College dilemma

[dogofwar]

The idea of a bathtub in a communal dorm bathroom is horrifying. Bathing lizards is probably among the least objectionable things that've occurred in it.

Matt

I have fond memories of Wes Weitzel who lived on my dorm floor at Penn State. He and his roommate managed to cram the following into their small dorm room: a Savannah Monitor, a baby alligator (a real jerk who would eat goldfish and just kill baby mice for sport), some huge frog that I'm not sure ever moved except to eat something in front of its face, a dozen or so 5" long lizards that lived under the papers on the cork board, and a full size ferret.

The monitor was the best. They named him Joe Bag-o-Donuts and started training him Pavlovian style by playing Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" every time they fed him a mouse. After 10 or so feedings he would jump to attention every time you played the song. Wes also put him on a leash and walked him down to the communal bathroom to give him a bath in the never used tub. The RA saw the parade, stared slack-jawed for a few seconds, and said "I'm going to pretend I never witnessed that because I'm not even sure how to write it up."

Quite the Noah's Dorm Room for a school with a no-pet policy. Nick, maybe you should be bold and go for a 180. I'm sure your roommate won't mind sleeping in a sump.

 

[lkelly]

The idea of a bathtub in a communal dorm bathroom is horrifying. Bathing lizards is probably among the least objectionable things that've occurred in it.

Matt

About 3/4 of the way through my Freshman year I was standing in my dorm room minding my own business when 4 other people came bursting through the door, picked me up by each limb (because you know that a guy that is 150 lbs. definitely requires 4 people to subdue), and carried me into the bathroom. They tossed me into that tub which was filled with water and at least 100 lbs. of ice. They referred to it as "tubbing" someone and they explained that it was generally done when the guy was being a real jackass.

I'm not aware of anyone else being tubbed that entire year but I didn't exactly argue too much after the fact. I may have deserved it.

So the tub was used one other time that year. I can't recall if it was before or after the Monitor's bathing time.

If I'd been keeping aquarium fish back in those days I might have considered using it as a grow out tank. It was probably loaded with beneficial bacteria (some of it had to be, right?).

Nick, I'm sure all of this is really helping you.