In room 319 in Jones Hall, the words “It’s me again, it’s your least favorite morning friend,” blast from two roommates’ phones at 8:20 a.m., a homemade EDM-style alarm the pair made together, a song they thought would be jarring enough to wake them up.
Maya Daniels of Los Angeles said she loves sharing a room with her “built-in friend” Sophia Du of Lexington, Massachusetts.
Before the program, Daniels was worried about liking her roommate. She said her worries were eased when she met Du on the first day.
“She is so positive, and wonderful and so energetic,” Daniels said. “I’m so glad I’m in a double. If I forget my key card, I always have someone to help. If she forgets her key card, I feel like a savior and I feel awesome.”
Tillie Solomon of San Anselmo, California, who is Jewish, said she enjoys having conversations with her Christian roommate, Sage Gilliland of Mount Prospect, Illinois, since they are from different backgrounds. She likes learning about their respective upbringings.
“Especially in the beginning, it was stressful to try and make friends and put myself out there,” Solomon said. “It’s nice that I always knew at least there’d be someone I could chat with that night.”
Athan Joshi of Los Altos, California, said he enjoys having his roommate, Ryder Bingaman of Evanston, Illinois, hold him accountable. Joshi said he’ll take the skill of sharing a space with another person into college.
“I think it’s also part of college life to have a roommate,” he said. “You’re not going to have a roommate any time else, and I think it’s a great experience.”
Though it took Leila Singer of Rockville, Maryland, longer to meet people in the beginning, she appreciates the benefits of having a single dorm room.
“I learned to love my single,” Singer said. “I don’t have to worry about being annoying to others, and I can call my parents and my friends whenever I want without feeling like I’m annoying my roommate.”
When Singer wasn’t keeping in touch with her home friends, she said it took some courage to put herself out there and meet new people without having the forced interaction that a roommate provides. She said she was grateful that she was able to branch out.
“I met the most amazing people in my life and created friendships that I will forever hold and forever cherish,” Singer said.
Jonathan Traub of Brookline, Massachusetts, said a perk of being in a single dorm is that he can be as messy or clean as he wants without the pressure of keeping up with a roommate.
“When I first got to cherubs, I was a little sad that I was in a single because I really wanted a roommate,” Traub said. “Then I realized that I really like my alone time, especially at night.”
Singer said she believes future cherubs will love their time at the program regardless of their dorm situation.
“Whether you get a single or double, you’re going to be happy and you’re going to enjoy your four weeks here,” Singer said. “Both have their positives and negatives, but overall, you’re really going to have such a great time.”
