Roommate drinking and previous IA

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T

Tawantinsuyu

Hi guys,
So I have an IA on my record. I have never had alcohol or drugs before. Every Thursday and Friday, my roommate likes to go out and buy a ton of beer, bring it back to the room, and drink it with friends. They stock the leftover beer in my refrigerator. Also, he is kind of disorganized, so he leaves beer cans around the room when he is done. I try to stay clear of the room when these sessions occur. Can I get in trouble if an RA catches my roommate drinking? What if I am in the room when he is drinking? The other night, the RA actually came in an there were beer cans around. I am lucky he didn't say anything. Can I get in trouble? I can't afford to get another IA, especially for something I didn't do.

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Whats your current IA?

It depends on your dorms rules. Are either of your under 21? Is there a limit to how much alcohol you can store in your room?
 
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It will depend on your school, but I have seen many cases where you would get in trouble as well. the storing of beer in your refrigerator would make it hard for you to claim ignorance. Make him clean up the room at the very least and keep his beer on his side of the room. Of course, if your school punishes all people in the room, get him to go somewhere else.
 
It will depend on your school, but I have seen many cases where you would get in trouble as well. the storing of beer in your refrigerator would make it hard for you to claim ignorance. Make him clean up the room at the very least and keep his beer on his side of the room. Of course, if your school punishes all people in the room, get him to go somewhere else.


I am the only one with a refrigerator. I don't want to be a jerk about it. If they get caught, can I tell him to claim that it is his refrigerator and therefore not my responsibility?
 
Jeeze, Tawa, you're just asking NOT to go to medical school!

I've seen innumerable posts here on SDN, and read too many IAs on app forms, from people who were cited because they had alcohol in their rooms and they weren't drinking. but their roommates were.


Hi guys,
So I have an IA on my record. I have never had alcohol or drugs before. Every Thursday and Friday, my roommate likes to go out and buy a ton of beer, bring it back to the room, and drink it with friends. They stock the leftover beer in my refrigerator. Also, he is kind of disorganized, so he leaves beer cans around the room when he is done. I try to stay clear of the room when these sessions occur. Can I get in trouble if an RA catches my roommate drinking? What if I am in the room when he is drinking? The other night, the RA actually came in an there were beer cans around. I am lucky he didn't say anything. Can I get in trouble? I can't afford to get another IA, especially for something I didn't do.
 
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if you're under 21 then yes you are absolutely taking a risk. I would petition to move out if its possible.
 
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Jeeze, Tawa, you're just asking NOT to go to medical school!

I've seen innumerable posts here on SDN, and read too many IAs on app forms, from people who were cited because they had alcohol in their rooms and they weren't drinking. but their roommates were.


Wow okay I understand how serious this is. So how do I go about asking my roommate to get rid of the alcohol? I can't imagine doing this without sounding like a jerk......man I wish I didn't have a roommate.....
 
Jeeze, Tawa, you're just asking NOT to go to medical school!

I've seen innumerable posts here on SDN, and read too many IAs on app forms, from people who were cited because they had alcohol in their rooms and they weren't drinking. but their roommates were.


This isn't my fault. How do I control what my roommate does in the room????? Not only do I have to control my own actions, but I have to control my roommate's actions as well?
 
My roommate over the summer tried to pull this on me while we were in a dry dorm, I told them "get the vodka out of the ****ing room.. Please"

And then one day they were just gone. I doubt you'll be that lucky but there was like a 0% chance that I would risk my acceptance into med school so that my roommate could have a cold freaking beer.
 
Wow okay I understand how serious this is. So how do I go about asking my roommate to get rid of the alcohol? I can't imagine doing this without sounding like a jerk......man I wish I didn't have a roommate.....
Just tell him you don't feel comfortable keeping the alcohol in your fridge. It's a reasonable request; if he's a reasonable person he will understand.
 
Wow okay I understand how serious this is. So how do I go about asking my roommate to get rid of the alcohol? I can't imagine doing this without sounding like a jerk......man I wish I didn't have a roommate.....

Sometimes tough love is what it takes for people to change, but you can't allow 'not wanting to sound like a jerk' to jeopardize your professional goals. If he doesn't stop, you must report it so as to CYA, otherwise you might be punished despite not doing anything wrong.
 
Tell him to get his own fridge and store it there if he wants to keep it cold.
 
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If your roommate is leaving beer cans around and using your fridge for his booze, it sounds like he's a very inconsiderate roommate. I know how it feels to want to be a "cool" roommate or friend, but if it's bothering you, you need to ask him to stop. If he doesn't, try talking to a RA about your options.
 
This isn't my fault. How do I control what my roommate does in the room????? Not only do I have to control my own actions, but I have to control my roommate's actions as well?
That's right: you have no control over what your roommate does. You only have control over you. It may seem like a lousy way to begin freshman year, with an IA and a troublesome roommate, but if you want to get into med school, you'd do what it takes. That probably means moving out. (You should also try to get that IA off your record.)
 
There is a way to go about this without being rude or judgmental. Just explain that, combined with your previous IA, another one would be lethal for your career path. It's not about him. It's entirely possible that someone who isn't thinking about professional/graduate schooling wouldn't known just how big a risk it is. If you go about it the right way, any reasonable person would understand.
 
That's right: you have no control over what your roommate does. You only have control over you. It may seem like a lousy way to begin freshman year, with an IA and a troublesome roommate, but if you want to get into med school, you'd do what it takes. That probably means moving out. (You should also try to get that IA off your record.)


Just saying, it doesn't matter whether I get the IA off my record or not....it still must be reported to AMCAS
 
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Where on AMCAS do you report IAs? I don't see a spot for them anywhere on the primary application..?

EDIT: NEVERMIND, I saw it!
 
The least he can do is not be so obvious about it. The RA probably wouldn't care/know that there was alcohol in the room unless you leave it out.
 
You grow some stones and you tell him "get that beer outta here or I will"

If he does nothing, then tell the RAs, and request a no room/roommate.

One has to take responsibility not only for one's actions, but for one's destiny.

Wow okay I understand how serious this is. So how do I go about asking my roommate to get rid of the alcohol? I can't imagine doing this without sounding like a jerk......man I wish I didn't have a roommate.....
 
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Just saying, it doesn't matter whether I get the IA off my record or not....it still must be reported to AMCAS
I forgot that. I wonder if employers would also require you to report it.

The rest of my post still holds: you can't control others; you can only control yourself. Get the nerve up to tell him how very important this issue is to you and your future. If he won't respond, go for another roommate. It's your future.
 
I forgot that. I wonder if employers would also require you to report it.

I can't speak for any medical related fields, but when I was in the business field we didn't look at IAs, and we ignored any misdemeanors.
 
Alright, I just talked to my roommate. He wished I would have told him earlier, I guess it was a lack of communication on my part. He agreed to move the alcohol to another person's room. I think he may still drink in the room, but he won't keep alcohol in it. If he is drinking there, I won't be there.
 
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