my mira mira

A few months before I started college I received a letter informing me that in order for RIT to match me with the best roommate they could, I would have to fill out a survey. Questions on it were along the lines of "are you a night person? how clean are you? do you play music loudly?" We were instructed to answer these questions as honestly as possible so that whatever computer they were going to feed the results into could pick someone out that was perfect for me.

I remember filling out the survey at the kitchen table with my mom constantly reminding me to be honest. I laughed, rolled my eyes, said whatever. How accurate could this be?

A couple of months later I received another letter informing me that my roommate had been chosen. As I stared at her name and hometown, I wondered how the hell was this going to work. She was clearly Indian [her last name might as well have been Smith...but in India], and she was from Sewickly, PA.

Yes...Sewickly. I pulled out a map and couldn't even find it. That's how tiny it is.

The letter suggested that we call each other before arriving in Rochester so that we could work out who was bringing what...fridge, tv, dvd player...etc.

Me being who I am, I stalled. I hate the phone. I hate talking to people I don't know even more. Not only that but in my stalling I managed to lose the paper with her phone #. Fantastic.

After tons of nagging from my mom, I managed to find the paper and sucked it up. It was like August and move in time was a few weeks away. I took a breath, called her, and told her that I was sorry I hadn't called sooner but I had lost the paper with the info.

Her response: "Oh my god me too!"

Well then, there goes one thing we had in common! Shortly into the convo she told me she had been nervous to call me because I was clearly Latina and from the Bronx...and no offense, but she was kinda scared. I told her not to worry I had been scared too. Common factor #2.

We ended up on the phone for like 2 hours that night and I hung up super happy and relieved. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

A few weeks later I met the person who would become the first roommate I ever had in life [hello only child here]. Let's just say RIT's little survey system is pretty impeccable. Meera and I were perfectly matched, both in our opposites and similarities. We're both quiet but I'm louder. I can get ghetto, she doesn't have a ghetto bone in her body. We both hated waking up, loved to eat, fell asleep with the TV on, and always had music on. It was like love at first sight.

Not only did we get along well as roommates, but we became friends and yes there's a difference. I've lived with quite a few people since then but only a few of them transcended that line into "someone I share space with" to "someone I can talk to, lean on, laugh with...etc". Meera and I lived together for a total of 4.5 years and managed to never kill each other. I honestly don't think we've ever even had an argument and THAT is pretty remarkable within itself.

We saw each other through love, happiness, anger. We were always there for each other, no matter what time it was or what we had to do the next day. I can remember the DAY that she met the man who is now her husband, the way she spoke of him, the way they were as little 21 yr olds with crushes. I cried when she called me to tell me of her engagement, flew to Pittsburgh for 4 days to attend her wedding, and will travel to VA to celebrate her future children, whenever that is.

We are now 28 and live in different states but she is one of those people that whenever we do get together, it's like we're back in school. To this day we are still in awe of how well that little system managed to "get us".

So to RIT's roommate matching system...I thank you for giving me a friendship that has been growing for over a decade, and will hopefully continue for the rest of our lives.

[Oh and eHarmony/Match/whatever else online dating system there is...I think you should call up RIT and ask them how they do it because their system is clearly better than yours. Just sayin.]

 

[us at 20yrs old]