Dealing with a Bad Roommate

Do you have the roommate from hell? You have come to the right place! I have put up with numerous intolerable roommates over the years, and have developed the techniques to tolerate, infuriate, and eventually prevent situations like this from arising.

Tolerate
So your roommate is bugging the crap out of you with his loud music, late nights, and poor cleaning habits? You've talked with him and he still hasn't changed? Try some of these ideas:

• Buy a box of ear plugs to drown out his loud music, talking, etc. Make sure that he knows that you are using them, so that if you still have a disturbance after this then it is obvious you are not overreacting.
• Get out of the house as much as possible. If you aren't there to be bothered, then problem solved. This could have a positive impact on your social life also.
• Stop cleaning up after him, only cleaning up after yourself. After a while, he will notice the mess and realize it is his. With any luck, he will clean this up out of courtesy - this may take patience on your part.
  

Infuriate
Before purposely pissing off your roommates, you should make sure you exhaust every other option and are willing to take the consequences of what might happen.

• Start doing what the same inconsiderate things. If he stays up late making noise on nights you have important things to do the next day, do the same.
• Report them to the landlord for violations of the lease or local ordinances, such as noise complaints.
  

Prevent
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

• Create a list of must-have qualities in roommates, and make sure that you communicate these to them. You will have to make sure to live up to the same standards you demand.
  
• Make sure to screen your roommates very carefully before moving in. Get to know them and spend time before making the commitment. This could be as simple as a few meals. If you can't handle them in social settings, how will you be living with them?
• Move in with people of similar background, age, and values. Most problems occur surrounding these.

The benefits of having a roommate are many but they come with added responsibility. Use these tips for dealing with bad roommates, or preventing getting them in the first place, in order to reap the rewards without the crisis.