Puzzling Response

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The person who lives in the dorm room directly above mine rhythmically drums on the walls for many hours each day. I used to notice it more, but I have been staying out of my room more as a result of the noise. Sometimes I wonder whether this person ever goes to class.

A couple of weeks ago, I phoned the front desk and they filed a complaint about it. They said I should visit them in person if it happens again.

So today, as I was studying for my first big Pre-Calculus test, the drumming started back. Or rather, it had continued but was now a problem; I had been ignoring it, or circumventing it by studying in the library.

I went down to the front test and asked the girl working there, "Someone in the room above me has been banging or knocking on walls and I was--"

"Banging or knocking?" the girl interrupted.

I just stood there for several weird seconds, because my reaction to this was to think that she's either being playful or making fun of the way I talk. There is no particular way I talk. I mean, I don't have an accent nor do I sound effeminate, but I don't use any of the common slang and stick to mostly plain words.

Then she smiled. She quickly said that they would put in a request for my RA (Resident Assistant) to come down. Then she left.

I had no idea how long this would take. I had no idea whether anyone had been contacted.

Another girl had sat down at the computer. I asked her how long it would take. She said she just contacted the RA.

A guy standing by the counter said, "Fifteen minutes."

A girl standing by the counter later added, "Fifteen minutes."

I said, "That's not bad. I can wait that long."

The girl standing by the counter said, "I meant that's how long it usually takes for it to stop."

I clarified what I said to the girl, "Oh. The drumming on the walls happens all day. Whether it's 2 in the morning or 2 in the afternoon, it's going on. It's rhythmic."

The girl at the computer got off the phone with the RA, and told me that he was going to my room.

I went up to my room and waited. A few minutes later the RA came in. After I greeted him his first words were to ask if he could come in and see if he could hear the noises.

So I led him into my room and pointed at the areas on the ceiling where I had heard noises.

Then he tells me, "Well, I didn't hear anything upstairs when I went up there. The person whose room is above yours is an RA."

"I know," I said, dismissively. An RA is like the head person for a floor.

He repeated that the person whose room was above mine was an RA, and then I said, "You know, it doesn't make any sense that you would go up and see if there was noise and then come down hear and not hear any. Of course they're not going to be making any noise now."

Then he said, "Well, if you hear any more noises, just page me."

"Thank you for checking this out," I replied.

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Now, this entire situation has illustrated some confusing aspects of human interaction:

(1) When the girl asked if the sound was "banging or knocking?" What did she mean, and how should I have responded?

(2) When the two individuals standing by the counter responded "15 minutes" to my question to the girl at the computer, "How long will this take?" Was it me who was unclear by my question, causing them to respond as if my question were concerning how long would it take until the noise stops, or was I clear, and they simply made a mistake.

(3) The RA investigating the noise complaint went to the room the noise was coming from before coming to my room. When he came to my room, he wanted to see if there was any noise. That is puzzling. Of course, after mentioning that there was some noise coming from their room, the people in the room above mine would stop making noise. They were being checked out due to noise and as a result they are going to do what they can to not make noise for the next few minutes, at least. So it doesn't make sense to me that the RA should miss this, and check to see if there was noise in my room.

(4) The RA investigating the noise complaint mentioned that the person whose room was above mine was an RA. He kept repeating it, in various ways. I was unable to logically link the statements, "The person living above you is an RA," and, "I checked, but it was quiet there." They were said as if there were a causal relationship between them; it is hard for me to understand what the person living above being an RA has to do with my noise complaint. Yes, I was aware the person was an RA as I had noticed it on a sticker on their door several weeks earlier.

(5) The RA did not respond when I mentioned that the noise was happening all the time. I did not put this in the above dialogue. He told me if it happens again to page him. His interest in my statements about the noise seemed smaller compared to his interest in telling me that where he had checked, it was 'quiet', and that the person living above me was an RA.

(6) About ten minutes after the RA investigating my complaint left my dorm, the noises started back. If the people in the dorm above mine were aware that someone was checking up on them due to a noise complaint, why would they not make any effort to be careful that they were not making any further noise?

The noise ranges from high-pitched (the most annoying, sounding like the block on a drumset) to low-pitched (sounding like one of the medium-sized drums on a drumset). The noise is rhythmic, so I know it is not accidental. (However, I did wonder for a time whether the person had a physical or psychological ailment such as Tourette's or--if it was stimming--Asperger's; in these cases I would have been willing to make accomodations of my own.)

If the knocking continues, I will page the RA again. If the issue is not solved there, I may start knocking on the ceiling with a broomstick, because, by that point, which I hope is not reached, it would be entirely clear to me that the RAs (at least one of them, and possibly this other who investigated my complaint) are unconcerned about noise complaints, at least in the way of actually doing something about reducing the noise.

It sounds to me like your RAs are not very accomodating to people who are not of the same mental persuasions as themselves. That's unfortunate. I would hope someone who has volunteered or been chosen for such a position would be someone willing to help and accomodate any person with any sorts of special conditions or situations, and instead it seems like the RA was flustered and perterbed by you. Almost condescending.

I think you did everything right, or at least how I would've handled the situation. I would've been too afraid of confrontation to even broach the subject with someone, although at some point the noise would've driven me to, I suspect, despite my fears.

I only lived in the dorms for a year but it was a nightmare...RA...arent chosen/hired for there empathy or integraty...they are a little "click" like most of society and they are not going to confront each other and lose their place in the group......I might have gone to the "disturbing" room first to listen outside the door to make sure the noise wasn't someone hurting themselves or others?(maybe)but I wouldnt let them know I was checking up on them before going to the complaining room(that would be pretty counterproductive and most people could figure that out)>I think its more likely that the RA's are not going to do anything to upset the status que(even if the offending person wasnt RA but just "popular")
Thats how the world works....you could ask to see written proof that your complaints have been even recorded somewhere(I really doubt it...because even the RA reports to someone and enough complaints is the only way their manager would get involved)....If you want the best chance of justice...you need to find out who the adult in charge of the RA is and talk to them...keep record of when the noise occurs,duration and your previous attempts to report it and how you have been avoiding your room just for the peacce and quite to study(RA's get free rooms...you are a paying resident...and this RA is setting a bad example)....I dont want you to have the RA's upset with you...I have been at the wrong end of retatliation many ttimes...but you can try and be as subtle as possible
and can hopefuly avoid the rath of the ....POWER CRAZED RA's from hell(most are really subhuman).

Is it possible you're hearing something else? HVAC or other machinery? I think you should investigate the exact source of the sound yourself. Unless you live in a bad neighborhood, I think it's a good idea to try to resolve these things yourself first before you contact higher authorities.

Krex has some good points. I'm not familiar with your system and RA's but it sounds like your RA is taking sides with your neighbour RA. His protecting him and is probably not going to do anything about your problem.
Take your complaint to a higher level if noting happens next time you complain. It may not help but shows them you are ready to fight for this. And this time complain over both of the RA's.

I'd probably as a first option, gone and knocked on the door of the annoying upstairs RA, to find out what the noise was. I'd just ask neutral questions (not requesting a cessation or saying the noise was bad) to find out more info. If it's his sound system - sometimes all you can hear from next door/underneath is the base drum (doof doof doof) - you might ask him to use headphones, but chances are the RA - being in a position of power - won't do what you want.

The other guy mentioning it was an RA - was either alluding to the fact that it's hard to get an RA to behave, or that an RA couldn't possibly misbehave because he's an RA and should know better.

Either way - maybe your best option would be to ask for a new room. Pay attention to what sort of people have rooms on your floor, and if you notice there are some other doof doof party all night types ask if you can swap. Grovel and flattery and maybe beer help here.