremely attentive, listening, and caring. Furthermore, quite possibly for the first time since January I was able to open up to him and have quite possibly the most intense and emotional conversation of 2012 yet, one I will never forget (Sunday Night). It shows a great deal how much I was able to share with him – the amount of things I confide in people is extremely limited to begin with, but my ability to tell him everything proves him to be one of the better influences in my life. His words of wisdom will give me the proper guidance to move on with my life to continue the pursuit of happiness.

I promise to forever maintain these bonds for as long as I live. These three people have all shaped my life in fundamental ways, and provided me a sense of emotional closeness I will never get out of anyone else (except future girlfriends, if any).