I’m having issues with my roommate…
I’m not going to rant because that would end up being pages of text. So here’s the issue. She thinks I can sleep through anything. I get migraines, so I need my sleep. Somehow, she has come to the conclusion that no matter how much noise she makes, I can sleep through it. I’ve told her that when she makes noise when I’m sleeping in the morning (before 9) and at night (after 10) it wakes me up.
I don’t know what to do. She won’t be any quieter, I don’t get any sleep so I get migraines, which make my life miserable.
I could get earplugs, but then I’d have to get a really loud alarm clock and that would wake her up those couple mornings a week she gets up after me.
I’ll repeat myself: I don’t know what to do.
Are your migraines only triggered by lack of sleep? Make an appointment with a doctor to get them checked out and see if you need to be on any medication.
If she’s making noise just by getting ready in the morning, you can’t do anything about it.
If you have a FitBit or any other wearable fitness bracelet, set a vibrating alarm and invest in those earplugs.
Being a roommate means giving and taking. You need to be open to compromise. Get an RA involved if you need it to sit down with her and make an agreement that works for everyone.
If all else fails, look into moving into another room or get a single.
I suggest you get earplugs. Buy them at 32 or 33 db. Most people think you won’t hear your alarm clock but you will. You can try it out on a weekend to be sure. I’ve been using earplugs since college - they are great!
I’m not certain it’s reasonable to expect your roommate to be quiet from 10 PM to 9 AM. That’s quite restrictive as most college kids do not sleep that much. If she is being deliberately disruptive, I would say that you should talk to her (with an RA if necessary) but if it is simply that she is making normal awake noises (ie getting ready for an early class) then earplugs is really your best option. If you look at it from the flipside, she paid the same amount for the room that you did and if she is being expected to tiptoe around almost half of the day then that isn’t horribly fair for her.
I would also second the recommendation to see a doctor regarding the migraines. There are many medications that can help control migraines. Or if yours are severe enough, a doctor may be able to provide documentation to help you get moved to a single in the future.
I would go talk to your RA now…say that you are having problems with noise, but you want to get an idea what is convsidered normal. Explain that you have migraines that are exacerbated by noise. Then give examples.
Ask what they would recommend when talking to roommate about a solution.
Remember both of you have the right to "live"in your dorm… you need a little more quiet, but she needs to be able to do homework in her room.
But if the examples are that she is getting and getting dressed, then you will have to figure out a solution. But if it is playing videos without headphones late at night, then she needs to change.
If you have to use earplugs and a loud alarm that may be a tradeoff that she is willing to live with.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I got earplugs and a loud alarm clock. She wasn’t super happy about it, but there’s nothing I can do about that. The loud noises (e.g. watching soccer without headphones and music in the mornings) have decreased in frequency as well after she came to realize that I was making more of an effort to promote her good rest than she was mine.