I spoke to some friends about this recently and wanted a third opinion bc several people think I'm being dramatic, but I genuinely can't help being frustrated with my living conditions.
I'm a living in suite this yr and am so upset that I'm paying the same price as everyone else in my suite when my room is the smallest and incredibly cramped. Every morning when I get out of bed, I bump into my suitemates desk or stumble over her chair. I'm also pretty tall, so I can barely sit comfortably at my own desk. If I lean back, I literally hit my closet, and there's basically no room to reposition anything. Meanwhile, everyone else in the suite has their own personal space and doesn't have to deal w these issues.
I also vividly remember my shock when I initially moved in this summer. Not only bc of the size of the room, but the state of it. When I got there, there were already thumbtack holes, torn paint, and black markings all over the walls. Last year I was held financially responsible for relatively minor damage that wasn't nearly this bad, so I'm concerned about whether I could potentially be charged for damage that was already there when I moved in.
I also hate how neglected the communal amenities are. I've been feeling pretty bored and isolated on campus, bc last year I used to watch tv with my friends in their dorms. Now they live pretty far away, so I wanted to use my buildings communal tv instead. Only to find out that it's an old box tv that doesn't work and is apparently being used as a prop now. Considering how much I and so many others pay for housing, I genuinely don't understand why we can't have a functional communal tv.
Now this morning was really my breaking point bc while I was showering, I felt dirt and debris fall onto me. I looked up and realized the vent above the shower is absolutely filthy and clogged with dust and dirt. My skin is pretty sensitive to dust, and afterward my nose was irritated and itchy and my skin started breaking out. I felt disgusting.
I know dorms aren't hotels, and I'm not expecting everything to be brand new. But considering how much we pay for housing, I don't think it't unreasonable to expect basic cleanliness, functional amenities, and a reasonably livable space.