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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1999)
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Access to YOUR MONEY is as easy as 1-2-2! □ ATMs Worldwide ATM & VISA Access 24 Hour Internet Banking 24 Hour Phone Banking Credit Union Membership requirements apply. The University's Credit Union Since 1956! Moving Guide Exhibit conveys roommate woes A UO STUDENT TELLS THE TALE OF NINE ROOMMATES AND ONE TRASHED HOUSE Matt Partney for the Emerald This is the story of nine Hawaii natives picked to live in a house and have their lives exhibit ed to see what happens when people stop acting polite — and start getting real. This may sound like an episode of “Real World,” but it’s actually the story of a living situation gone out of control. Tom Hirashima, a senior majoring in fine arts, lived through the or deal and survived to tell the story — in a unique fash ion. Hirashima created an art exhibit as part of the final project for his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, telling the story of his experience. The exhibit, which mixes photography with prose and props, documents the lives of nine people and their lack of respect for each other and their living situation. Photographs, letters from the leasing office and room mate testimonials reverber ate with the chaos these nine people endured and what went wrong. The empty bot tles of beer and cigarette butts that litter the floor around the exhibit only be gin to convey the environ ment of this plot. In the fall of 1997, nine acquaintances from Maui, Hawaii, found themselves in Eugene and looking for a place to live. They found a newly remodeled eight bedroom house on 18th Avenue and Willamette Street and moved in imme diately, Hiroshima admits that the thought of nine folks living together was novel and ex citing — at first. Uninvited long-term guests, constant partying, dwindling rent payments and a lack of uni ty within the house created an unbearable, even hostile, environment. “The house was out of control. With nine people in the house, there was always somebody partying,” he said. Hiroshima’s house was the sight of many a crime and resulting prosecution. His art exhibit displays a complete list of infractions brought against the room mates, ranging from drug possession of nearly every substance imaginable to ille gal gambling, theft and soft ware piracy. Did we mention prostitu tion yet? After eight months, Hi roshima had had enough and moved out of the house, accepting the penalty for breaking his lease agree ment. “This sort of thing hap pens in smaller houses, but with a larger group, things just get out of hand,” he said. One by one, each room mate jumped ship, leaving the house r id the owners with $2,056.24 in owed rent and repairs. “We destroyed the house, we trashed it,” Hiroshima said. Today, only two of the three University students remain in the house, while the rest have dispersed. One former roommate is still missing in action after a fight with another room mate. But there are lessons to be learned from Hiroshima's ex perience. * * house was out of control. With nine people in the house, there was always somebody partying... Most of my roommates either had a job or did nothing. They just slept until two then got up to buy beer so they could do it all over again. >> Tom Hirashima Senior “Next time, I wouldn’t make snap decisions like that on who to live with,” he said. “I would recommend that you all have something in common, like you’re go ing to school at the same time. “Most of my roommates either had a job or did noth ing. They just slept until two then got up to buy beer so they could do it all over again.” Hirashima also stressed the importance of setting house rules and even having a chore schedule to avoid any problems. It’s true, chances are you won’t be in a living situa tion as crazy as Hi rashima’s, but careful plan ning and thoughtful decision making will avoid many of the problems he had to go through. 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