So recently I feel like I've been at a low point, probably one of the lowest within the past couple years. Academically I'm starting to blow things off--it's been a long semester, and I'm starting to lose interest in classes and grades (though I'm sure I will care about grades again come finals). I think that's one disadvantage of the semester system, in that it's sometimes too lengthy and tedious toward the last few weeks. I just finished my last midterms, so I'll probably care even less. Also, the social life is pretty much stagnant / going down the drain, whichever way you want to look at it. I didn't see a single person over break thanks to my cough, and back here it always seems that people are either busy or just have conflicting schedules (including me). I do see HKN people sometimes though, but the committee work is a drag, especially when those that you're working with are seniors who are always busy.
Ok, the real reason why I'm so hateful right now--roommate problems. I won't name the person, though you can ask if you don't know and want to know. It's pretty obvious anyway from my descriptions. It started off benignly; a couple months back, I would get annoyed that he never cleaned up after himself or washed the dishes. But that's virtually nothing compared to what I'm dealing with now.
He then started living on the couch. That probably doesn't sound like anything, but it annoys me. He has his own room and own desk, but he's always just on the couch in the common room with his laptop. Why the hell are you taking over the common space when you have your own? Not only that, but he literally lives on it, as in leaving his stuff and mess on it when he's not here, as if the couch were his. So basically, the rest of us never use it anymore--we can't invite guests over to sit on it, nor can we sit on it to watch TV or play games. My couch, which I donated to be our couch, became his couch.
Let's keep going (how can it get any worse?). After he took over the couch, he started to play his music. Loudly. Enough that I can hear and get distracted by it down the hall in my own room. You see why I don't like his living on the couch? Why can't he just stay in his own room and play his music there, or just use earphones like normal people? And his tunes are horribly annoying too--he plays the kind of music where the beats just don't go away and repeat over and over again.
Ok, now what? He gets speakers. Fucking huge and bass-boosting speakers. And he starts using them. Now the music is even louder, and what's worse is that even with my own earphones on, I can feel his fucking bass. It's not so much a problem when I'm working (relatively), since I just turn up my own music to block it out. But his sleeping patterns are horrendous, and recently I've been having trouble sleeping because he keeps it on after I go to bed. Oh, but wait, there's more!
He started inviting his friends over recently, maybe a week or two ago. Example of problem. Two nights ago, he had three people over. They talked loudly the whole time, so loud that I could clearly hear what they were saying with our door closed. What's worse was that they were all drunk, so what could we do? They stayed up, talking, with the music blasting, until past 4am. And then guess what? A fight breaks out. I don't know the details, but according to Jeff (who also woke up), punches were thrown, things were knocked over, and they ran out of the apartment. In the morning, everything was a huge mess.
Ok, so you ask me, why don't I talk to this roommate about these problems? Obvious solution, but I've tried again and again to no avail. We no longer talk, save for my occasional "Turn down your music, I'm trying to study." Not only does he usually just outright ignore me, but he often retaliates by doing the opposite of what I ask. From my point of view, I really do not understand this immature passive-aggressiveness, nor do I understand such disrespect for others. The other two living here just deal with it, though they don't say much to him either.
For the time being, I find solace during the time that he's out and not here. I've also lost all motivation to stay over on weekends to do things such as attend HKN socials. At this point I am looking forward to the summer, which comes in a month. Then I can finally get out of this place and leave this all behind.
WTF? A real fight? There are routine wrestling matches in my suite, but they're just for machismo purposes.
ReplyDeleteWhy not do an intervention with everyone together and let him know that he should stop being such a douche? And when he brings his friends over, just tell them to keep it down since some people are actually taking school seriously. It'll at least make the next month or so more livable (especially with Finals) until you guys can dump him.
And I'm going to guess its the "Fourth Guy" and not someone who is not named Jeffrey X, as you mention a "Jeffrey" and not "the other Jeffrey".
If all else fails, buy your own speakers and make his life suck too. Aggressive-passiveness.
You are incorrect at guessing who the perpetrator is. With that, you should know the answer.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, an intervention would be nice, but the others are too Asian (stereotypical, keep your head down, just deal with it) to do anything. I don't have any backup, so that's why the situation is this way now.
Poor Dear. I must say, it's refreshing to hear a rant from you. Let it all out~
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that your current living arrangements are still comparable (or worse?) to what you faced in dorms last year. May I offer my empathy? I may have ranted to you last semester about one of my roommates, though I was lucky enough to escape the horror after a single semester. I forgot whom I was speaking with, but our conversation was like,
“She had her friend in our room and they would not stop talking, and they basically just ignored me when I asked that they move somewhere else, like to the lounge, since Sandy and I were trying to study. So instead of focusing on my work, I was just sitting there…being angry…”
“Hey, that sounds like Tony.”
I know the feeling. Indignation, unrelenting irritation with no immediate solution to the problem at hand. May you find a harmonious living arrangement soon. I kinda wish you could live with or nearby me (and eventually tell me bedtime stories relating to EE100, yeah!). Did you find a place for next year yet?
Let’s hang out a bit during Cal Day~ That is, if you’re willing to bear through the weekend with that child. And I’m more or less free from April 17th onwards until finals, since my last midterm is the day before Cal Day. Let’s go to Codornices Park and the Berkeley Rose Garden after you bring Luyao over to visit my place. =) That, and/or the UC Botanical Gardens.
OMG WHAT IS THIS I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING BUT IT IS NOT THE FOURTH? Tony. This sucks, AND I still haven't given you the hug that Lincoln told me to pass on to you over spring break. What's Next year's housing situation looking like? Dude, what the hell.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was obvious that it wasn't the fourth guy (who I have no idea who it is...) but I say move the couch into your room. It's yours anyway and you can make it yours and Jeffie's couch.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I just read your entries and wanted to offer you a hug. I hope you are doing better...
Bummer to hear about your living situation. Sounds messier than pillow-fight flashmob.
ReplyDeleteIf I may play devil's advocate: I bumped into Jeffrey a couple months ago and it seemed like things were really falling apart for him. He was trapped in classes he hated and he was hanging around people who smoke weed all day. Basically, he didn't have his shit together. I got the feeling that he felt alienated from just about everybody. Now I'm not asking you to forgive his immature behavior, it's just that there's probably a deeper reason behind behind the way he's acting. Perhaps if you make the concession that you understand that he's having a hard time, he might own up and start taking responsibility for the upkeep of common areas/chores.
You're both adults. Can't you work something out? It's not like you're Israel and he's Palestine or something (or maybe the other way around if he's occupying your couch).