Not a Fan of Roommates

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>Ok, so I am a student at a small private college on the east coast.
I got along fine with my previous roommates, but I absolutely cannot stand my current roommates. I did not know them personally before we all moved in together...OOPS.
Yes, woe is me, I'm living in an expensive, over-amenitied apartment complex just a short distance from campus. </p>

<p>No, but really...my roommates are horrible.
They eat my food.
They bring their friends over and make loud, drunken noises at all times of the night (I'm not actually sure if they're actually drunk or are simply mocking those who they've witnessed behave strangely after consuming large quantities of alcohol).
One of them moved her boyfriend in without asking any of us (his laugh makes me want to throw things), but my other roommate is "down with everything" and thus could care less what the girl does, it seems.
Basically, I'm at my limit with these girls. They are spoiled and privileged and all they do is talk about the ways they are going to further drain their parents' bank accounts. Yes, there is some serious jealousy/spite there, simply because all the while I'm working my rear end off to make rent and subsist on dry cereal (the cost of milk really adds up...). Apparently even with all of the gourmet vegan meals they are cooking for themselves, my cereal maintains its appeal for them. </p>

<p>I've had enough of their ridiculousness and I'm trying to find another place to live. However, there is absolutely no housing available on campus (yay, transfer student life) and essentially everything that is available off-campus is expensive (it's a posh, ritzy, I'm-going-to-dress-my-dog-up-in-an-outfit-that-costs-more-than-your-month's-rent kind of area). I'm kind of in a difficult situation, because of this. </p>

<p>It would be possible for me to live about an hour away from campus for a much more reasonable price and I'd be able to commute via public transportation. But at the same time, some part of me doesn't want to move out of this place. Should I stay in the place and continue to put up with the antics, or move out to a place that is further away but would likely encourage a much healthier mental state? </p>

<p>As difficult as it might be to determine this from my post...ahem...I tend to be on the dramatic side--perhaps I should just stay at the apartment and stop complaining? Thoughts are appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Have you tried talking to your roommates? Have you asked them to be quieter, or not eat your food (or chip in for it?) That’s usually the first thing you should try.</p>

<p>Slightly unhelpful, but you could keep your food (at least your cereal) in your room… then they can’t eat it. Not a solution to everything of course, but it sounds like it’s bugging you. (This also works for roommates who use your dishes and won’t wash them, etc.)</p>

<p>Hour commute on public transit… well, I’ve done it before over the summer, and personally wouldn’t recommend it. It takes up a whole lot of time, and makes it harder to do things on campus… even little things (clubs, study groups, meeting friends) takes a whole lot of effort when you live far away.</p>

3

<p>

Remember to take transport cost into account. I’m doing an hour commute on public transit right now. It’s definitely doable. If I don’t have that many classes, I usually study in the library or hang out with friends or something. It feels like a waste to take so much time to travel and then head back straight away.</p>

<p>Talk to your roommates first. Tell them that you can’t afford for them to be eating your food, and that making loud noises in the middle of the night isn’t acceptable. If they ignore you, it might be better to just move out.</p>

<p>If you really want to stay where you are now, you can leave some stuff in your room, or get a padlock for your cabinets (I don’t think you can do this with all types of cabinets though). Not much you can do about the noise, other than switch rooms to one that’s farther away from where they usually make noise.</p>

4

<p>Agree that talking to them would be the first step, if you haven’t tried already. Even if you have, sometimes it takes a couple tries for it to really sink in for people. Tell them that you’re paying for your food and rent from your part time job, and you can’t afford to feed them, as well as yourself. Ask them to not eat your food or to chip in for it, if they still want to. And it goes both ways: you won’t eat their food, if they don’t eat yours. If you’re willing to share food, you could split the grocery bill with them, but it doesn’t sound like you are. Label your food with your initials or something, so they know it’s yours, and if they keep eating your cereal or whatever, just keep it in your room.</p>

<p>With regards to the noise, maybe you guys could establish “quiet hours” for your apartment, or maybe they can only have a party or whatever once a week, instead of every night. Maybe you could ask them to go to another friend’s apartment, or just ask them to keep it down. Or you could just wear ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones, if it really bothers you. I’ve been on the other side of this, where we had a roommate once that needed seemingly complete silence all the time, and it was really frustrating for us because (in our opinion) we weren’t being that loud since we were usually just watching a movie or talking. But different people have different standards for what is considered loud, so maybe you could work out some compromise with your roommates.</p>

<p>With regards to the boyfriend, either tell her that you’re not okay with him living there, or tell her that he needs to contribute to the rent (if he’s not doing so already). And get his name on the lease, so that he’s just as responsible for the rent as you guys are. If he’s not okay with that or your not allowed to do that, then say sorry you can’t live here.</p>

<p>If they’re as wealthy as you make them seem, it might not be that they don’t care that you’re working to pay the rent but that they just don’t realize what your financial situation is. I’ve met a lot of people from all backgrounds (from very wealthy to very poor) who just don’t realize the costs that other people may have to handle, especially those who don’t get support from their parents or financial aid. Don’t make it sound like your destitute, but just tell them up front that you can’t afford to keep buying food if they’re going to eat it.</p>

<p>I wouldn’t recommend commuting an hour (or more, since you have to factor in buses or trains being late) to anyone, but if that’s your only option, then you just suck it up and do it. To be honest, you’re roommates don’t sound THAT bad, but I’m not the one who’s living with them. So just figure out which situation you would rather live with. Some people like commuting a longer distance for a better living arrangement because they get work done on the train or bus, and that’s fine too.</p>

5

<p>How did you end up living with these girls? Are you friends with them? also, as a practical matter–did you sign the lease? Are you obligated on the lease should you find other housing?</p>