College Dorm Stories/Problems and Advice

OK, so I live in the single-room dormitory, so no one here has a roommate. One of the people in my hall is around 30 years old (no idea why he lives in the dorms, an apartment would be cheaper) and I can always hear him laughing hysterically and talking loudly to himself throughout the night, sometimes saying the same thing over and over again. I'm not sure if he's drunk or high or just plain insane. Also, I know for a fact that he's muttering and laughing to himself because I saw him walking down the hallway doing this. I would report him to the RA, who is like a 19 year old girl, but I'm not sure if that would be safe to do, especially not when he's clearly in some sort of strange mental state in the evenings. Any advice or similar stories?

I was an RA and a RA coordinator. Just go over the RAs head to the boss, whoever that is. Frame it that youre troubled about this but also that you have concern for this dudes state of mind. Be honest about why you didn't go to the RA.

Sure, and I should add that from what I've seen of him in the day time he acts fairly normal, and it's in the evenings and at night that he does this nonsense, so I wonder if he's perhaps drinking or something. It's really obnoxious and quite strange, but also pretty freaky. It's late now and I can't hear him so I'll wait until tomorrow to report him to someone

gizzy2000 said:

OK, so I live in the single-room dormitory, so no one here has a roommate. One of the people in my hall is around 30 years old (no idea why he lives in the dorms, an apartment would be cheaper) and I can always hear him laughing hysterically and talking loudly to himself throughout the night, sometimes saying the same thing over and over again. I'm not sure if he's drunk or high or just plain insane. Also, I know for a fact that he's muttering and laughing to himself because I saw him walking down the hallway doing this. I would report him to the RA, who is like a 19 year old girl, but I'm not sure if that would be safe to do, especially not when he's clearly in some sort of strange mental state in the evenings. Any advice or similar stories?

Damn, and I thought no one was noticing me ... 

AntcuFaalb said:

gizzy2000 said:

sometimes saying the same thing over and over again.

He might have OCD. Some people with OCD compulsively chant until they feel OK enough to break out of the loop.

I'm positive my neighbors have heard me repeat "the stove is off" hundreds of times through the walls of my townhouse; long ago, prior to getting help, it was probably closer to hundreds of times per night. :-/

No that's not it, it's more just random things, and it all sounds very hysterical and weird. For example, I could hear his TV on and all of a sudden he started saying, "is that Ellen Paige?" over and over again. I did notice that the hall smells like weed so that explains the laughter. Normally I'd mind my own business but it's kept me awake the past few days and makes it difficult to do anything in my room. He didn't do this the first month so I'm hoping he got it out of his system but if it continues I'll have to break down and report him because I can't imagine a whole semester listening to this. 

If he's disrupting your sleep and studies then chances are he's probably annoying your other neighbors as well, especially if the halls small like weed. I'd recommend telling him about it before reporting him. Give him a chance to stop on his own, he may not realize that anyone is being disturbed; some people are oblivious to the fact that dorm rooms aren't insulated and soundproof. If it continues then you should report it because there's no reason to just ignore stuff like that. Definitely give him a chance first and ask him to quiet down or smoke weed some place other than the dorm. 

Weed wouldn't explain the chanting though.  Maybe if it was the first time he'd ever done it, but you say he does it regularly for a long time so I'd say he has some other sort of condition, and the weed may be bringing that condition out.  

Either that or he's doing some other drugs as well.

Possessed said:

Weed wouldn't explain the chanting though.  Maybe if it was the first time he'd ever done it, but you say he does it regularly for a long time so I'd say he has some other sort of condition, and the weed may be bringing that condition out.  

Either that or he's doing some other drugs as well.

Yes it's all very strange. I meant that it goes on for a couple hours at night, and it's been happening the past few nights, but the whole first month of school nothing was happening and all was quiet. 

Sounds like somebody you should immediately become best friends with.