Dorm Room Study

            My investigation was and observation of two college roommates who started out as best friends, but ended as bitter acquaintances. They soon found out how over time, two good friends find living together a bigger task than they had ever imagined. I was informed of their quarrels from both parties since I was a mutual friend, and I was a witness to what they had said since I was a frequent visitor. In the end, they were not enemies, but unfriendly, bitter, acquaintances. .
             The two subjects of investigation in this case were Vanessa and Valerie, both friends of mine and both roommates here at UIC. From the beginning, there was an obvious difference Vanessa was Hispanic and Valerie was African-American. Not that there race difference was a problem, but it was the root of their lifestyle and culture differences. Vanessa came from Hoffman Estates, a majority white, middle to upper class neighborhood and Valerie came from the Westside of Chicago, a predominantly black, lower class neighborhood. Valerie was from a single mother home, being the only child and Vanessa was from a home with both parents and two younger siblings. In terms of their individual lifestyles, the girls were very different in terms of daily lifestyles with such aspects as religion, music, habits or hobbies, and foods. This became a big problem as the school year progressed and was the root of the many disputes that occurred between them. .
             I met both girls at the same time; they were on my floor of the residence hall. Myself, being a friendly neighbor, went over and introduced myself to them and became a mutual friend who would stop in from time to time and occasional study sessions were held in each others rooms. Sometimes I would be with both or sometimes with one of the two. As school went on, they both made their own set of friends and grew distant. I sort of became the "middle man" in the friendship since I was in both of their daily lives.