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Q: I've just moved in to Univeristy, and my room is really bad. There is only one shower between 18 people, the kitchen is tiny, and there's so little natural light in my room that you can't read without artificial light. I've picked up a form to apply for a change of room, but I don't know whether I should go through with it, as moving would mean I'd move to a new corridor where people have probably already formed friendship groups and cliques, whereas here I already know people. Do you think it's worth the hassle of switching? I have seen other rooms around my campus and they are, without exception better than the one I have, so there's no real risk, it's just a case of it being worth the hassle of having to move all of my stuff after having moved it in just a few weeks ago.

I moved out of my first room this year after only having been in there eleven days--my roommate was absolutely horrible and I was completely unable to function. I am an art major, and having a good place, atmosphere-wise, light-wise and stress-wise to work is NECESSARY. I didn't have it. I moved my shit out of there in two hours once I got my forms processed--I enlisted my strongest friend and we just hauled things up two flights to a new room.

It is a hassle, definitely. But it only takes a day, if you hurry, and if you think you can't work in the room you have now, you need to move.
Don't worry about hallway cliques. You'll probably never talk to these people anyway. In college it's every man for himself.

Besides, one shower per 18 people, tiny kitchen and dark room is a college norm. It's also better than most apartments. heheheheh.
I spent three months last year with no overhead light in a room with another art major because the maintenance was so slow they didn't care if our flourescent was burnt out. We were extremely frustrated, trying to cut paper and mix correct colors by desk-lamp. If the conditions are unliveable, move. You won't have that liberty forever.

Rating: 5

The lighting thing really bugs me, just because I'm on the ground floor, so if my lights are on, my room is visible to the whole wide world. So if I'm reading or doing anything that requires light, I have my curtains shut. Which doesn't create the nicest atmosphere in the middle of the day.

Thanks for your advice. It's comforting to know I'm not the only person bothored by lighting in a room.

bio

People have been coming to me for advice so long, I might as well do this all in one spot. I watch a lot of unfathomable Japanese TV and drink a lot of coffee. I'm a freshly-hatched Illustration major, formerly trapped & dying in the American South, now busily teaching phrases to all of Nagoya Japan. I'm always on the lookout for more video games and sushi.
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