Heh, I’ve calmed down a bit. When I wrote the OP I was fresh from the in-house draw and was mad as all hell. Felt the need to share my burning rage with the world. I’m still pissed, but at least I’ve stopped breathing heavily. And yes, people live in Los Angeles. Roughly 4 million. 
The city, that is. There are about 10,000,000,000 in L.A. county.
Well, to comment on a portion of the OP that isn’t wearing a TNT-studded vest…
My father works on a flight ramp. I could probably get you a set of industrial-strength earplugs, if you don’t mind the side effect that they force your alimentary canals to the diameter of a nickel. Then there’d be four people in the world you don’t loathe with a passion. 
]
My undergrad did much the same thing: each person was randomly assigned a number (a seperate lottery for each class year), with a given number of rooms in each commons (4 commons with about 4 dorms in each one) designated for each class year. Your number (or your roommate’s number, depending on whether you wanted to live with anyone) determined how likely you were to get the housing you wanted.
As a rising sophomore, I got something like #479/490. My roommate? She got 490/490. We were in temp housing (a lounge in the dorm farthest away from everything). There was a bonus, however: halfway through the year we got to move into a 2-room double that had been vacated.
The next year, I got draw # 4/490 and had a grand single room.
I’m one of those people who needs to be alone for large amounts of time or I absolutely wilt. Maybe it’s hard to grasp but being around other people is very draining for some of us. I have to work with the public all day and I come home, even after a short 4 hr shift (never mind a 10-ner), needing a recharge of quietness.
Since you have no other choice though I guess you’ll need to make nice with roomies and I think drawing up ground rules from the start is a good idea. What about pinning up a blanket to cover your bed area to at least feel you have a wee bit of privacy? Perhaps you can find a special quiet nook somewhere that is all your own where you can escape to when things get hectic, like a corner in the library or an area of the park or a quiet coffee shop. Good luck. (:
You sure “alimentary” means what you think it means? Or does your dad do funny things with his earplugs?
MeanOldLady I’m with you 100% here. Incidently I live just across the Dumbarton from you if you want to get together for drinks and hating people. (It’s even more satisfying with a partner.) Also, you might consider looking at housing on this side of the Bay and taking the Dumbarton Express across to classes. (Stanford Students I think get a transportation pass good for that and CalTrain.) You might have to consider “rooms to rent” (shared housing) rather than studios to find something in your price range but that’s still better that living right on top of other people. That is no way to live and I couldn’t hardly do it when I was your age either.
MeanOldLady, I’d have seen if I could get one of the three people who can tolerate me(;)) to go in on a studio. I mean, if you’re going to be incredibly cramped, you might as well have some say in who you’re cramped with, right?
Incidentally, I have had similar rooming situations. In high school (boarding), I lived with a guy who decided that I might find out about his smoking habit and tell someone, so he claimed I called him a kike. Living with him after that was sure a lot of fun. The day another room became available I was out of there.
The space we shared was … about 20 feet by 15. If that. You couldn’t lay down between our beds and not touch both, and they were flat against the wall.
Then there was the guy who propositioned me (he was an asshole and above that refused to take no for an answer, then seriously questioned my sexuality when I kept saying no). Same size room (college, though). I learned to basically avoid him at all cost. He did the same.
You may end up actually being able to tolerate your roommates if you can approach them with something less than an “I hate all people” attitude:)
Whoops, heh. I meant “auditory,” of course. What the heck was I thinking about?
So here’s the deal. You get assigned a number. People with good numbers get first pick at where they get to live. As for everyone else, tough shit. I got a good number though. I was assigned a 420 out of a possible 3000. Go me. I got placed in a cool house too. For most houses, that’s the end of the road. All of the individual rooms look the same, so you get your draw number and they stick you someplace. Some of the houses have drastically different rooms. For these, there is an in-house draw. You look around at all the rooms and decide which one you want. You’re then assigned numbers. Seniors with the lowest numbers pick first, then juniors with the lowest numbers, and so forth. I was happy about living in such a cool house and thought there was no way in God’s hell I wouldn’t get my own room. Everyone does except for the 15 suckers who get placed in triples. What were the odds? Heh, well I’ll be a monkey’s patootie. I friggin’ got the triple! Are you kidding me?! Damn it, damn it, damn it, why can’t I just get a good frickin’ room? I’m like Jim in that I need some damn personal space at some point. Having two people within 10 feet of me at all times is going to drive me insane.
::snickers:: Brahe, telling them to be quiet works better. Despite what y’all might think, I don’t yell “SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU STUPID, BITCHES” even though that’s what I’m thinking. Instead I politely request that they not YELL at the top of their lungs when they’re sitting across the table from one another. I hate my roommates.
I’m the exact same way. I absolutely MUST have alone time or I lose it. I recently went to the beach for a weekend for my future sister-in-law’s bachelorette party, and I had to escape from the festivities from time to time because I can’t take being around large groups of people for an extended period of time - it sends me into anxiety attacks. It looks like I’m being anti-social, and I probably am, but I absolutely must be by myself for a period every day or I have an attack. It’s social anxiety disorder, and meds help, but that alone time saves my sanity.
So, MeanOldLady, some of us do understand where you’re coming from. Just bear in mind - this isn’t forever.
Ava
Aww shucks, vogue, I’m supposed to be consumed with rage, but your post made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Good advice, but I just remembered something. I’m going abroad next year. I originally planned on going for one quarter, but FUCK THAT. I’m out for two now. I’d change it to all three, but it’s too late for me to apply for Autumn quarter right now. Dang it. I can’t be underneath someone for the whole year. Good thing I’ll be spending 2/3 of it in Italy, and on the school’s dime too.
Ava, I think I’m calm now. When I wrote this, I’d just come back from the in-house and was angrier than anger itself. It’s not forever, but heck if it don’t ruffle my feathers.
Hi, MeanOldLady. I hate people too, especially the ones who talk way too much, so I sympathize with you to a degree. They are everywhere, though. You are probably not the only one who has gotten shitty housing assignments two years in a row, either, so don’t take it personally.
Maybe you could apply for a room transfer? Also stress management, counselling, and/or anti-depressants could help you expend less energy on hating people, so you would have more energy to enjoy life. If nothing else, the campus shrink could corroborate your need for privacy and help your case for a room reassignment. I do not mean this to sound judgemental–if you’re feeling stressed or depressed, your attention span is lessened, you’re more easily distracted, and other people seem even more irritating than they really are.
Likely you will have to endure living in close quarters with others for a little while (it’s not forever!) so learning how to not let it bother you so much is probably your best plan.
You said your rooommates are not complete blithering idiots, but that they act that way because they think guys like it (NOT true for the most part, but I digress). Perhaps you all could set up some house rules: quiet hours during which no blithering is permitted, for example. If they at least respect your property and what space you do have-- not piling their crap on your bed or your desk, letting you have your fair share of closet space, not stealing your pencils, then you’re ahead of the game.
Listening to music through headphones or getting some earplugs might help give you the feeling of detachment and privacy.
Folks, as a long time resident of Silicon Valley and a lifetime denizen of the San Francisco bay area, I will say to give MOL a little bit of a break. (NO! Not her neck!)
The SF peninsula is one of the more expensive places to live in the entire area. While it does not have the parking and overall congestion issues of, say, San Francisco, it does have absolutely crappy mass transit and damned [checks to make sure this is the Pit] astro-fucking-nomical housing costs.
A single room in a household (where you still have to share with strangers) can easily go from $800.[sup]00[/sup] for a flaming sewing nook right up to a solid $1,000.[sup]00[/sup] for one regular stinking room.
Oh, you say “What about a studio apartment?” First of all, if you can even find one (they’re rare as hen’s-fricking-teeth) it’s going to be well over a grand, easy. Palo Alto is largely a bedroom community without massive quantities of apartment blocks to house the transient student population. On top of this, the local job market, combined with a severe shortage of affordable housing, makes the Stanford campus area one fucking total and complete nightmare to rent in. The icing on the cake is that throughout all of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto is also one of the most desirable addresses to have on your mailbox.
And for dessert, here in California there are bazillions (this is an understatement) of non-natives with often moronic attitudes that can make life miserable. Let’s bring up the noxious and abundant hoards of yuppies, both on campus and off to provide the masterstroke (as in massive brain aneurysm) that polishes things off.
While I still think the OP was a bit ragged about the edges. I’ve got to say that there extenuating sorghumstenches surrounding MOL’s situation.
Now, MOL, please change your screen name to Happy as a Lark, take up skipping down the sidewalk and remember to tell everyone, “Have a nice day!” even if they physically assault you for it.
That is all.
See what happen when you’re nice to people, MOL?
Interesting dilemma, MeanOldLady. I can relate to your roommate difficulties as I had a lot of trouble w/dorm life way back in the day. The whole system seems barbaric in a society where we’re brought up to expect some privacy and free choice. Personally I still need plenty of time to myself, every day. I really hope you can find a way to create some private space for yourself somehow, even if it’s only a temporary illusion.
But OTOH your misanthropic “I always get screwed” attitude can’t be generating good karma. We do attract problems & bring about our own misery - even when it appears to be random luck.
The spooky thing is your OP sounds so much like my mother-in-law & she’s a miserable wretched human being. You really don’t want to spend the next 40 years of your life “hating” people, even if it’s in jest.
Hi, MeanOldLady. I hate people too, especially the ones who talk way too much, so I sympathize with you to a degree. They are everywhere, though. You are probably not the only one who has gotten shitty housing assignments two years in a row, either, so don’t take it personally.
Maybe you could apply for a room transfer? Also stress management, counselling, and/or anti-depressants could help you expend less energy on hating people, so you would have more energy to enjoy life. If nothing else, the campus shrink could corroborate your need for privacy and help your case for a room reassignment. I do not mean this to sound judgemental–if you’re feeling stressed or depressed, your attention span is lessened, you’re more easily distracted, and other people seem even more irritating than they really are.
Likely you will have to endure living in close quarters with others for a little while (it’s not forever!) so learning how to not let it bother you so much is probably your best plan.
You said your rooommates are not complete blithering idiots, but that they act that way because they think guys like it (NOT true for the most part, but I digress). Perhaps you all could set up some house rules: quiet hours during which no blithering is permitted, for example. If they at least respect your property and what space you do have-- not piling their crap on your bed or your desk, letting you have your fair share of closet space, not stealing your pencils, then you’re ahead of the game.
Listening to music through headphones or getting some earplugs might help give you the feeling of detachment and privacy.
Double posts two posts apart? How the hell did that happen?? :smack:
fessie sez:
Hehe, well damn it, I DO! Actually, I went to the in house draw feeling pretty optimistic. All but 15 people in the house get their own rooms, so I’d have to have incredibly terrible luck to get crammed in with more people for yet another year, especially considering this house is pretty good with the personal space. ::chuckles:: What luck. But seriously, I don’t have the “I always get screwed” 'tude. I was just majorly pissed at the shoebox I’d be sharing, plus anger of the previous 2 years in which I got screwed resurfaced to make me even more pissed.
marie sez:
Haha, what? Jesus Christ on a Greyhound bus, you people are making me laugh now. I’m not depressed. Yeesh. I’m just pissed the fuck off at yet ANOTHER ridiculously shitty housing assignment. I’m not seeing a shrink or taking anti-depressants. For what? “Oh doc, I got really mad one day because the university’s housing lottery fucked me 3 years straight and might do the same thing next year too.” Hahaha. You have GOT to be kidding me. I’m not angry or sad all the time. I don’t walk around with a sign that reads “FUCK YOU” (although that would be really funny). Where the hell are people getting these ideas from about me not enjoying life? I enjoy life fine, but I’m just angry about living up someone’s asscrack AGAIN. Two people’s asscracks, actually. Two strangers when I was so dang sure that I was finally going to get the chance to live alone. Understandable, no?
There’s apparently some confusion. Some of you have conjured up the idea that I’m a miserable old bat who’s depressed and is thrown into a fury over the mere sight of another human being. Not exactly. No, I’m not a “people person.” Yes, I’d rather live alone than with other people, friends included. Love 'em to death, but don’t wanna live with them. Yes, I’m probably more disturbed by the idea of this triple business than most people. Yes, I absolutely NEED privacy or else I’ll flip. Now I’m really on the verge of flipping because this will be my 3rd year like this. So in sum, I’m not a miserable person I’m just pissed the hell off at this lame assignment for a few reasons. One, this crappy ass living situation with no real alternative. Two, my particular desire for privacy. Most people want it, but I do more so than anyone I know. I REALLY cannot stand sharing my space. It pisses me off to the point where I’m so overtaken by anger that I can scarcely formulate a coherent post. So now I’m stuck, when some people who probably wouldn’t even mind this dilemma anywhere near as much as I do are going to be lounging in suites next year.
Oh, and it’s shitty housing THREE years in a row. Three. Only got one more shot at not living in a shoebox.
MOL, is there no Housing Office or other means to get on a waiting list for a room change? I just ask because I and a couple of other people have suggested this possibility, and you don’t seem to have addressed it. Is there no such thing? I must admit, this Stanford housing lottery sounds pretty messed up to me, so I would not be surprised if there was not.
Oh, and if (as far as I can tell) you are a junior, how’d you still end up in one of the 5 triples? Is the house crammed with seniors?
Oh, yeah, that. I’m trying desperately to be moved somewhere else. Thing is people who get wait listed don’t usually get singles, as all the good rooms are snatched up with a quickness during in-house draws. The prospect of living alone is more or less out the window now. 
On the bright side (or at least less crappy side), there are very few triples on campus so I’ll most likely I’ll be in a 1 room double. Then again, I would have most likely gotten my own dang room at in-house, but I digress. A double will suck, but not nearly as much as 1 bedroom for 3 frickin’ people. At this point I have nothing to lose, as I’ve been assigned the shittiest possible option. My fingers are crossed.
Yup, junior. Yup, the place was swimming with seniors. Bastages took all the good rooms. What’s downright hilarious is a junior right before me got the LAST single. How much does that suck sweaty balls?