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age
26-29,
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writes: This is quite a basic question but I feel like I need some objective advice on the matter. Basically, I live in a halls of residence at university so I don't expect silence in the slightest, I knew when I moved in that there would be noise and so I'm not overly concerned when people are loud. However, the rules of the halls clearly state that music must be turned down and people quiet at 23:00 so that other people can go to sleep etc. I've kept quiet now for 6 months about the noise in my flat because I am not a confrontational person about these sorts of things. But literally every night the noise and partying starts at 19:00 and doesn't stop until 4:00am and it's driving me up the wall. I don't mind if they all want to party every night, but I only go into university 2 times a week and they can't even show a little respect and be quiet during those 2 nights that I need sleep. I've politely brought up the topic of volume and they've all laughed and shrugged it off, I've told them that I don't like the noise, I've told them that I'm going to bed, I've even been and closed all of the flat doors to try and dim the noise a bit but they just don't care. They've even pushed me to the point of travelling home at the weekend which costs a fair amount because I don't live close to my university. I've spoken to my hall manager and he's tried dealing with it but it's not working. How should I go about dealing with the noise? I don't want to start an argument because the people I live with are very unpredictable and I'm intimidated by them sometimes. There is one other person in my flat who feels like me and we've both tried everything. Please help!
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female
reader, So_Very_Confused  +, writes (24 February 2014):
 since the hall manager is not being effective I also suggest noise cancelling headphones and a vibrating alarm under your pillow....
as for the fire alarm... just tell the hall manager "I'm sleeping in noise cancelling headphones with a white noise machine on it... if the fire alarm goes off will you PLEASE make sure I am out of my room?"
give the hall manager permission to use the pass key or give them a key to your room so they can physically wake you if you are so concerned.
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female
reader, Honeypie + ♥, writes (23 February 2014):
 With earplugs you will still hear a fire- alarm. Same with SOME noise canceling head phones.
I'm very hard of hearing, but we lived for a while RIGHT next to a heli pad in temporary housing.... and I tell you..... THAT is noisy. Ear plugs did the job. I could still FEEL the vibrations but got used to them. I have living not far fro ma military shooting range, noisy! and ear plugs worked well. The kids got so used to it that when we moved they found it "too" quiet.
You live with YOUNG people at a uni, it's unrealistic to expect them to be quiet. I get the whole quiet after 23:00 - but I don't think it's going to happen when NO ONE enforce it.
What you COULD do is talk to the hall manager and see if there are other students who feel like you do, then maybe you can switch rooms. Or you can call campus security with a noise complaint, maybe that will make thin think, I doubt it, but it's a possibility.
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male
reader, CMMP +, writes (23 February 2014):
Earphones will definitely not prevent you from hearing a fire alarm. They just dull the sound enough to avoid damaging your hearing, or in your case to allow you some sleep.
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reader, anonymous, writes (23 February 2014): You will hear fire alarms.
Earphones are adjustable, earplugs don't make you deaf.
You've never explored the options, and don't really know what you're talking about.
They don't completely block sound to the point of complete silence. If people are around monitoring the hallways, there is no way you'll be left in your room while an alarm goes off. The responsibility of a hall manager and the other staff, is to see to your safety and orderly evacuations of all residents during emergencies. Usually where there's fire,there's smoke.
Not to be mean, but don't be so dismissive. If you're comfortable just complaining, then let that be your solution.
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reader, anonymous, writes (23 February 2014): This is verified as being by the original poster of the questionThank you for the suggestions, my issue with earplugs and stuff like that is that if the fire alarm goes off, I won't hear it.
Sadly I cannot move out and due to medical conditions, I will have to stay in halls of residence again for the next 2 years of my course as I have to have a hall manager or staff member present at all times in case of any 'episodes'.
Thank you for your help.
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female
reader, anonymous, writes (23 February 2014): the problem with earplugs is that I wouldn't hear my alarm! But you have tried talking to the person in charge and they did nothing! Can't they write people up and threaten to charge them something or move them to another dorm? So what if they hate your guts! Why would you want to be friends with them anyway? No, they don't care. They already have parents and obviously don't respect THEM or even the person in charge because they're not changing their behavior. Why would they respect YOU? I am with the people who are suggesting you move. I do NOT think you are being unreasonable. What are the point of rules if you're not going to enforce them?
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female
reader, Alba5  +, writes (22 February 2014):
Can't you ask to be moved to another block?
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female
reader, anonymous, writes (22 February 2014): For now I guess it's just letting the has manager help you and perhaps invest in some ear plugs, not ideal but I assume you are tied into a contract to live there for the duration of the academic year.If you are able to leave, why not suggest to the other person who, like you, doesn't like the noise, and consider renting a little place together. That way it's your home and your rules.
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male
reader, CMMP +, writes (22 February 2014):
In ear earphones or earplugs. Problem solved.
There's nothing you can do to shut them up that won't make you enemies.
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reader, anonymous, writes (22 February 2014): The world isn't going to go silent no matter how nicely you ask or how vigorously you complain.
Get yourself some high-tech noise-deadening headphones, or ear plugs. You can by earplugs at any drugstore.
Most people have earphones to their ipods stuck in their ears most of the time anyway. They're so loud and noisy; because their nearly deaf from it.
It lowers sound reverberation when you hang dense cloth wall-hangings like Persian rugs and large paintings.
Your last resort is to move off-campus, and get yourself a room or a small flat. You have to learn to live in the noisy world. Deaf people would give anything to complain about noise.
You're a college student; be creative and improvise. Ask someone majoring in acoustics and sound. They'll give you some ideas of how to minimize or lower excess noise-levels.
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