Insomnia and Noise Complaints

This past week I had a few nights of restless sleep. One night, I stayed up all night and only passed out for a few hours before a class. I've been exhausted this past week because of it.

Some will say that it has everything to do with missing home or stress about something but those who know me best can tell you I've always had trouble sleeping. Plus the bed being as uncomfortable as it is, it's no surprise that I can't sleep.

What really sucked was the next day our entire flat was brought before the Housing Director or some such title of Pritchatts Park for making too much noise. Her name is Brynda (pronounced Brenda). Apparently, there have been noise complaints made against us for playing loud music at four in the morning. This is completely false. It's actually flat 10 who play the loud music or rave at four in the morning.

What was worse is that during the meeting, she wouldn't even listen to us. Wouldn't see our side. Would start to point out something while we were speaking. There was no communication at all.

Also, the fact that there were only four of us who could attend the meeting didn't exactly help our case.

Kerry, the quiet one in our flat, like really quiet, like never hear a peep quiet hates this woman now. Kerry has even mentioned that yes, a lot of loud music was played during Fresher's week (which even the housing director said they turned a blind eye to) but beyond that, we hadn't made any noise. We didn't host any parties and it may start in our flat but it moves on pretty quickly.

Essentially it was just a talking to. She mentioned that this happens every year and that people do get kicked out of housing. We promised to keep the noise down.

On Wednesday, I came back from hanging out with Victoria (we had to watch a movie for class together) and there were people in our flat making a lot of noise. Raving if you will but, and I checked this... I made sure of it, at 10:59 promptly the music went off. We're allowed to make noise between 8 AM and 11 PM. So, we fell within guidelines.

As I was eating a really late dinner, they all left to go out to the club. At around two or so, Caitlin had come back alone via taxi. She wasn't feeling very well. I stayed up with her, talked with her told her stories and made her some food and tea to calm her down.

At around four, Rod and the people who went out raving came back. Rod was a bit cross with Caitlin and I for being in the kitchen. His concern was noise complaints. We kept it down. He also got most of the ravers out of our kitchen and ushered them over to flat 10 who have yet to actually get a proper meeting in front of Brynda.

They made chips and promptly passed out. The following afternoon, Brynda shows up. She rang the doorbell and let herself in. What disrespect for our property. Even if you have a complaint against us, you can at least show us the courtesy of not waltzing into our kitchen without letting us get the door for you. Also, we are supposed to be given 24 hours notice before any official visits from staff which she failed to do.

I heard this secondhand but apparently, she told us about the noise complaints and that now she officially had names. She also tore down those official university posters which had been defamed with phrases which I will not repeat here. Of course, that happened during Freshers week and by her rationale of turning a blind eye to it, that should be okay. Also, we didn't write on our posters. Flat 10 did.

Rod and Harry, who both did not make any noise and I was there for when they got back from the club, had to go into a personal meeting with her. Essentially it was a stern talking to and sort of a final warning. It's ludicrous.

We all feel that because Harry had called our flat the party flat and had shouted it at the top of his lungs on several occasions, it has given us a bad reputation. We also feel like people are just blaming us because of that. We're not the ones who come home and shout at the top of our lungs, "Oakley Court!!! Wake the F--- UP!!!"

We're actually pretty quiet. Even Harry who was a party fiend during Freshers week has calmed down for the most part.