I want to say for myself, and I think I can speak for others here, that I am very proud of what you’re doing, how you’re doing it and am glad you chose to join our little piece of the web.

You’ll do well.

My college experience was really quite pleasant. A military scholarship with room and board, tuition and (a little) spending money freed me from a lot of the responsibility I had even in High School. The military took time, not bad, but I substituted their rituals for those of fraternities and lived off campus since I could. They supplied some interesting experiences in the summers. You were ostensibly the lowest of the low in the military, in reality weren’t abused much. The folks that yelled just looked silly to me. They left time to study, play and work a bit. It was a good time, though I did drink too much even then.

It was a Faustian exchange, however. After college they expected and got my body and soul, and as a True Believer at the time I didn’t mind. I didn’t gain the experience and perspective necessary to see what was really happening until I was almost out.

Whatever else I say about Faust, he made college pleasant. All that freedom and no real responsibility.

Arf

http://www.thefrugallife.com/ants.html” rel=”nofollow”>Ant problems? Treat with Uncle Pepper.

Lissen I write a lot of murder stories and have some unique ways of dispatching people. I’m willing to share.

Listen to the voices of experience here. Makes ure what your college rules are and if you have to turn in your roomies, do it. Hopefully, that will include the “snorer.” Actually, might not be bad to turn them in anyway. You could get dragged into it if the cops find out on their own. We don’t want to have to dig up bail for you.

It’s a relief hearing from you.

Oh yeah, enroll in martial arts and practice a lot. As you get good, the assholes will leave you alone. I know lots about the intimidation game. It’s psychological warfare.

Keep your bullshit filters up. That little economic “exercise” you did is only the beginning of the indoctrination. Keep your head down, and you’ll manage okay.

I kept my bike in my room at night. Frankly, there’s noplace else safe. I think my daughter had three bikes stolen by the time she was done with undergraduate school. The indoctrination works on a lot of people, you see.

Ants can be dealt with by sealing the holes with clear silicone, after shooting a nice load of bug spray down them first. Get one of the cans that has the little thin tube on it. For major invasions, get some packaging tape (the wide, clear stuff), roll it around inside out to make a loop with a sticky surface, and smack ants until the tape is full. Get a new piece, smack some more. Sooner or later, they run out of ants. Then you seal the holes.

In my apartment it was cockroaches. Again, it was mostly about sealing cracks. I developed a pretty good habit of not leaving food laying around. The problem with roommates is that the whole place can’t be any cleaner than the messiest person.

Be careful about the pot and stuff. Back in my day, we just ignored it, and nobody gave me crap about “no thank you.”

But my son’s college (unknown to us) had a policy similar to military academies, which is if you don’t report contraband your roommates have, you’re in trouble too, even if you don’t participate. This got him on probation just for not being a “narc” and sticking his nose in other people’s business. Make sure you don’t have these same rules.

Not sure where modern kids got the idea that fabric softeners “hide” pot smell. Cops laugh their asses off at this.

Most colleges have options for changing around if your roommate is “incompatible.” Look into it. Or maybe a single room. Apartments are expensive, and many colleges don’t let you live outside the dorms during your freshman year.

You’ll probably have to buy a wireless adapter for your computer online.

Cell phone hung? Pull the battery out, let it sit a while, put it back. See if that works.

I’m putting two kids through college, and have advice up the wazoo!