<p>So....my roommate and I aren't really liking each other. I want to study in my dorm but she sleeps early so she wants ALL the lights off, including my desk lamp. -__-. I want to study 'till 1:00 AM because midterms are coming. Also, my class scheulde includes classes that begin at 8 so I want to wake up at 6:30 so that I can grab breakfast, BUT she hates it when my alarm goes off. She gets annoyed and tells me to just bring a snack. I mean, I have a fast metabolism and I need the food. </p>
<p>I mean, am I the problem, or should she learn to accommodate to her roommates preferences as well. </p>
<p>Is it possible to trade roommates? I have a friend that hates her roommates too, and I was wondering if we can trade roommates :D</p>
<p>Sounds like she is too sensitive. It’s typical for roommates to be on different schedules and most of the time, people just ignore or tolerate things like a desk light or an alarm clock. These are reasonable and minor disturbances and really, to be expected. I think you’ve got a prima donna as a roommate. It is possible to change roommates, if it comes to that. You may want to speak with your RA before going anything though.</p>
<p>You are, imo, not the problem. She needs to accommodate a teeny bit. Desk lamps should be fine as long as they aren’t super uber bright. She should be respectful of the fact that it is your room too. </p>
<p>On an interesting note, I like my roommate because I often have to wake up REALLY early and he actually doesn’t mind my multiple snoozes because it primes him for when he has to wake up a few hours later.</p>
<p>@gouf, I would say so. Guys just don’t really have “drama.” If something is wrong, there’s either a fight or they just learn to deal with it. </p>
<p>IMO, OP, you are not the problem when it comes to the studying issue. Your roommate should be able to tolerate a desk lamp (unless its ridiculously bright). But you could always study in the lounge or somewhere else as well. But the alarm issue…I think that’s your fault. Its my personal feeling and I know many will disagree. Its just I’ve never needed a loud alarm (just phone vibrating at most), so I feel anything more is too much. So that’s just me. There has to be another way you can wake up…or you can try to explain it to your roommate that it “primes” her to wake up later lol.</p>
<p>I don’t think the alarm issue is your fault. Personally, it takes A LOT to get me up, so I see where you’re coming from. Last year, my roommate always slept earlier than me, so she got used to my desk lamp. In the mornings, I’d just have to deal with her multiple snoozes. I mean, give and take, right? Your roommate seems to be doing all the taking and none of the giving.</p>
<p>^back up to priming snoozes for a few hours? Yeah I totally do that. Usually about 5 alarms over 2-3 hours lol. And you’re <em>definitely</em> not in the wrong for waking up at whatever time you have to in order to get to an early class. Lighting situations are a slightly easier compromise. Your roommate needs to get over the metaphorical pea under her mattress.</p>
<p>Your situation sounds very similar to a situation I had a few years ago. Moreever, I was actually up 'til 3am instead of just 1am. There were compromises on both sides.</p>
<ul>
<li>I agreed to study under one of those small LED lights. It only lit up my desk, but still kept his side of the room quite dark.</li>
<li>My roommate used a sleep mask before I used the small light.</li>
<li>We agreed to turn on the fan to drown out any accidental background noise.</li>
<li>I got used to my roommate’s alarm.</li>
<li>My roommate turned the volume down and place it closer to him.</li>
<li>Both of us tried our best to not make noise when the other is sleeping.</li>
</ul>
<p>It worked out for the year, and although we were both tired of accommodating each other, we managed to remain sane.</p>
<p>I’m really sensitive to light when I sleep so to an extent I know how your roommate feels. I was in a triple and all desk lights are not created equal. One of my roommates had a desk light that was dim enough that I could sleep; the other had a light that lit up the whole damn room. She used it once until 3 AM on a night near the beginning of the school year, and my roommate and I both told her we had a problem with it. It ended up working out. My roommate and I who liked to sleep at a decent hour would do so, and our other roommate studied in our floor’s lounge until 3 or 4 every night. Remember that she can only sleep in one place, but you can study in many locations.</p>
<p>As long as your alarm only goes off once, I think you can set it for any time you want. You should be able to go get breakfast and stuff. Your roommate can fall back asleep after one alarm.</p>
<p>Supporting Peers in Laidback Listening — referred to by the acronym SPILL — is an online peer-based support system that allows college students to “spill” about their problems confidentially via email, and get personalized messages of support from 6-8 other peers (facilitators) on campus with experience in that specific issue.</p>
<p>Since both parties are anonymous to one another, SPILL provides a non-threatening mental health resource for students at all hours of the day. SPILL creates a preventative support body to alleviate loneliness, stress, and isolation within the UC Berkeley student body.</p>
<p>I don’t know how loud or frequent your alarm is, but I had a roommate who would set up his alarm starting at 2:30AM and repeat every 30-minute interval. It was very disrespectful to others (he said he needs to stay conscious 24/7). </p>
<p>However, if it’s just one alarm at a reasonable time, I think that is okay.</p>
<p>And if she is THAT sensitive to light, gift her an eye mask. (telling her to buy a mask makes it like you’re being the selfish one, and eye masks are very cheap anyway)</p>
<p>I think that you should study in the lounge. It’s merely a matter of convenience for you to study in the dorm rather than the lounge, while for your roommate, it’s a major issue.</p>
<p>Also, if you have an alarm clock that rings once, I’m sure it’s fine, no matter how loud. Maybe your roommate is complaining that you snooze 20 times rather than just setting it at a later time.</p>