Interlochen February, Day 3: Open Room Madness

DAY 3
February 4
Prompt: "Open rooms."

Few Interlochen traditions are as mystifying as the open room. Okay, so you've got boys, most of whom are gay, and you've got girls, most of whom are single, and yet the administration thinks that if you have any less than four people of mixed genders in a room together, for a period longer than one or two hours, at any other time than 5-9 PM on weekdays and 7-10 PM on weekends, sex will be the main festivity. I still can't work that one out.

But open rooms are magical in their own way: you can gather in a friend's room and do absolutely nothing of any importance, and still have the time of your life. I've met some amazing people in open rooms. I've seen some amazing things in open rooms. I haven't even participated in that many open rooms--but the few that I have been involved with, I've never forgotten.

But there is one open room that will forever stand out in my memory...

Rewind the clock back to the first semester of my junior year of high school. I'm minding my own business, just hanging out in my dorm room, when I get a call from the ever-lovely Gustavo, who invites me to come and hang out in his room. What he doesn't mention is that there are about half a dozen people there, one of whom I don't even know. Now, I can't remember what time of year this is, but I really want to say either October or November, because I don't remember there being snow on the ground, and we had snow the second we got back from break that year--but it was definitely cold, and it definitely wasn't September.

So I get there, and I see the usual suspects--Gustavo, Mishka, Erica, Ahmed, and I think Sam was there, but I don't remember--and there's another girl there, who I don't know, but seems to be incredibly nice. I don't think we even properly introduced ourselves, but I do remember that I didn't catch her name at first and was too shy to ask her to repeat it. I remember thinking that she looked like she'd be very nice to hug, but of course I didn't want to just walk up to her and hug her; that's generally gotten me in trouble in the past.

I spent most of that open room laughing at the antics of Mishka and Erica--and unless you've met Erica, you can't possibly understand why. Erica is quite possibly the funniest pianist that Interlochen has ever been lucky enough to educate. With her unwitting humor, adorable accent, and hysterical butchering of every rule of political correctness in the book, she was one of the most valuable assets to our rebellion--no one could help but love her.

That night, the topic was, if I recall correctly, Kurt Cobain and his glamour (or lack thereof, depending on who you asked). I remember that at some point, Gus turned on a disco ball. I remember Mishka lecturing Erica about the difference between celebrity-based romanticism and actual depression. And I remember, because I wrote it down, a quintessential Mishka quote:

"Did I just make 'smartassity' a word?"
(Yes, Mishka. Yes, you did, and we are forever grateful to you for doing so.)

I don't think I even really said much. I just sat back and watched the delightful entertainment that was the Mishka and Erica Show.

So afterwards, we're all walking back to our dorms to sign in. I'm talking to Ellie (I later learned that was her name) and discover that we're technically neighbors (she lived right across the street from me). And the rest, as they say, would be history. Imagine a little montage of us over the next two years--lots and lots of hugs, going jogging in the woods, arguing about yoga and whether or not she should go to MORP, more open rooms with our friends, talking about classmates (and former classmates) at Stone, having adventures in the Writing House, and chilling in MB. And if I hadn't gone to that open room, just think--I might not've met one of the sweetest, coolest people at Interlochen.

This is the magic of open rooms: You go into one because you're bored. You come out of it with memories, inside jokes, and--if you're incredibly lucky--friendships that last forever.



Update: It is finally snowing at McDaniel...now THAT'S more like it!