You need to speak with ‘Todd the slob’

I’m a freshman at a very good university. During our freshman year we are required to stay in a dorm. I guess you can see what’s coming. Yes, a roommate problem.

“Todd” is an absolute slob. He never does laundry (as far as I can tell). Whenever his clothes get “crunchy” and begin to stink, he buys new clothes rather than washing the dirty ones.

What’s worse (yes, it gets worse) is that when Todd invites a girl up to the room, he shoves all his mess over to MY side of the room, making it look like I’M the slob, so his Miss Right Now won’t run off.

I’m at the end of my rope. I don’t know what to do.

— Rotting in Room 404

Dear Rotting:

It’s been awhile since I was in a dormitory, but I recall there is usually someone at the university you can speak with about your roommate issue. Perhaps you can get a new roommate or move to another room. If that fails, you could try posting a notice on the dorm’s bulletin board asking if anyone wants to swap rooms.

I’m mentioning these alternatives first, because I’m assuming you’ve already spoken to Todd about the mess and the smell. If you haven’t, then you absolutely need to speak with him about it.

Don’t be confrontational. Instead, be calm and rational about it. Ask him if he needs help with his laundry.

If he acts like a jerk after your talk with him, and your attempts at moving to another room go bust, you could always take matters into your own hands. Since Todd doesn’t do laundry and instead buys new clothes, then throw out all his clothes. Put them in garbage bags and set them outside the room. Clean up the old food and other crud and put a big garbage can — like a 30-gallon one — in the room. Insist that Todd use it and empty it.

If he doesn’t, then you empty it — in his bed. Maybe then he’ll get the hint.