Three's not always a crowd; Two's not always cotnpany I t was August 15, the day before I left for Harding University. I was on the phone with Ike Hamilton, dean of housing, trying to find out which dorm I was in and who was my roommate. He told me I would be in Cathcart on the first floor. "Thank goodness," I said to myself. This way I would not have to climb up the stairs all the time. He then told me that my roommates were a girl from Texas AND a girl from Missouri. I was from Texas so I thought he meant me. He then told me that due to the 13 percent increase in enrollment the suites in Cathcart would all house five girls this semester. I could not believe what I was hearing. The rooms are not even big enough for two girls and their stuff, much less three. There was nothing that I could do about it now though, so off to Searcy we went. After arriving in the foothills of the Ozarks we began to unload the car. I had brought_ enough stuff for three people and somehow I would have to share the space with two others. I decided that I was the outsider and should take up as little space as possible. I just knew Lisa Michelle Boduch - Ballston Spa, NY Dallas Gregory Bogle - Merritt Island, FL Kelly Lee Bolls - Murray, KY Gary Richard Bolz - Littleton, CO Avery Gail Bonds - Nashville, TN David Kent Boozer - Nashville, AR Sarah Jane Boustead - Searcy, AR Jeffrey G. Bowen - Crestview, FL Kevin Wayne Bowers - Seminole, FL Velvet Lane Bowers - Welsh, LA Tracy Don Bowman - Rogers, AR Karissa K. Boyd - Australia Tracy Lynn Boyd - Searcy, AR Tanya Brack - Jasper, TX 274 People for keeps the girls would hate me and already have the entire room planned out. I was mistaken. My first roommate had arrived. The minute she walked in she looked happy and excited. We introduced ourselves and started getting to know each other. I found out that she already knew there would be a third person and she didn't seem to be upset about it at all. As we spent the afternoon organizing, second roommate walked through the doorway. I sighed when I saw a good spirited expression on her face. The more time we spent together the more we all realized that this situation was going to work out fine. Late that afternoon a girl wandered into my room and asked me if I was a third person like her. The very thing I had thought was terrible gave us common ground to start a relationship. We went to dinner, got to know each other, and in time, she became my closest friend. A lot of the "third persons" got to know each other that week. There are many advantages to having two roommates. Instead of having one friend and roommate I was given two. Two people to become close to and learn more about, to grow with and learn. We spent many nights staying up half the night talking and "pigging out." We shared our hopes, dreams, and our stories about our boyfriends. We all kept each other up, but it was always like a big slumber party. We leaned on each other a lot and bothered each other a lot. I was never lonely in that room because one of them was always there for me. The way I looked at it, I was the lucky one. Three isn't a crowd, it is company - company that will always CRAMPED QUARTERS. Roommates Glen Knight, Dave Brown, and Dan Hite, all freshmen, were fortunate enough to have two roommates instead of the usual one. Due to the record number of freshmen, overcrowding became common in freshmen dorms. -Photo by Jeff Montgomery. be there for you to have fun with, share with, and love. So, if you were that third person, think of it as a blessing in disguise. Being a freshman was rough, but it sure was a lot easier when you had two people to help you through it. The more the merrier! -Kyla Martin
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