Noisy neighbor -- help!

texas*princess · #1 02-14-2003, 02:13 PM

I'm down to my last semester living in the dorms... and my suitemate is driving me crazy. She and her friends have the natural ability to talk VERY VERY loud and it's so hard to study and even sleep.

Last night she was on the phone at 3 am and was driving me crazy. Finally I knocked on her door and politely asked her if she could lower her voice. She seemed mad and said "OK" and then slammed the door.

I don't want to keep asking her to lower her voice, because I don't want her to be mad, but at the same time, I would like to be able to sleep at night.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I have talked to her about it, and even left notes some times, but nothing seems to be working.

SATX*APhi · #2 02-14-2003, 02:40 PM

Sounds like she's being inconsiderate only to spite you.

Kevin · #3 02-14-2003, 02:43 PM

Do you live next to SATX*Aphi?

SATX*APhi · #4 02-14-2003, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ktsnake
Do you live next to SATX*Aphi?

XOMichelle · #5 02-14-2003, 06:39 PM

This is a somewhat odd question, but do you use earplugs???
I didn't like them at first, but they can help a LOT. Buy some and try (the foam ones are good), and it might help you enough so that you don't have to deal with your neighbour.

If that doesn't work, I'd sit down and seriously talk to her. If you need to involve aomeone else and amediator, do that too. She needs to learn that even though you have problems, you need to respect thin walls, especially when you've voiced concerns.

-M

KillarneyRose · #6 02-14-2003, 10:15 PM

Poor thing, between this and your windshield things aren't going too well!

XOMichelle has a great point about the earplugs, though. Go to the drugstore and buy a pack of "Mack's Pillow-Soft Earplugs". They're almost a Silly Putty consistency and are very comfortable and effective. In my experience, the only sound they don't filter out is that throbbing bass sound from when stereos are turned up too loud. They should enable you to tune out Li'l Miss Yakkity-Yak, though.

ShaedyKD · #7 02-15-2003, 12:02 AM

Ditto on the earplugs! I used to have an annoying roomate who liked to stay up until 4-5 am talking on the phone to her boyfriend for hours, or typing on the computer. The soft foam ones work really well. If you can still hear her, go talk to the RA. That's what they are there for, he/she can talk to the girl about violating "quiet hours" rules. Good luck, hope you get some peace and quiet one way or another!

Hootie · #8 02-15-2003, 02:18 AM

Give her a taste of her own medicine. Some night when she's quiet, gab to your hearts desire on the phone with someone and in an usually loud voice. Perhaps she'll get the clue.

Seriously though. I have this friend who comes from a large family and she has this voice that CARRIES everywhere. It probably didn't help that she worked in a bar for a while and was used to yelling over people and talking loud to be heard. So now that I got her a part time job at the jewelry store where I work I've reminded her where she works because talking LOUD like that just scares people off!

Something to think about!

valkyrie · #9 02-15-2003, 12:15 PM

I like Hootie's idea.

You say you've talked to her and she doesn't get it, so it sounds like she is REALLY rude and just doesn't give a crap about anybody else. I mean, who doesn't get that at 3 am people are trying to sleep? If nothing else works, do you have an RA who could help you or something? I'm not all about tattling on people, but I don't know what else you can do at this point. Anyway, consideration to others is really something this woman should learn before she graduates from college.

The thing I've always wondered about earplugs -- doesn't it really muffle the sound of your alarm going off in the morning? I'd sleep right through my alarm if I had earplugs on, and they always make me feel claustrophobic. It might be worth trying, but I really think that the principle of the thing is important here -- you shouldn't HAVE to wear earplugs because some snotty brat next door can't keep her voice down in the middle of the night. That would really piss me off!

texas*princess · #10 02-15-2003, 09:01 PM

thanks for all the help everyone! I'm definately going to try some earplugs!!!

My wing is RA-less... our RA 'retired' and graduated and we are left pretty much on our own.

Hootie · #11 02-17-2003, 01:05 AM

Hey, I had another thought! Do you know your neighbors well enough or talk to them? How about your roomie? Cuz if you are close to them and she isn't perhaps have then say something to her like that they can hear her too and then it won't just be you complaining. If she knows them too, then this plot won't work (obviously) but it's worth a shot. Sometimes people are just stubborn and if the neighbors are complaining too then she may get the clue.

Oh...and here's another suggestion: if you can fall asleep with your tv or radio on. Put either on sleep timer or the headphones on. I generally fall asleep to the tv and so it drowns out my neighbor who lives above me...then by the time the tv shuts off I'm asleep and don't notice it! Worth trying (cuz earplugs sound uncomfortable).