My life has been rather topsy-turvy for the last couple of days. Besides having to make a lot of important decisions, I've had to approach that daunting task of apartment hunting entirely on my own. I can no longer fall back on the college as a safety net, just as much as I had rather not importune my parents any further on my account.

Though draining, the act of having to make inquiries, introductions, and visits to apartments is not without its share of amusements. Some apartment-for-sale ads asked one to introduce one's self in quirky ways. Others had descriptions about the future roommates that looked to me as if I was reading about prospective partners in something like marriage classified ads sections of the newspaper. The initial interviews weren't easy either, for even on the phone, many tenents wished to know about your tastes and opinions. Just when I thought that interviewing for jobs was one of the most tedious things I've done, interviewing for roommates and finding a suitable apartment couldn't be any worse.

I didn't look for too many, thankfully, because I was simply appalled at the condition of the few that I did see. Young people are dreadfully messy and I know I could not live with a smelly room, dusty furniture, cluttered kitchen, noisy surroundings, and I-desperately-wannabe-cool adults. That meant that almost every shared apartment I visited was incompatible with my needs: either the place or the people turned me off it at once.

Again, in my typical fashion, I had a mishap when I was in town. I missed the train once again, but since it was quite late in the night, I didn't know what to do but call up a friend in town and ask to crash in with her for the night. She consented to let me do so at once and there I was, walking for miles and miles, traversing highways, and oogling for paranormal objects (which turned out to be humans) in the pitch-black night, just to get shelter.

I was so exhausted the next day as a result of the previous day's highlights and sleeping poorly in my friend's rather uncomfortable room, but just as my face was contorting into a frown, I saw something that made me smile. There, scribbled on the seat cover in front of me were the words, "I am happy you exist".

This line was one of the most touching I've ever read and whoever wrote it definitly made my day.