Fed-Up College Student Removes All Her Cookware From Kitchen To Prove A Point To Messy Roommates

College roomies can be especially dramatic.

Not everyone is on the same schedule.

Not everyone cares about cleanliness in the same way.

These cares can lead to many problems.

Redditor MozzarellaFerret wanted to discuss her experience and get some feedback, so naturally, she came to the "Am I The A**hole" (AITA) subreddit.

She asked:

""AITA for removing all my items from the shared kitchen?

The Original Poster (OP) explained:

"I'm (21 F[emale]) a university student, living with two of my classmates (21 F, 22 M[ale]) in a 3-bed apartment."

"We moved in together in August 2024, as none of us got places in the dorm."

"We have a shared kitchen and bathroom, including a washing machine."

"We don't have a dishwasher, and washing dishes has been a constant issue."

"If I cook, which I do often, I will wash everything as I go and then wash everything left directly after eating."

"My roommates, on the other hand, don't wash stuff immediately, and the dirty dishes tend to accumulate over multiple days when one of us finally caves in and washes them."

"That person is sometimes me, even though I usually don't have a single dish in the pile, but after a while, it bothers me too much."

"My main issue is that most of the kitchen stuff we have is actually mine."

"My roommates never bothered buying anything, because I brought one of each."

"It really annoys me that every time I want to use something, I have to wash it, even though I left it clean."

"This semester, it's gotten so bad that my roommates have basically started to refuse washing utensils."

"The last straw was when I got back after a weekend home and all, and I mean all, of our utensils were on the bottom of the sink."

"There wasn't a single teaspoon in the drawer or the drying rack."

"The sink was full of everything."

"I didn't want to wash them out of principle, but it genuinely smelled bad, and I didn't want to get fruitflies again."

"There were pieces of pasta and really disgusting vegetables in the sink, and the drain was completely clogged."

"I almost threw up."

"Another issue was that one of my roommates would just eat food I bought and use my laundry detergent and expensive olive oil without asking."

"I had a glass lunchbox that I kept in my room and left on the drying rack for a night, and it went missing by morning, with both of my roommates saying they had never even seen it."

"So I got really angry after I had to wash everything and move everything that I bought into my room."

"This included our only spatula, cheese grater, the only big knives, big pot, 2 pans, utensils and plates (not all), even the kitchen towels and the cooking items I really didn't want to share, like olive oil and honey."

"I sent a message into our group chat saying I'm really fed up with them not washing up and using my stuff, and that I removed everything that's mine."

"They initially didn't say anything, but when they saw how many items that actually meant and that it's basically impossible to cook in the kitchen now, they got really mad with me and said I'm a huge a**hole for doing that."

"I said it's all mine, and I just let them use my stuff."

"Now they refuse to talk to me."

The OP was left to wonder:

" I don't think I'm really an a**hole, but I need opinions. AITA?"

Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed in on some options to the question, AITA:

• NTA – Not The A**hole
• YTA – You're The A**hole
• NAH – No A**holes Here
• ESH – Everyone Sucks Here

Many Redditors declared that OP was NOT the A**hole.

"NTA and I'm ticked on your behalf about the stolen lunchbox, even more than their disgusting habits." ~ Equivalent-Apple-313

"NTA, but you need to find some new roommates when you can."

"They're using you for free stuff and labor." ~ Necessary-Cod8415

"NTA. It’s going to be hard for you to navigate this new normal because you are disliked by your roommates now."

"The GOOD things here are that you’re drawing your boundaries, now you have to HOLD it and don’t cave in."

"This is crucial for your growth as a woman."

"It is never easy to stand up for what you believe is right, and I agree with you on this as a mom."

"They have to deal with it."

"I want to say too that you can avoid engaging in the provocations that will come or the passive aggressiveness, just ignore it."

"You don’t need them."

"Pretend they’re not there." ~ MuMuBrix

"NTA, and don't cave in. You have such a short time of this academic year left to put up with the silence."

"Learn to bask in the silence." ~ Pyjama365

"NTA. If I were in charge, I would get each roommate a specific color or style of dishes."

"In Girl Guides, we would have our plates, bowls, and utensils in a drawstring bag (made by sewing 2 j-cloths together) to put our stuff into after we washed it."

"We would hang to put away until the next meal."

"Everyone was responsible for their own."

"They lost the right to use your things because they were not responsible."

"They can go get their own, or go eat out." ~ bprof589

"NTA. You were kind enough to share all your items, and they treated your stuff like garbage, expected you to do the bulk of the cleaning, and were all but putting up a neon sign welcoming bugs and rodents into your home."

"Keep your stuff off limits and move out when you can. Your roommates sound awful!" ~ Corgi_Cats_Coffee

"NTA- Sounds like both of them are getting a valuable lesson about what Mommy did. Both of them tried to force you to be Mommy."

"You have no obligation to be Mommy to anyone but literal children you are responsible for."

"They can both grow up and figure it out, or they can both continue to be disgusting hobgoblins trying to find a new Mommy in every adult relationship." ~ saintsithneyNTA

"Your roommates are very immature."

"And I would blame their parents for not giving them simple life skills."

"You’re not their mommy."

"Keep your dishes, towels, and everything of yours in your room and get out of there as quickly as you can."

"Your roommates are not mature enough to live on their own." ~ u2125mike2124

"NTA. You tried MULTIPLE times to have a conversation like adults."

"You gave them an ample opportunity to change their behavior."

"They chose not to."

"They disrespected everyone who uses the kitchen by leaving messes that attract bugs and by disregarding the communal resources."

"They were greedy, lazy, entitled, and gross."

"This is simply the Find Out stage." ~ opine704

"NTA - roommates were not respecting you or your things and needed a wake-up call."

"Sounds like you all just aren’t compatible as roommates."

"I’d start setting things up so you can move out as soon as your lease is up or another alternative." ~ Clean_Ship6776

"NTA. Of course, they’re mad."

"You put an end to their disgusting, selfish behavior, and there’s nothing they can do about it because they know you’re right."

"I wonder how many times they’ll have to go through this pattern in their lives before they realize it’s them and not every other person they have to live with." ~ OkCollection2886

"Absolutely NTA."

"I assume your lease will be up for renewal soon."

"Probably time to seek new roommates."

"These two are unrepentant, entitled AHs."

"When it is time for you or them to move out, you will have to take steps to minimize how much of their sloth you are on the hook for."

"If you each have individual leases with a campus apartment management company, then talk with the staff about the common areas."

"You can document how clean your room and bath are, but you may have to ask staff how to document that you left no mess or damages of your making in the common areas."

"If you three are on a joint lease, you are likely all equally and fully responsible for any cleaning/damage charges."

"Your landlord would not be obligated to give you a break, but it doesn’t hurt to ask."

"Wishing you better luck with future roommates!" ~ swillshop

"NTA, but even if you had been, you have the right to draw boundaries."

"If they refuse to honor them, you would be the AH to yourself for not enforcing reasonable boundaries."

"And you’d be reinforcing their terrible behavior."

"Get mature and responsible roommates unless you enjoy living with people whose development stopped when they were tweens." ~ Left-Work-3180

"Roommates have broken up over less than this."

"Your roommates don't share your idea of cleanliness."

"They sound like pigs."

"It's hard to live with people, it just is. If they don't like what you did, they can leave."

"I wouldn't move out."

"Why should you when they are the problem?"

"Did you ask them, or did they ever face that they left dirty dishes out for days, which attracted insects, not to mention the smell?"

"What was their defense?"

"You're gonna have to hang in there with them not talking to you."

"It might be more peaceful for you."

"Enjoy it."

"Curious, do they treat the bathroom the same way? NTA." ~ Artistic-Deal5885

You do you, OP.

Reddit has your back.

These are your belongings that are being mistreated.

Stand your ground.

Good Luck.