As students lay their heads down to rest, an uncertain feeling might come over them as they catch a glimpse of a complete stranger several feet away, snoring ridiculously loud. Right about now, the tightest of living quarters would make a closet feel welcoming.

The narrow rooms that are being described are the Sacramento State dormitories. Sac State dorm rooms have been described by some as compact, and students are sharing stories of their rooming experiences and being away from home and their parents for the first time.

For some freshmen and even some upperclassmen, being away from home is the freedom they have been waiting for since they first heard, “If you are living in my house, you will obey my rules,” said junior nursing major Blessing Nnoruka. Well, not anymore.

“Getting used to living with a stranger you never met a day in your life can be sort of scary,” Nnoruka said.

There are exceptions where roommates will hit it off like if they’ve known each other for all their lives, such as the case with freshman kinesiology major Vertis Wilson and his Sutter Hall roommate. He said he adapted quickly to his first living arrangements in college.

Wilson said Sutter Hall is cool because there is freedom. He said he does not have a specific time he has to go to bed so he can stay up as long as he wants.

Living with another person has also contributed to Wilson’s positive attitude because he said he and his roommate get along, sharing things like the television, refrigerator and microwave.

Students who live in the residence halls have also found ways to make their dorm rooms feel more like home, even though they like the thought of being away.

Wilson said he makes his room more home-like by bringing some pictures to hang by his bed. He said he brought a couple of pictures of when he was in high school and some pictures of his family.

Wilson also said he can go home whenever he wants since he is from Richmond, which is about an hour away.

Freshman communications major Jasmine Marie finds comfort and a close-to-home feel in her teddy bear that she has had since she was 5 years old.

Freshman business major Rudy Saenz said the way he deals with feeling closer to home is inviting his best friend to hang out with him at his dorm room, usually after a meal in the Dining Commons.

Saenz said it is a little easier for him because he is from Sacramento and can go home whenever he wants.

“Now we are headed to my room to get on my PlayStation 2. It is cool having him close by, just if I want to kick it,” Saenz said.

Some students have not even thought about missing home.

Marie, who is living in a single bedroom in Sierra Hall, said she loves and cares for her parents, but missing them has not yet crossed her mind.

She said the reason is because her parents live in the Bay Area, so they can visit her whenever they miss her.

Some students even moved hours away to get out of their parents’ house.

Nnoruka said she moved seven hours from Los Angeles to get away from her parents and she loves it.

“This is the reason why I came all this way – to get away from my parents and be free to stay up how late I want and go out when I like,” she said.

Nnoruka said she found it easy getting adjusted to living in Sutter Hall. On the first day, she introduced herself to everyone on her floor, she said.

She said she spends most of her time in her room, usually on the Internet.

“My roommate is quiet, but when something is interesting, we talk,” she said.

As for Marie, she said she does admit that missing home will come soon enough.

“One day, (I) can’t say when and can’t say why, there might be a feeling that comes (to) me where I get a sudden urge to call home and say, ‘I miss you and I love you’ to my parents, but today isn’t the day,” Marie said.

David Greene can be reached at [email protected].