Living with roommates can feel like a buddy comedy — sharing meals and chores, having movie nights, even becoming the best of friends in some cases.
But if you’re one of the unlucky ones, it can turn into a low-budget horror movie instead, where your roomie never washes their dishes or blasts music at 3am.
#21
I've told this before, but...
Many years ago I lived in a "party house". Always a crazy scene. One night was a typical Saturday bacchanalia. I went to bed relatively early and got up in the morning. My roomie was asleep on the sofa in a sitting position, snoring away. In one hand he had a fully cooked pork chop. In the other hand he had a salt shaker.
My walking around had roused him. He woke up, glanced around all bleary-eyed, then looked at his hands. He slowly shook some salt on his pork chop and started eating it.
Breakfast of Champions.
I never asked where he got the pork chop or how he slept for six hours without dropping the pork chop or the salt shaker. It was what it was.
Many years ago I lived in a "party house". Always a crazy scene. One night was a typical Saturday bacchanalia. I went to bed relatively early and got up in the morning. My roomie was asleep on the sofa in a sitting position, snoring away. In one hand he had a fully cooked pork chop. In the other hand he had a salt shaker.
My walking around had roused him. He woke up, glanced around all bleary-eyed, then looked at his hands. He slowly shook some salt on his pork chop and started eating it.
Breakfast of Champions.
I never asked where he got the pork chop or how he slept for six hours without dropping the pork chop or the salt shaker. It was what it was.
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12points
Typical roommate conflicts usually come down to communication. There’s definitely going to be problems if you do not communicate what you like, what you don’t like, what annoys you and what pushes your buttons.
If you’re a light sleeper, things like earplugs or white noise can make a big difference. If you’re more of a night owl, keep noise down late at night, don’t set multiple loud alarms, and be aware of shared space.
And if something does bother you, say it early. Don’t let it build up into frustration over time.
Research shows that roommates who communicate better, or have compatible communication styles, tend to report higher satisfaction and fewer conflicts.
#22
Had a roommate that was easily distracted by things. Anything. He could have a thought about why stars are certain colors and then go on a mission to find out why. Or maybe it would be a curiosity of the air pressure in his tires.
The problem was that when this happened he would just wander off from whatever task or activity he was doing at the time.
So many burned dinners and messes left throughout the house.
The problem was that when this happened he would just wander off from whatever task or activity he was doing at the time.
So many burned dinners and messes left throughout the house.
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11points
#23
Not so much weird as annoying: one of my housemates in college was a heavy drinker, which in itself wasn’t really an issue to the rest of us because he wasn’t really loud or belligerent about it. The issue, though, was that he pissed himself pretty frequently whenever he was really trashed, which is usually the condition he drank himself to. It got so bad that whenever he started drinking, we would all start encouraging, sometimes outright demanding, that he go to his own room before he passed out and peed himself on one of the couches, or someone else’s bed (he had a habit if we were all hanging out of just getting up and wandering into someone else’s room and passing out in their bed).
11points
Experts suggest that if the behavior goes overboard or if you consistently feel anxious in common areas, resentful, avoidant, or unheard… then maybe it’s time to go separate ways.
“Sometimes our fundamental needs and values conflict with those of our roommates, in which case there may be no way around it but to transition to a new living situation,” says Brooke Sprowl, an LA-based therapist.
#24
Never uses a full roll of toilet paper. There is always at least a 1/4 Of the roll left when it gets tossed. I can't figure out the reason.
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10points
#25
I had a roommate that likely thought he was literally the second coming of christ. He only ate foods described in the old testament, so lots of dates and olives.
The week leading up to Easter he took down all of the art in the house and put it in my room because he felt it was a form of following a false prophet. He then burned a bonfire in the back yard where he threw in dolls or whatever. Lots of melted plastic on my lawn.
He filled his bathtub with water and god knows what else, but it stunk and looked disgusting. I still don't know what he was doing with the tub.
Finally, on Good Friday I saw him walking around the neighborhood wearing all white robes with a crown of thorns around his head. (he also had long brown hair).
I kicked him out.
The week leading up to Easter he took down all of the art in the house and put it in my room because he felt it was a form of following a false prophet. He then burned a bonfire in the back yard where he threw in dolls or whatever. Lots of melted plastic on my lawn.
He filled his bathtub with water and god knows what else, but it stunk and looked disgusting. I still don't know what he was doing with the tub.
Finally, on Good Friday I saw him walking around the neighborhood wearing all white robes with a crown of thorns around his head. (he also had long brown hair).
I kicked him out.
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10points
Living with someone is a pretty unusual kind of relationship. You see each other at your worst — tired, irritated, half-awake, not always on your best behavior. It can be annoying at times, but it also teaches a lot about patience, communication, and compromise.
And who knows, it might even lead to close friendships. Or just teach you how to deal with different kinds of people.
#26
(College girlfriend’s roommate’s boyfriend, irk). Was a little odd but OK when we first met him. Then in the middle of a party, when he was really drunk, he very matter-of-factly stripped naked, carefully moved everything from the kitchen sink cabinet and arranged it on the floor, crawled in and pulled the door closed. We .... mentioned this to his girlfriend, she shrugged and said, >Yeah, he does that when he’s wasted.>
Not long after we were at a party, when it was getting late girlfriend is wandering around party asking, >where is boyfriend?> someone points out his clothes and shoes are stacked by the front door and that he said he was walking home. Naked. In February. In Pennsylvania. Six inches of fresh snow outside, it was maybe 20 Fahrenheit and home was almost two miles away.
Not long after we were at a party, when it was getting late girlfriend is wandering around party asking, >where is boyfriend?> someone points out his clothes and shoes are stacked by the front door and that he said he was walking home. Naked. In February. In Pennsylvania. Six inches of fresh snow outside, it was maybe 20 Fahrenheit and home was almost two miles away.
10points
#27
I lived in a single room dorm with a girl who was an Agriculture major. She’d have to go feed cows on the school farm and then she’d wear her poo-covered boots back into our room and just leave them by her bed. It was smelly....
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10points
#28
Standing completely naked in the kitchen washing her hair (with my shampoo) in the kitchen sink that was already packed full with dirty dishes.
We had two showers and four bathroom sinks in our apartment none of which were in use... why.
We had two showers and four bathroom sinks in our apartment none of which were in use... why.
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10points
#29
Years ago, I lived with a bunch of strangers in a house and one of the roommates didn't speak English. It was Christmas break, so I'm out of school and have tons of free time. I'm chilling in the common area reading--as I had been doing for a week--and this roommate, who I can't communicate with, starts cooking something spicy on the stove. All of a sudden he starts panicking and yelling in his language. I hear pots banging and furious chopping of vegetables or something. This goes on for SIX hours. Yelling, chopping, yelling, chopping. Finally he comes out from the kitchen six hours later with a tiny bowl of soup. I thought okay, he must have prepped a week's worth of meals and stored the rest. But later that night I leave out the back door and there's this beef soup concoction strewn throughout the lawn. He had dumped pots worth of soup outside. To this day, I'm still not sure what happened with this guy in that kitchen.
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10points
#30
She had this cup full of...liquid...by her bed. There's no better way to describe it really.
She kept her toothbrush in it, bristles down in the liquid and when it came to teethbrushing time, she'd basically just take the toothbrush out, brush her teeth, spit into the cup and shove her toothbrush back into her cup.
I'm wretching just thinking about it.
She kept her toothbrush in it, bristles down in the liquid and when it came to teethbrushing time, she'd basically just take the toothbrush out, brush her teeth, spit into the cup and shove her toothbrush back into her cup.
I'm wretching just thinking about it.
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10points
#31
Spraying our clean dishes with raid to keep the bugs away. Caught him at 3am.
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10points
#32
I went to school in a town where the water has kind of a funky taste. We used one of those Brita water pitchers that you put water in the top and it drops filtered water into the pitcher at the bottom. Well, one of our roommates all semester had been removing the filter and pouring the tap water into the bottom of the pitcher before placing the filter back on top. If you're unaware, as my roommate was, this defeats the entire purpose of the filter.
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9points
#33
My first college roommate kept everything he brought with him packed in his army rucksack at all times in case he needed to "bug out". His side of the room was bare except for said bag and his camo sleeping bag he kept on his mattress. All he listened to were Ranger cadence chants. Weird enough the guy didn't own a stitch of camo clothing but dressed like a mennonite farmer in Wrangler jeans and snap up wool shirts. Last I heard he was a Major in the Air Force.
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9points
#34
Another one, this one was crazy.
The moment I first walked into the room, the living room had a smell I couldn't place. For weeks I was bugged by this smelly smell that smelled smelly, and I ended up moving the furniture around to see if I could find it - no dice. Finally, I literally got on my hands and knees and started sniffing for the source. It led me to the dressed with one of my 5 roommate's names on a sticky note on it. Of course I had never opened it. He was gone this weekend so I took the shot.
I opened the drawer - for half a second, because the instant I opened it flies SHOT THE OUT. I slammed that thing closed and said to my other roommate "JIANG-FAN, GET THE TAPE." We taped it shut, moved the dresser outside onto the outdoor walkway and opened it up and bolted. Again, flies, but this time the source was plain to see.
A CARLS JR BAG with a grease spot underneath it covered with larvae shells etc. I didn't dare look into the bag, it was disposed of in an outdoor trashcan then we cleaned that drawer with soapy water. There was no indication the roommate has used this drawer, there was even a brand new, packaged power strip and some canned soda in there.
Bonus: Later in the year I entered his room to take out the trash, and his desk was so gross. Old boba cups with fruit flies on it, trash and stuff.
AND HE WAS A MEDICAL BIOLOGY MAJOR. You'd think he'd understand the importance of cleanliness.
The moment I first walked into the room, the living room had a smell I couldn't place. For weeks I was bugged by this smelly smell that smelled smelly, and I ended up moving the furniture around to see if I could find it - no dice. Finally, I literally got on my hands and knees and started sniffing for the source. It led me to the dressed with one of my 5 roommate's names on a sticky note on it. Of course I had never opened it. He was gone this weekend so I took the shot.
I opened the drawer - for half a second, because the instant I opened it flies SHOT THE OUT. I slammed that thing closed and said to my other roommate "JIANG-FAN, GET THE TAPE." We taped it shut, moved the dresser outside onto the outdoor walkway and opened it up and bolted. Again, flies, but this time the source was plain to see.
A CARLS JR BAG with a grease spot underneath it covered with larvae shells etc. I didn't dare look into the bag, it was disposed of in an outdoor trashcan then we cleaned that drawer with soapy water. There was no indication the roommate has used this drawer, there was even a brand new, packaged power strip and some canned soda in there.
Bonus: Later in the year I entered his room to take out the trash, and his desk was so gross. Old boba cups with fruit flies on it, trash and stuff.
AND HE WAS A MEDICAL BIOLOGY MAJOR. You'd think he'd understand the importance of cleanliness.
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9points
#35
One day I saw two Kentucky Fried Chicken breasts in the cupboard. When I asked him about it he said you only had to refrigerate dark meat.
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9points
#36
Came home from work early and found him in just his tighty whities and motorcycle helmet playing a racing game.
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9points
#37
While my actual roommate was abroad for a semester his brother lived with me. Something that I noticed was that he bought a lot of butter. A lot! We always had around 3 - 4 pieces in the fridge and it was not always the same few pieces, but he always bought new ones.
One time I asked him what he did with so much butter. He denied that it was his (which is super strange because we are the only two people living there and none of my friends brought the butter and he never had friends over).
When he moved out the butter disappeared too. To this day i don’t know what he needed that for and I think I don’t even wanna know.
One time I asked him what he did with so much butter. He denied that it was his (which is super strange because we are the only two people living there and none of my friends brought the butter and he never had friends over).
When he moved out the butter disappeared too. To this day i don’t know what he needed that for and I think I don’t even wanna know.
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8points
#38
I came home from drinking and my roommate had the tv covered in tinfoil with holes poked in it. All of his friends were just staring at it. Must of been some good trip.
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8points
#39
Had a roommate during school. He was a hyper-masculine, frat boy type. Very loud and obnoxious and kind of a bully in that way. One day I come home late from school and find all the lights off and approximately 30 individual candles lighting the darkened living room. He is sitting there wearing only a robe and holding a glass of red wine (which he never drank, because men drink beer or something). I ask him what's up, kind of laughing and thinking a girl is coming over, and he looks at me like I'm an idiot and goes "Dude, the bachelor starts tonight. Get your robe!" I did not know this was a thing.
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8points
#40
Lived in a big house with lots of other guys in college. One dude would open the second floor window every morning, pour a decent amount of cheerios or other cereal out onto our first floor patio for the birds, and then pee out the same window all over the food. and then repeat most mornings.
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8points