Studio apartment sounds like a luxury when you’re living in a dorm room. I’ve finally got the chance to visit all the different residences on campus and I think I’ve done a pretty good job for living the sweet life in first year residence again. Yup, there’s actually crazy people called RA’s who willing do this again.

Between all the work-orders I’ve already had to call in about my bathroom, TV, the jammed keys, broken fuses and bugs everywhere it’s kind of funny how used to Totem I am.

The place where I find shelter is in my room. When I wake up in the morning at Totem magotem I feel like I’m in a rainforest. I’m only on the second floor, which is close enough that in case of some dire circumstance I need to break the glass window and jump out while running away from some rampage tiger that has escaped from the zoo and has come to hunt me down with a pack of vampires. While it would violate resident contract standards, I’m sure it’s possible. Despite the leafy greens that crowd my window, when I wake up in the morning I have a sense of familiarity of where I am. It’s strange but seeing the sunshine go through the “chlorophyll-ed” leaves, I can imagine I’m on an exotic island. The tree blocks the ground so you can’t really tell how high up you are, but it’s reassuring that I won’t have to worry about peepers or creepers.

I’ve set up my room in a way that when you walk in I’m seated like a receptionist at a dental office. I figure I’ll be spending lots of time in my room that I need to get productive work done. (And not just sit there listening to Enrique Iglesias all night or surfing IMDB). I’ve also put up some red drapes that apparently looks like a fortune teller’s gypsy cave. I hope that sounds inviting so that residents feel welcome to come in and chat at anytime.

I was asked last week to show my room to some visitors from Japan. Little did I know that three Japanese business men, a translator, a RLM and a representative from UBC Housing and Hospitality Services would all be crammed into my cozy dorm room. It seemed like quite an honour when they started taking pictures but I wasn’t really anticipating answering questions. When there’s six people staring at you and half of them are talking in a different language it’s slightly intimidating finding words in your brain to say. Never before had I had a translator speak on my behalf. It was quite exciting. Definitely something I could get used to.

While I love my dorm, I love crashing over at my friend’s place. You know you’ve got special friends when you can show up at their place at 11:00 p.m. Make blueberry muffins and coffee and watch Vampire Diaries – on a week night! I look forward to many more snuggle times in -40 degree sleeping bags.

I hope the rest of you are finding lovely posters to put up in your dorms and new apartments.