When coming to college, everyone hopes for that perfect roommate — the one that is their best friend, is just like them, and loves the same things they do. Unfortunately, this is not the case for a lot of people, and sometimes it’s good to know that others are suffering just like you. This list compiles seven of the worst things a roommate can do, but some of us know that there are even worse things that this list cannot say.
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Leaving Dirty Dishes/Food Out in the Open
You really just love waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. You really do! But when your roommate does it, you begin to fill with dread, because you just know that she is just going to leave the empty coffee mug on her desk for days, and sometimes even reuse it without washing it. You know the faint smell of old coffee and curdled milk is going to enter your room, and you know it’s coming soon. You also know those muffins have been sitting on her desk for a month now, and nothing is being done about it, and it makes you sad, because those muffins were delicious, once.
2. Not Taking Care of Themselves
You’ve been coming back to your room for a while now, and you notice this weird, unfamiliar smell. You really don’t know where it’s coming from, until you realize you haven’t seen your roommate shower in a couple of days. You panic then, because how are you supposed to tell your roommate that they smell? You can’t. When their personal hygiene habits begin to affect you, and your room, that’s when you know all hope is lost.
3. Having Guests Over – Without Telling You
It’s been a long day. You can’t wait to go back to your room and just sleep, watch Netflix, and eat snacks. But when you open your door, you quickly realize you can’t do that! At least not peacefully. Your roommate is there, with their significant other, for the third weekend in a row. It wouldn’t be so bad if maybe they talked to you, or your roommate at least introduced you to her partner. But they whisper to each other, making you feel unwelcome in your own room. Sometimes you hear weird sounds coming from your roommate’s bed, too, but you choose not to think about them.
4. Their Stuff is Everywhere!
You love cleaning your room! Every Sunday is dedicated to cleaning up and making your space fresh and ready for the new week. But, unfortunately, looking at your roommate’s side of the room that is filled with useless clutter, dirty clothes thrown on the floor, and an unmade bed, you feel like nothing was even done! You want to suggest to them that maybe they should clean their side, but you don’t know how to bring it up without being mean.
5. Playing Loud Music or Videos
It’s incredibly difficult to fall asleep with loud background music. Even when your roommate is wearing headphones, you can still hear the sound of their loud music blasting through. Or when you are trying to focus on homework, and their loud YouTube video plays in the background! It’s difficult to concentrate when your roommate and yourself operate at different volumes!
6. Snoring
You’re sleeping, and then suddenly, a loud sound rips you from your sleep. It continues, and it takes you a couple of seconds to realize what it is. You understand that it’s your roommate – and they’re snoring. Say goodbye to sleeping for the rest of that night!
7. Coming Back Late/Leaving Really Early
Your roommate walks into the room every single night at 1 a.m or later, and the sounds of them shutting the door, moving around, and getting ready for bed wakes you up, every single time! The same thing happens in the morning, around 7 a.m, when your roommate wakes up and shuffles around, loudly opening drawers and doors without any concern for you. You even know that they don’t even have class or work that early – so you are forced to wake up earlier for no reason!
Roommates can definitely be tricky and hard to navigate. In some situations, things cannot be fixed and it’s best if one of you move out of the room. Residential Life usually makes this process easy, so don’t be afraid to look at your options if you need to. Make sure you do your best to communicate your issues with your roommates and RA before you make a change. But, it’s always good to know you are definitely not alone and there are other people out there who have roommates that they don’t live well with either.