I’m a freshman 20yo M. My roommate has started being inside the room all the time except for when he goes to classes or to get food. When he’s in the room he plays video games the entire time and occasionally makes smelly food at 1am.
The other day I found toe nail clippings on the carpet and his toe nail clippers on top of my fridge. Like I let him use my fridge but bro that’s too far. I’ve had conversations with him and he just kind of laughs it off like it’s a joke. I get that he’s paying for the room as well but I don’t know where to draw the line. There aren’t really any rooms available to move to at the moment.
You’re lucky he still is going to classes and to the dining hall. Sounds like he’s got a serious case of gaming addiction. It would be reasonable to have a discussion with him about setting some ground rules, like lights out quiet time in the room after a certain hour, and basic hygiene issues, such as keeping his grooming equipment put away.
I had a really nice roommate freshman year who was a slob. We just drew an imaginary line down the middle of the room, and she kept her mess confined to her side of the room. It worked, because it was a HUGE room. Perhaps you could work out something like that with him.
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Yeah. Thank you. He only recently started heavily gaming. If there were another room I could move into I would do that right away. Because I I’ve talked to him about grooming stuff and hygiene he just kinda shrugs off the conversations I’ve had and continues doing the same thing. The main issue I think is that like many other kids, his parents did everything for him like cleaning and making his bed so now he doesn’t know how to do it. Hopefully he will learn over his college career.
I did the same thing with a roommate (I think junior year?) We actually drew a line, though. We used blue painter’s tape.
We were on really good terms, but agreed that we had different styles of dealing with our stuff. 
We also agreed to minimize any kind of strong smelling stuff in the room.
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Difficult issue. I have no suggestion, but do you thank you for sharing the details of your situation as students need to be prepared to deal with such issues.
I cherished my single, corner (multiple windows), dorm room as a freshman at an LAC. Maybe applicants should place more emphasis on living options when considering schools.
P.S. The disruptions caused by an inconsiderate roommate can affect one’s social & academic experience/performance due to constant interruptions, lack of sleep, and inability to study due to offensive odors.
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Try to sit down together and work out a roommate agreement. If that doesn’t work, pull in your RA to help mediate.
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Yeah, I think there is sometimes a friendly, mutual way to bring in an RA in cases like this.
Obviously going to an RA unilaterally is a last resort, although in some cases warranted as such.
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