We all saw Her Campus Nottingham’s video about pet peeves at university. If you have passive aggressive tendencies and the notes you’ve left on the fridge, the house WhatsApp group chat and the Facebook message aren’t working, here are some passive aggressive housing hacks* to help you get what you want whilst not yielding to your housemates’ unacceptable behaviour.
Sometimes passive aggressive notes aren’t effective.
Loud music playing early in the morning
Your housemate is blasting out David Guetta at 7.30am before their morning gym session and they know that your only day for a lie-in is Tuesday, what do you do? Ask to borrow their speakers later that day and don’t give them back for a few days as punishment, or until they promise not to play music so loud in the morning again.
No toilet roll left (and it’s not your turn to buy it) Simply take your own pack of handbag tissues with you every time you go to the toilet. Keeping a pack in your pocket will ensure you’ll never go short and providing only enough paper for yourself means you’re not giving in to whoever it is that needs to step up and buy the toilet roll.
Queuing for the bathroom in the morning Most houses’ hot water systems are linked to one boiler, so if you turn on the hot kitchen tap whilst someone is showering, their shower will either go cold or the water will not be as powerful. It sends a clear message to the shower hog that it’s time to get out.
Double standards and greedy housemates There’s always somebody who will steal your biscuits, chocolate and especially those Crunchy Nut cereals, so why give them the opportunity? Keep all food in your bedroom, lock it during the day and don’t let them know what goodies you’ve got in there. You may also want to invest in a mini fridge to keep your favourite yoghurts away from greedy hands and as somewhere to store an emergency pint of milk for when the house milk runs out.
*Only to be used in extreme circumstances.
Edited by Harriet Dunlea
Image source: Leona Hinds