Ok so I'm kind of anxious right now...actually more then kind of. See just the other day in band our band director told us that we were going on a trip the last weekend of April, if it gets approved of course. We were so happy! Our band used to go to Disney every 4 years but then we didn't have much money so we couldn't. Now don't get me wrong, I'm really exited but I'm also kind of nervous. See, I'm not really that great of friends with any of the guys in our band bar one person. If we can pick our own roommate(s) then I'll be fine...but that probably won't be the case. I originally figured that they wouldn't force two people to sleep in the same bed together, but apparently they do, at least for the Forensics team. For them they have 3-4 people in the room and two people per bed (except in one case where one guy slept in the bathtub). So that means I could be with Alex, the one person I'm ok with, and some other random guy...or even two. I figure if I have to share a bed I will with Alex though. But there's other problems.. I haven't had a sleepover since 5th grade, I'm in 10th. I'm not very well versed on what guys do during sleepovers, which is basically what this will be. It all really depends on the guys. If it's a popular guy then him and Alex would just be talking about girls for two days, if it's a semi-nerdy guy then they'll be talking about Minecraft for two days. I could awkwardly work with talking about girls but definitely not Minecraft. But other than that, what do they do?? So there's something else too...while I was talking with Alex about being roommates he said he would on one condition: if he told me Christina, his girlfriend, was coming over, and the 'Do Not Disturb' sign was on the door, then I would have to leave. I said fine, but just make sure he's safe and what not. I don't really approve though. He's only 16 and she's 14-15 and they've only been going out for a couple of months! I don't think he's ready. There's also the fact that he's admitted to not liking boobs and thinking vagina looks like butchered meat...I think he's trying to prove a point. I just don't know how to say that to him though. Any of you have any way that can calm my anxiety? I'm not even kidding, I'm sort of freaking out right now.
First off, take a breath. Good. I was super nervous about sleeping over in the same room with other guys too. In Grade 11, I went on a trip out of province with my French class. While it was exciting, I was going to have to room up with 3 other guys, share a bed with one... it doesn't help that they were all younger than me too (only 4 people from my year went), so I didn't know any of them. Try and keep in mind that while you're at the hotel, even though it is a time to be social, you're still on a school trip. I'm sure your school will have waivers and forms and stuff that you need to sign before you can go on a trip, and I'm sure one of them says something like "will behave in public like a good student, as you're representing the school". Sure, you can have fun, but if anything gets too uncomfortable for you, you can always hold onto the excuse that "I'm gonna go to sleep, because I don't want to get us in trouble". Another thing is that since you're on a school trip, you aren't going to be having time to sleep in either. So you can go to sleep early-ish "in order to make sure you're rested". At the end of the day though, keep this in mind: when you're in the room with those guys, you're really only there at the start and end of the day. In the morning, you should focus on getting ready to go, and at night, focus on getting rest for the next morning. And then during the day you can hang with your other band friends.
Actually Friday and Saturday nights should actually be more then just 'go to sleep.' Friday, the day we get there, we have a competition and then back to the rooms. Saturday we spend the day at Bush Gardens and then the nighttime will be in the room, probably packing. Then all Sunday morning is walking around Williamsburg, VA. Most people know me though and they know that I'm not one to go to sleep extra early...for anything. Don't get me wrong, I want to have fun with these guys but I just don't want anything....weird to go on. I'm still all obsessed over the whole Alex thing, I mean I don't even know why he would tell me that three months in advance...but I digress. Besides, Budder...I'm still nervous :/...slightly better, but still nervous.
If you aren't going to go to sleep early, then perhaps you could think of some things to do while you're there. Like for me, I'd bring my camera so I could go photographing, cards because lots of people can play, a book to read, iPod to listen to music/play games, etc. There are lots of things you can do that allow you to not need to engage with these guys, if you want to avoid talking with them for some reason. Other things (like cards... or Mad Gab) are group activities, but you get to have a little more say over what happens. People will be more focused on what's going on than strictly talking for the sake of talking. Also, could you not just leave your room and go hang out with Alex or your other friends in the evenings? Surely you won't just stay in your room for the whole night.
I will be bringing along my laptop, iPod, a book, probably my iPad, so no I don't NEED to associate with them, but it would probably be weird if I didn't. I just don't want to be the one awkward, anti-social person in the room. I'm hoping we will be able to pick at least one roommate, which would be Alex...but then the whole sex thing comes up. I do plan on hanging out with my friends Carly and Chloe since they are like 20x more fun, but then again I don't want to seem like the antisocial person of the room.
