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However, to prevent the situation from escalating to the terrible outcomes that we see in the pictures, the late Fredric Neuman, M.D., who was the Director of the Anxiety and Phobia Center at White Plains Hospital, suggested people follow these rules.
Respect your roommate. It would be better if the two of you liked or even loved each other since living together puts a strain on even reasonable people. By respect, Neuman meant certain specific things, such as not eating the other person's food unless you ask first, not borrowing clothes whenever you want, and not taking the possessions of the other person without asking first.
The wish to study or go to sleep takes precedence over someone else’s wish to play loud music or party — roommates should try their best not to wake each other up.
Follow through on financial commitments so that one roommate does not have to ask the other for rent or payment for other bills.
Chores should be done without having to be reminded.
Do not keep tabs on everything you do for your roommate with the expectation that every favor will be returned.
#22 I’ve Told Them Countless Times To Take Them To The Bin. They Expect Me To Do It When I Don’t Even Eat Pizza
This is the build up from a month. I’ve asked countless times for them to deal with it, and they never do and never respond - not taking responsibility when I know exactly who it is. Last time this happened I took them out because we had an inspection. This time I want them to own up and do it themselves before we leave for Xmas and as they’re adults.
I do not eat pizza, especially takeaway pizza, I don’t know what to do, I’m sick of living in a filthy environment, but I don’t want to have to keep constantly tidying up after other people, since I'm also the only one who sweeps, hoovers, and wipes down counters and tables.
#23 My Roommate Hasn’t Paid His Part Of The Rent In 3 Months, There’s A Weird Smell Coming From His Room That I Can’t Pinpoint, And I’m Pretty Sure He Up And Left So I Have To Clean It Now
#24 My Brother In Law Is Living With Us, This Is His Room
The rest of Neuman's rules were:
No sleep-over guests should be allowed unless both parties have already agreed to it in advance.
The inclination to be orderly or messy must be compromised with the other person’s wishes.
If bedrooms are separate, do not go into the other person's bedroom unless they are present.
If your roommate is of the opposite sex, assume or she does not want to enter into a sexual relationship.
And of course, don't be rude or insulting, and do not undermine your roommate’s friendships with other people.
#27 Roommate Left Us A Present
#28 Roommates Keep Cranking The Heat To 32°c/90°f
#32 Roommate Threw A Party Before Moving Out & Left His Mess For Us To Clean. Found His Cooler Full Of Alcohol Months Later
#33 I'm The Only One Who Cooks In This House And I Have No Room For Groceries
#35 My Roommate Flushes Food Down The Toilet And Now It’s Perpetually Clogged
#36 My Roommate Defrosts Meat In The Cabinet
#37 Roommate Opens New Bottles Of Water Rather Than Finishing The Ones He’s Already Drank From
#38 Every Day I Clean My Apartment Before Work, By The Time I Get Back It Looks Like This Thanks To My Roommate
#39 My Roommate Made Eggs In All These Pans Instead Of Just Washing One Pan Every Time They Make Eggs. Someone Save Me From This Nightmare
#40 An Actual Text Conversation Between My Roommate And Me After She Woke Me Up At 4 AM
