Roommate always has the TV on...Always.

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>Freshman here.</p>

<p>So the roommate keeps the TV on very late, even when I'm trying to sleep. For example, he almost always tries to watch the 1 AM Sports Center on ESPN, even if he's seen all the highlights already - really freaking annoying; I love sports, but how much ESPN do you need? Also, it's on in the morning when he just wakes up (and I might still be sleeping) and throughout the day whenever he's in the room (which is always, when he's not in class).</p>

<p>I thought I watched a lot of TV before I came to college. At this point, I'm ready to throw the TV out the window and quit watching ESPN for a year. I'm that sick of it.</p>

<p>He has a general idea that I don't like the TV on all the time (if it were up to me, it'd be off most of the time). But he doesn't really care, and always does his own thing.</p>

<p>Last night, it was 2 AM (I'm rarely in bed before midnight, BTW), and I kind of reached my tipping point. I kindly asked him if he could turn the TV off, because I had to be up at 9 AM for class. He said "I'm not tired yet." He's always gone to bed with the TV on. Most nights, I don't really care enough to say anything, but like I said, I had just reached my tipping point. I wanted the damn thing off.</p>

<p>I don't think what I requested was too unreasonable. I made that clear to him. I said something along the lines of "look man, it's a simple request, I never even bother you about this, please just tonight?" He responded with "whose TV is it?" It's his. So I said "yours." And he responded "there you go." What a smug ass. I told him that the room is 50% mine, and even if the TV happened to belong to me, if he were to make a polite request on one particular night, I'd gladly grant it. Admittedly, I did get irritated and said after he declined: "God forbid you don't see all the highlights one night." And he just said "mhmm" in his passive aggressive manner.</p>

<p>So I'm thinking about talking to him, trying to make a compromise of when we can turn the TV off (I think midnight would be nice). But I don't know how well it'll go -- there's no way he'll agree with that compromise. What are your thoughts? What should I do after he most likely rejects it? Going to the RA would be my last resort at this point, but I'm not even ruling that out anymore.</p>

<p>I'm just sick of it at this point. Gah.</p>

2

<p>If he’s going to be smug like that you are probably going to need to go to the RA. I would try to talk it out with him so it at least shows you’re making an effort to communicate. Honestly though I wouldn’t expect anything to come of it. However if you guys do agree on something make sure you write it down.</p>

<p>There are other things you could do if he doesn’t agree but all I can think of is stuff like playing your music all the time or something petty.</p>

3

<p>Funny idea about playing my music (which he doesn’t like) all the time, but I’m trying to be above him, not stoop to his level.</p>

<p>But yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s gonna have to come to me going to the RA.</p>

4

<p>He needs to use earphones. If he protests, it indicates he cares more about irritating you than solving the problem. Bring the RA into the situation, soon.</p>

5

<p>Earphones are a must. Problem solved unless it is the glare as well as the volume.</p>

6

<p>Earphones for him and earplugs for you.</p>

7

<p>Your requests are not unreasonable. If he needs a single room because he has some unusual dependency on TV and sleeping problems, he’ll have to get one. In the meantime, he’s paying for half a room, and if he can’t use good discretion and judgment to hold the noise and light within reasonable bounds, then some sort of schedule needs to be worked out.</p>

<p>If you stoop to a childish tit-for-tat, trying to make him miserable back, you will both look like problem children to the RA, and it will be harder to mediate.</p>

<p>This could affect your grades. Grades can affect your income post-college. You are unlikely to agree to live with this guy again next year, and he shouldn’t have this much power in your life.</p>

8

<p>Personally I find the wildly varying light levels of tv shows/commercials disruptive to sleep even with the sound off. You’ve done the right thing, now it is time to go to the RA. That’s one of the things they’re there for.</p>

9

<p>Why oh why do they still make people share rooms? No one wants to share a room, unless they are sleeping together. It is such an antiquated idea. People need their space. they need their quiet or the noise that comforts them. It sounds like you need to launch an all out assault on the issue.</p>

<p>Go to your RA to help mediate. Also gather whatever technology offers that will help. The sound of the TV as well as the lights flashing bright and dark when there is low light on in the room can give you headaches and make anyone extremely cranky.</p>

<p>Make it a requirement for him to wear headphones all the time. Position the TV so that it faces away from your side of the room to lower the light disturbance. Go and find some comfortable earplugs. between his headphones and your earplugs you will be able to avoid the noise nicely. You will also need to get a sleep mask. They make them in all types of materials and colors. Once you have worn one for a while then you won’t even notice it anymore.</p>