Downsizing to a dorm room

As often happens, Mrs ERJ and Belladonna nailed the problems presented by the downsize.

Bella went from single occupancy of a 100 square-foot bedroom and a 24 square-foot closet to half of a 100 square foot bedroom while still keeping her 24 square-foot closet and she did it with grace and aplomb.

Her roommate brought three times as much "stuff" and it was a struggle.

Most of the roommate's stuff is still in tubs stacked at the end of her bed.  There is just no room to put it.

One of the roommate's solutions, "Bella, you don't mind if I just spill over..." never got legs.  Things are so snug that "spilling over" meant that doors and drawers would not open.

I think Bella's roommate's parents knew it would not fit.  I suspect they knew better than to fight over every single item she felt was essential.  Bella's roommate will figure it out quickly enough.  The items that she "knew" were necessities will be ballast dumped from the gondola of the hot-air balloon soon enough.

College is not a fashion show.

Mostly, I stayed within earshot but kept my mouth shut.  I let Mrs ERJ deal with all that dainty stuff.  I was there for the heavy lifting and moral support.

Nattering about the absolute necessity of having fifty-six shades of purple lipstick and matching nail polish depletes the oxygen from the air.  I cannot breathe. 

I think Bella may have packed three colors of nail polish: clear, pink and blaze orange (for hunting season) and SPF chapstick for lip treatment.  Bella had plenty of room to stow her cosmetic load-out.

I do not intend to disparage Bella's roommate.  She is a very sweet young lady.  It is just that she came from a more aesthetically refined and resource rich environment than Bella.  For Bella's roommate, dorm life is vastly more impersonal and industrial than what she is used to.

Dorm life will be a big change for Bella, but I don't think it will be quite as jarring.  For one thing, fourteen other Class of 2015 graduates from Eaton Rapid went to Grand Valley.  Bella's roommate might be the only one from her out-of-state high school there.  For another thing, the step down and the loss of privacy were not as severe for Bella.  Finally, I know Bella to be incredibly resilient, a fact I do not commend her for frequently enough.

I think both young ladies are in for an education.  Bella might find herself inheriting some shades of nail polish that she has only seen in magazines.