Dorm Life

McMurdo Station has about 10 dormitory buildings. Everyone must share a room with at least one other person (unless you are British Royalty, a U.S. President, a National Science Foundation VIP, or someone who never bathes, you WILL have a roommate). Male and female communal bathrooms are in each dorm.

I have lived all over the world in various housing situations, both sketchy and classy. (5-star hotels, backpacker hostels, apartments, middle-eastern compounds, flea-bag bungalows, high-rise condos, one-dollar-a-night huts, palatial houses, hammocks, castles, houseboats, tents, quonset huts, and my car). However, all those living situations were somewhat temporary, which made any roommate situation bearable.

But this was completely different….Sharing a room?? Living in close quarters with a bunch of strangers for 6 months?? (There’s a reason why I never joined the Navy….I hate submarines)

It has been 12 year since I experienced dormitory lifestyle. And as much as I loved the good old dorm days at The University of Texas, I am an eccentric, 32-year-old prima donna who is used to her own space. I am notorious for having a plethora of face and body products haphazardly strewn over any available surface area in a bathroom.

I suppose I am not the easiest person to live with. (Please pray for my current roommate and my future husband).

The lucky lady who was assigned to my room was 29-year-old Stephanie from Michigan. She is one of our 18 vehicle operators at McMurdo Station. Steph is WONDERFUL. She is a patient, gentle soul, and I knew she would be a great roommate from the start. We have completely opposite schedules. I work the night shift from 6pm to 5am, and she works the day shift from 6:30am to 5:30pm. The only time I see her is when I am stumbling into bed after work, she is waking up and dressing for work. And vice versa. We exchange mutually sleepy high-fives and briefly discuss the current weather conditions (AKA, “Here is how you need to dress today so that you won’t die”). No one cares about the news or current events in Antarctica, just weather.

Since McMurdo Station operates 24/7, people sleep round the clock. Unlike college dorms, McMurdo dorms are mandatory quiet zones. We are spared the typical Thursday-to-Saturday-night shenanigans so prevalent in college dorms. Despite looking like the 1970’s threw up on them, these dorms are havens for quiet and solace for us tired penguins.