Burrell Ave

Freshman year of college. Need I say more? I lived with two of my best friends whom I've known since Kindergarten; Jesse and Cody. In true Lib-Cod-Jess fashion we waited until the month college started to find a place to live. Our parents had been pressuring us since before graduation to start looking. But when have I ever been known to listen to good advice? When we finally felt the need to begin looking, there were no apartments that had three bedrooms in Lewiston. We began to feel the panic of not finding a place to live. One of us had stumbled across a trailer on craigslist. If there is anything to know about the Lib-Cod-Jess Freshman year experience it's this: we excelled in making poor choices. When we met with the landlord of the trailer we found out he was living right across the street from us. Ideal living situation for 18 year olds, right? We signed the lease that same day. We were desperate. Moving in together was an exciting time in our lives. We were becoming independent, and living with people we actually liked. The boys have always been two of my favorite people. Jesse and Cody are the kind of friends that you want to experience life with. Burrell Ave was not the ideal place to live, however, it was such a shit hole we could barley cause any more damage to it than was already there. There were nights that turned into mornings, and experiences that helped us grow as people, that took place in our little shitty trailer. There was a night the cops got called on a party we had thrown, I was terrified and let Jesse take the wrap. I regret being a chicken shit in that moment, and letting one of my best friends get in trouble without me. Jesse is the type of person who owns up to his shit, and the courage he had made me realize I needed to be a more accountable person. We weren't different from any other 18 year olds; we didn't always think things through. That was one of those moments. It didn't help that our landlord lived across the street. Another thing I need to share about the trailer is that it was surrounded by other trailers, most of which had drug deals running in and out. We were slightly terrified of our neighbors. I remember on more than one occasion washing dishes and looking out into our parking area and seeing some questionable people meeting up. Cops would pull up and start talking to the people hanging out in our parking spot. I remember watching the conversations between those people and the cop; I felt like I was intruding on their privacy. But then I would remember this is my home sweet trailer they are having a confrontation in front of. The trailer was nothing if not entertaining. Anyone who spent time at our trailer will back me up on that statement. I look back on that year and think of the delightful cuisine the boys cooked up when we had friends over. What is this cuisine you might be asking? Nacho mountain. We ate so many nachos. This might  have contributed to my Freshman 15. Living with two boys sure changes up your diet, not that I was one to order salad at dinner to begin with. I loved that Jesse and Cody cooked, they will make wonderful husbands someday. The three of us valued greasy food. We loved tacos, and biscuits with gravy. We didn't put the grease from our cooking in the garbage, because that would require us taking out the garbage more frequently, we were lazy. Instead of putting the grease in the trash like most people, we would poor it on a tree stump in our back yard. Like I said Freshman year was not known for good choices. One night we had a few friends over and someone flicked a cigarette onto the stump. It went up in flames, and by flames, I mean it was a delicious smelling towering inferno!  Luckily we were able to put it out. It was one of those learning moments (Note to future self: Don't put grease on the stump in your back yard). We were all about learning things the hard way, because of this the boys and I never had a dull moment. Cody and Jesse decided to combine their rooms at one point, don't ask me why. I'm still salty they didn't invite me to join them. The bedrooms were small so they had to get creative. How did they fit two beds into one room? The dumbasses made their own bunk beds. They literally got planks of wood and nails and somehow bunk beds were made. I was actually impressed because they aren't exactly carpenters. This was a moment that can only be represented by the bunk bed scene in step brothers (video attached below). I can remember many nights where they would yell good night to me from their bunk beds. Was jealousy coursing through my veins because I wasn't invited to their slumber party? YES. I wanted them to attach a third tier to the bunk bed for me.  For some reason, unknown to me they never made this happen. Freshman year of college wasn't always a party. I had my own trials. My mom was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer. This is the kind of news you never want to hear about your parents. I was struggling. I remember coming home to my little shitty trailer, and two of the most supportive friends when I found out about my mom. Jesse and Cody aren't the kind of people to feed you bullshit when you are hurting, their silence is intentional with love. When we did talk about my mom I was met with two of my best friends who reminded me I was not alone in my pain. I remember hugging them. The boys give great hugs. Freshman year taught us so many lessons. Most lessons we learned the hard way, but we had a hell of a time going through it together. Burrell Ave was the beginning of a chapter in the Lib-Jess-Cod experience. We don't live together anymore, but I will always value the memories we had our Freshman year. Here's to you boys, a few memories in a flash: Classy décor, clothing dryers that don't heat, broken faucets, leaking ceilings, sketchy neighborhood, fighting over the trash, Thursday throw downs, parental visits, laughter, no sleep, dinners with friends, the crazy landlord's wife, the puke green carpeted bathroom, living with people we loved. This was our Freshman year symphony, sung by Burrell Ave.