Living with someone else can be a trial, but at Iowa State University, one student is discovering just how literal that can get. The trouble began quietly, until nights of sweltering heat turned her dorm into a personal sauna. At the center of it all? A roommate who apparently thrives in tropical conditions and sets the thermostat to a blistering 80°F.
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It might seem like a trivial detail to outsiders. However, for the heat-sensitive roommate whose migraines flare with rising temperatures, this was nothing short of torture. Attempts to negotiate a cooler setting with management or politely reason with the thermostat tyrant yielded nothing. Both students are stuck in a year-long lease, so leaving or switching rooms isn’t an option. What started as minor discomfort escalated into a daily battle for basic livability, study time, and sleep.
Experts agree that 80°F is not exactly a recipe for comfort. Even in the dead of winter. Indoor temperatures between 68°F and 72°F are widely recommended for healthy, comfortable living. But when roommates have drastically different thermal preferences, conflicts are inevitable.
Fans, portable AC units, or programmable thermostats can help. As can alternating control schedules or meeting halfway at a tolerable midpoint. Open communication and compromise, even in a small dorm, can prevent these heated confrontations from boiling over.
When Heat Turns Into a Headache
In the middle of this fiery standoff, Reddit commentators chimed in, mostly in solidarity with the poor Iowa student enduring nightly discomfort. Advice ranged from fanning strategies to adjusting thermostat limits, and even using doctors’ notes for ADA accommodations if migraines are severe.
Observers were stunned that one roommate could comfortably wear layers in 80°F conditions, leaving the other to sweat and stew in frustration. This dorm debacle serves as a lesson. Sharing living space requires more than shared rent and laundry duties. It demands consideration.
“Those are fighting words,” insists a Redditor.
“Tell her to put on a frickin’ sweater,” one suggests.
“Who pays the utilities?” another asks.
The roommate in question may enjoy the heat, but failing to recognize how it impacts someone else is careless at best, toxic at worst. While the sweltering student seeks solace and solutions, Iowa dorms are not designed for sauna enthusiasts, and roommates should probably invest in a fan. Or a lesson in empathy.
Between migraines, sleepless nights, and online validation. This Iowa student’s story highlights how small temperature differences can ignite major conflicts. It’s a reminder that living with others requires compromise and communication.
Emma Taylor 
Casey James 
Nina Franklin 
