Unhappy at Notre Dame

newdomer93
Wed, 29 Feb 2012 01:56:25 +0000

Unfortunately, what you are describing is not rare. There is not a lot the dorm staff can or will do unless there is a specific threat to your wellbeing. Living so closely with others is tough especially if you don’t have common standards. We all agree that drinking is very common even for minors, but I haven’t seen a lot of illegal drugs used. I understand that sophomore year does get better, and you do have an option to move to another dorm if you have someone that will request you as a roommate or you are willing to float (take any available room in any dorm) which is risky, but probably not worse than what you have now.
There is a lot more drama in the women’s dorms, and the thought of creating more drama by making specific complaints against your roommates may be more stressful than just riding out the semester. You will be stigmatized if you turn anyone in.
NervousDad2016: The university will address issues but unless there is someone who will trade rooms with you, there is not a lot they can do. They will not make someone leave his/her room to accommodate you and often there is no vacancy. Generally, the approach is counseling for the roommates, but they cannot force people to change their behavior. In some ways I think the fact that freshmen have no input on roommates, and most people at ND are not able to to get away from campus to get a break from the dorms (like people at schools closer to home who can escape every couple of weeks) make it harder.
Good luck. Don’t let the current situation sour you on ND.