Feisty Friends

As a request, I’m going to address the problem of excessive noise. Whether it comes from your roommate, suitemates or the strangers they bring into your room or suite, their high volume at some point will annoy you — whether it’s screams from a scary movie late at night, or obnoxious laughter and snorting from watching a Youtube video.
            This is why establishing a good relationship with your entire suite at the beginning of the year is so important. If you have a good relationship, you can just ask them to keep it down. But if not, you might to call in other forces, like your Student Advisor. Then a mediator will be involved ensuring success. Here are some other tips.
            I usually give tips on what to do, but today I’m going to switch it up and provide a list of what NOT to do to seek revenge, courtesy of Comedy Corner. These are just a few of my favorites from the list.

77. Talk like a pirate, all the time. Threaten to make your roommate walk the plank if he or she doesn't swab the deck. Arrrrrrrrrrrgh!

68. When you walk into the room, look at your roommate in disgust and yell, "Oh, you're here!" Walk away yelling and cursing.

44. Move everything to one side of the room. Ask your roommate if he or she knows how much an elephant weighs, and look at the floor on the empty side of the room with concern.

45. Practice needlepoint every night. At one point, grab your thumb and scream, "Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" Cry hysterically for a few minutes, and then go to bed. Sob and sniff all night.

42. Call your roommate "Clyde" by accident. Start doing so every so often. Increase the frequency over the next few weeks, until you are calling him or her"Clyde" all the time. If your roommate protests, say, "I'm sorry. I won't do that anymore, Murray."

22. Pile dirty dishes in your roommate's bed. Insist that you don't know how they got there.


I'm taking next week off because it's Thanksgiving, but the week after I'll be discussing "Buying for the Bathroom."


I hope everyone has a nice holiday!

Shower Situations

Sorry this is a little late! I had some family issues occur last night and ended up having my family in town for the evening.


Anyway, I realize I said this week's topic would be Smelly Sensations, but I've gotten a request to discuss Shower Situations. More specifically — shower schedules.


Personally, I've only needed to use a shower schedule with my suitemates once, and it worked out. But, I've heard many stories of people not abiding by the rules.


To make your schedule a success, try these tips:


     Make the schedule at the beginning of the semester. If you wait too long, people will already be used to a routine, and it will be harder to adjust.


     Post it in your room. Otherwise, you might forget. Even if no one is in the bathroom, the person who has permission to be might just be running late. Then, if they are forced to wait longer because of your careless actions, the situation ends up worse than it began.


     Stick to it, and make sure everyone else does too. If people are beginning to stray from the schedule, let them know. The problem will just get worse until it's confronted. Make a valid argument and give reasons for why the schedule is so important. If you just scold the other person out of frustration, they won't take you seriously.


     Changes need to be discussed in advance. If you need to change your bathroom time for any reason, let everyone else involved as soon as you know. Leaving a note on your suitemate's door the night before is impersonal, and might cause unnecessary drama.


Have you ever thought about communal showers, or how people not living in a suite-style dorm deal with sharing a bathroom with their entire floor? Check out this blog for more tips.




Next Week: Smelly Sensations (Unless there are more requests!)

Door Difficulty

One of the many troubles every student living in a suite encounters is the dreaded bathroom door. Getting locked out of your own bathroom can be a traumatic experience, so here are a few tricks I’ve learned throughout my time at college.

Always keep a quarter handy.
By placing the side of the quarter into the door handle lock, you can twist the door open to freedom. I keep one on a shelf on my desk. There are also many other techniques.

Don’t lock your suitemates out of the bathroom for revenge.
If you decide that locking your suitemates out of the bathroom is a good way to stick it to them for heating up leftover Mexican last night and stinking up your room, you’re wrong. Your suitemates will most likely just return the favor, starting a never-ending war.

There is no need to always lock the door.
If you’re simply washing off some dishes, brushing your teeth or just washing your hands, there is no need to lock the door. The less you lock the door, the more unlikely it is that you’ll lock your suitemates out.

Have you had any strange encounters with your bathroom door in your suite? If so, I want to know!

Next week: Smelly Sensations