By: Jeremiah Wayne

For most students, the Gatton Academy is their first time having a roommate. Sure, we have all been to camp and spent the night at friends houses before, but actually living with someone for 2 years is a whole other ball game. When I was first accepted, I was warned of the dangers of rooming with someone I know. Most students at the academy don’t, and instead the staff handpicks roommates based upon a personality survey. But it just so happened that a longtime friend of mine had also been accepted and we both thought it would make our transition easier if we roomed together. So we did, and I earnestly believe that I made the right choice.

My roommate and I have had tons of good times together, but we have also hit some bumps in the road. People told us that ALL roommates eventually have their first fight, and after that the masks come off. Well, they weren’t wrong. My roommate and I had our first argument over something very silly in afterthought.

After using the bathroom one day, I discovered that our toilet wasn’t flushing properly (it wasn’t clogged, rather broken). I told my roommate and he took off the tank cover to pull on the chain underneath. Nothing happened. After deciding our best approach to the situation was to give it some time and then again try later, he left the tank cover leaning against the toilet and we left. Whenever we came back, he accidentally tripped over the cover and we both watched it slowly slip down the side of the toilet. For a moment, it stopped, stuck on a groove in the tile, and both my roommate and I looked at one another with an expression of great relief. Only to look down and watch it slip again and then shatter into practically a million ceramic fragments. There was no repairing it, no hiding it. We both knew it was going to have to be replaced. And once we had to decide who was at fault, our friendship was in danger of becoming the next thing that shattered. He felt I should pay for part of it since I technically was the last to use it before it broke, which prompted him to remove the lid in the first place. But I felt that since I didn’t remove the cover, lean it against the toilet, or knock it over, that he was at fault.

Ultimately, Gatton ended up having an extra and we didn’t have to buy a new one. But that didn’t change the fact that we still had disagreed over the person at fault. And ever since then, my roommate and I have been much more open with each other. Whenever we are irritated by one another, we say it right then and there and don’t let our frustrations build up over time. This way, we have both learned what we do and don’t mind. I know that I should not ever move my roommate’s towel that he very properly folds on the vanity. My roommate knows that I will get absolutely no sleep if my box fan isn’t turned on and facing me. I have learned that the best way to handle situations with anyone you must live with is to simply be honest with one another and deal with problems as they arise. I, for one, sure am glad that I learned this lesson now and not later down the road.

By: Jeremiah Wayne

Contrary to what the title suggests, wing dates at The Gatton Academy are not actually romantically affiliated. When one of us says “wing date” we are referring to a picnic meant for a girls wing and a guys wing (or multiple wings). Recently, the Academy had one of its first wing dates. This one was for Ben’s wing and D’s wing. The original plans were to meet outside, but sadly the rain cancelled those preparations. Nevertheless, we found a way: we had our wing date inside of DUC.

At our wing date, we had sandwiches, chips, and cookies. But more importantly, we had the privelege of taking a Friday afternoon to relax and talk to peers. These wing dates provide an opportunity to spend time with people that you may not get to see that often. I was glad to see people that haven’t talked very much with one another finally break the ice. Wing dates are one of the many examples of Gatton’s cooperative community.

I’m very grateful to the RC’s (Residential Counselor) and CD’s (Community Developer) involved. They both always host weekly events to give students the opportunity to meet new people.

By:  Jeremiah Wayne

Ask anyone who knows me, and they will tell you that I don’t take that title as a joke. There is something about the rhythm that just makes me want to move my feet! I have never met a group of people in my life that all feel comfortable enough to have fun doing things they are terrible at. It’s not to say that all of Gatton can’t dance, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that we weren’t a dancing academy. Regardless of our dancing ability, most all of us got out on the dance floor at least once and had a great time.

Even when it seemed that the dance wasn’t meant to work out – the lights wouldn’t turn out, the speakers were too small, the music was without a playlist – The Gatton Academy persisted and persevered. We taped construction paper to the lights, we gathered all our speakers together, and we all took turns choosing songs.

I remember my junior year adventure week dance. I had never danced before. I was content with being one of those who just sit on the sidelines and watch. I didn’t want to risk the embarrassment of looking silly in front of all my new peers. But after a while, I realized that there were others just like me who were not very good at dancing, one was even doing jumping jacks! With the encouragement of a few, I made those crucial first steps out on the dance floor. At first I kept it simple: step to the left, step to the right. Then I began to sing along. And before you knew it, my hips were moving in directions that I didn’t know was possible! I did a little jig, a shimmy followed by a head-roll, threw in some footwork and added some special “Jerry” jazz. By the end of the next couple dances, I had a “Jerry Dance” fan club! Of course most were not watching because they were impressed, but at the same time, I don’t feel they were laughing at me, rather with me. And that sort of environment is hard to come by.

I could tell that the juniors felt the same way as I did when I was in their place, which is why I am proud to say that at one point in time I didn’t see a single person standing against the wall too shy to dance. Who knows, maybe there is a “Jerry” protégé in the works…