Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

1. Opportunity:

Roommates not collaborating on cleaning the house. primarily “common area” zones such as, but not limited to: the kitchen, living room, laundry room, pantry, etc.

2. State the Opportunity:

Who: University of Florida students (any grade level) who are living with at least one roommate.

What: Roommates not collaborating on cleaning the house, primarily “common area” zones such as, but not limited to: the kitchen, living room, laundry room, pantry, etc.

Why: This need exists because of the opposing personalities, background, schedules, and lack of communication between roommates. 

3. Testing the Hypothesis:

Customer 1: Mariela Hunt, Junior, University of Florida

1. Do you currently have, or have had this this need?

I have had this issue. Do not anymore!

2. If so, do you feel like your roommate also has this problem?

No, because my other roommates and I would always clean up.

3. From your experience, do you feel that relatively few or many students have this issue?

Yes, I think that people with roommates who clean up all of the time are really lucky!

4. To what extent do you have this problem, and if so, in what specific areas of the living space?

The kitchen, living room and washer/dryer. My roommate had a rotten banana in her backpack so she decided to put it in the washer without taking out the banana, so when I went to clean my clothes everything was a mess. I’ve also had maggots in the sink because my roommate left the dishes there, as well as moldy dishes in the sink. There were also stinky socks left in the living room, one time I stepped in honey trying to get to the sink. There are a lot of stories. Hair dye left in a plastic bowl that we usually use to eat. Etc.

5. Have you discussed this issue with your roommate(s)?

Yep!

6. If so, what was your general approach and were you satisfied with the results?

I would mention it and she would say that it was everyone else’s. So then I snapped one day and she stopped talking to me for a few weeks but the kitchen started to be really clean for about a month.

7. How or in what ways would you would improve your approach to resolve conflicts more peacefully and effectively?

I have no idea, get new roommates.

8. Why do you think this problem exists?

Some people are just used to being the way they are and when they say they are more clean, they hope that the other roommates will pick up more.

9. Do you think this problem can be fixed?

Brainwashing, I actually have no idea.

10. On a scale from 1-10, do you think this problem can eventually be fixed (1 being not at all, 10 being completely fixed)?

7 if you are lucky and have a reasonable human being as a roommate.

Summary: Before I sent out these questions for Mariela, I visited her apartment (along with other friends) and it was nice to see that her responses were valid. Her kitchen was well organized and clean, with only a few things laying around – not that it bothered me. Furthermore, I’m getting the feeling that the “customers” I interview are not completely honest with their answers, perhaps they don’t want me to label them as “dirty” or a slob. It was refreshing to witness roommates fully collaborating, and even cooking dinner as if it was no big deal!

Customer 2: Shalini Nair, Junior, University of Florida

1. Do you currently have, or have had this this need?

For the past two years, I have not had this need. However, my freshman year of college one of my roommates would leave food out, not wash her dishes, and never took out the trash.

2. If so, do you feel like your roommate also has this problem?

Currently, my roommates and I are all very clean and if we feel one of us should take out the trash or clean up the living room then we make it known and it gets done---I don’t feel that this is an issue for my other roommates.

3. From your experience, do you feel that relatively few or many students have this issue?

I definitely think lots of students have this issue. I know many people who have roommate stories related to them being messy or not pitching in to help keep the whole apartment clean, not just their respective room.

4. To what extent do you have this problem, and if so, in what specific areas of the living space?

Based on my prior roommate experience, the problem was relatively severe in that she would just let food pile up on her desk for days and the same would go for trash. To put it into perspective, this was a shared room dorm. Three people with one room and one bathroom. So essentially, all of our beds and desks were in the “common space”. Therefore her lack of cleanliness in her own section of the room affected our whole living space.

5. Have you discussed this issue with your roommate(s)?

In that situation, I did bring up the issue a few times with my roommate, but it was to no avail so eventually I decided to just stick it out until the lease ended.

6. If so, what was your general approach and were you satisfied with the results?

I always approached it very casually. When she would leave food out overnight, I would ask if she could put it in the fridge so that ants or other bugs wouldn’t find it. There were three of us in the room so as far as taking out the trash went, my third roommate and I just decided to split the responsibility since our requests were being ignored.

7. How or in what ways would you would improve your approach to resolve conflicts more peacefully and effectively?

I think I have a very rational approach when it comes to resolving roommate conflicts. I always make sure to look at it from all sides, even if their point of view doesn’t really make sense to me or I don’t agree with it. I always try to take into account that everyone is busy and sometimes that can affect collaboration on shared responsibilities. In general though I do come across as very direct even though I am not trying to be harsh---to me that is just the easiest way to make sure what I’m trying to say is easily understood and that can be misinterpreted sometimes.

8. Why do you think this problem exists?

In my past situation I think the situation arose simply because we had two extremely different living styles. She stayed in bed all day and all she ever did was eat and sleep. In contrast I was always out and about. To me, cleaning up was just another part of my day. I have always been used to having very clean surroundings. For her, the room being clean was not a priority.

9. Do you think this problem can be fixed?

I think this problem in general can be fixed if all roommates come to an understanding that the shared space means shared responsibility and keeping it clean should be common courtesy to those you are living with.

10. On a scale from 1-10, do you think this problem can eventually be fixed (1 being not at all, 10 being completely fixed)?

If I am basing this answer on my past experience, that situation was about a 4. There was nothing I could do to change the way that she was raised to live. As a roommate I could not force her to understand the courtesy that applies when sharing a singular room with two other people.

Summary: Here, Shalini shared a very tough scenario of trying to collaborate with two other roommates, in one room to say the least. Even through this, Shalini made sure to treat her roommates with respect and make the effort to peacefully resolve any issues that would come up. Her responses are very mature and exemplifies that if we can share the mentality of working together, perhaps these insignificant issues can dissipate.

Customer 3: Juan Marco, Junior, University of Florida  

1. Do you currently have, or have had this this need?

First experienced this my 2^nd year in college, living off campus and have continued to feel the need to establish an efficient manner to solve this issue.

2. If so, do you feel like your roommate also has this problem?

I would say 3 out of 7 roommates, including myself, deal with this problem, the others do not, because if they did this would not be a problem.

3. From your experience, do you feel that relatively few or many students have this issue?

I would say the majority of students deal with a similar situation at some point in their academic career.

4. To what extent do you have this problem, and if so, in what specific areas of the living space?

Personally, I am very organized myself so I understand I may stress the issue more than any other of my roommates, particularly in the kitchen and bathrooms. However as the semester progresses and intensifies, this becomes less of a priority and it bothers me less, yet still remaining an issue.

5. Have you discussed this issue with your roommate(s)?

Previously we’ve discussed and attempted to come up with ideas to force each other into doing our tasks to maintain an equal amount of work and lessen the total work.

6. If so, what was your general approach and were you satisfied with the results?

First time dealing with this issue was a complete failure, the unclean roommates failed and rejected to aid in cleaning, which led to tension between individual relationships.

7. How or in what ways would you would improve your approach to resolve conflicts more peacefully and effectively?

I believe the best way to deal with this issue is establishing a system early post move-in, and holding each other accountable.

8. Why do you think this problem exists?

Some individuals lack the discipline to be responsible, and unfortunately this may stem from the privilege of never having to clean up after themselves, or a laziness in character.

9. Do you think this problem can be fixed?

I believe so, although it is much more of a frustrating process for the roommate/s that is doing their part.

10. On a scale from 1-10, do you think this problem can eventually be fixed (1 being not at all, 10 being completely fixed)?

I would say between 3-5.

Summary: Perhaps what I’ve been waiting to hear the most, since it directly applies to situations with my roommates, is that even when you try to be the “bigger guy” it all ends up going nowhere, only causing more problems. I have noticed, from my experiences and the numerous people I have interviewed, that regardless of how a roommate tries to resolve an issue, there just isn’t enough patience wired within people to take recommendations or adhere to mannerly requests. Once again, Juan hints at the fact that the “clean” roommates always fall victim to creating the tension, when they’re only trying to alleviate unnecessary stress.

Customer 4: Glenn Camilo, Senior, University of Florida

1. Do you currently have, or have had this this need?

No.

2. If so, do you feel like your roommate also has this problem?

N/A

3. From your experience, do you feel that relatively few or many students have this issue?

I feel many have this issue.

4. To what extent do you have this problem, and if so, in what specific areas of the living space?

N/A

5. Have you discussed this issue with your roommate(s)?

N/A

6. If so, what was your general approach and were you satisfied with the results?

N/A

7. How or in what ways would you would improve your approach to resolve conflicts more peacefully and effectively?

Talking about how “we” can solve this issue rather than “them.”

8. Why do you think this problem exists?

Because people can naturally be inconsiderate if they weren’t raised to be clean.

9. Do you think this problem can be fixed?

Yes.

10. On a scale from 1-10, do you think this problem can eventually be fixed (1 being not at all, 10 being completely fixed)?

7.

Summary: There isn’t that much to write about, and that is okay because not every single UF student will have this issue (although it is more rare).

Customer 5: Chris Newell, Sophomore, University of Florida

1. Do you currently have, or have had this this need?

Yes.

2. If so, do you feel like your roommate also has this problem?

For sure, we have all approached each other at some point about issues we have had living together, I’d say almost every week.

3. From your experience, do you feel that relatively few or many students have this issue?

I’m positive that most people have experienced this problem, even if it was very minimal. People our age just generally do not care unless it is for their gain.

4. To what extent do you have this problem, and if so, in what specific areas of the living space?

It has never gotten to the point where we truly get angry, though practically all of our conflicts occur because of piled up sink, dirty floors, or just general messes in the living room.

5. Have you discussed this issue with your roommate(s)?

We never have one-on-one sessions like therapists would have with their clients, but when we do talk about it it’s more of a statement like “clean up your stuff dude.”

6. If so, what was your general approach and were you satisfied with the results?

In general, I would just state the obvious and not beat around the bush. Overall, I’d say that it works at least seventy percent of the time… so I guess I’m decently satisfied.

7. How or in what ways would you would improve your approach to resolve conflicts more peacefully and effectively?

Perhaps come at it from a more understanding manner, instead of just making demands that people generally overlook.

8. Why do you think this problem exists?

Lack of communication and allowing the problem to linger on without addressing it early.

9. Do you think this problem can be fixed?

Honestly, even when you think it’s fixed, people will naturally go back to their old ways. I would love to see it fixed but it’s more of a social dilemma because there’s too many personalities and backgrounds that naturally conflict with each other.

10. On a scale from 1-10, do you think this problem can eventually be fixed (1 being not at all, 10 being completely fixed)?

3.

Summary: Alex brought up a great point saying that when roommates try to talk about their issues, they resort to quick statements or blunt demands. Truthfully, I do this as well because sometimes I’m just not in the mood to be civil or go through time-consuming conflict resolution, especially if I have been at school all day and come home to the same mess. I appreciated Chris’ responses because he was very honest and didn’t hold back.