I honestly can’t imagine myself staying in a dirty environment ever again. I’ve been in that situation before, and it was one of the worst experiences of my life. The discomfort, the smells, the constant feeling of irritation—it’s not something I would ever want to go through again.
Back then, I was living in a room with five roommates who didn’t care about cleanliness at all. At first, I tried to manage it, thinking maybe they would change if they saw someone taking the initiative. I would sweep the room, pick up things lying around. But I soon realized I was the only one who cared. These guys didn’t even appreciate the effort. They would mess things up again within hours, leaving pure water sachets, biscuit nylons, and all sorts of rubbish on the floor like it was nothing.
The worst part was that they expected me to always clean up after them. They wouldn’t even pretend to care. I remember one time I decided to stop cleaning, just to see what would happen. Days passed, and the room became unbearable. It got to a point where you couldn’t even walk freely without stepping on dirt. I had to mentally prepare myself every time I wanted to enter the room. It was that bad.
The smell alone was another level of discomfort. Sometimes, they would leave food uncovered for days, and it would start smelling awful. Other times, they would pile up dirty clothes in one corner, and the stench would mix with the heat, making the whole place feel like a gas chamber. I can’t even count how many times I had to go outside just to breathe fresh air because staying inside felt suffocating.
As if that wasn’t enough, pests started invading the room. Mosquitoes became our permanent roommates, and of course, malaria followed. I fell sick multiple times because of that environment, and it was just frustrating. Even ants would roam freely like they were paying rent. The place was simply unlivable.
What annoyed me the most was how everyone would suddenly start acting responsible only when the hostel masters came to inspect the rooms. That was the only time you would see my roommates rushing to sweep and mop the floor as if they had been doing it all along. But once the inspection was over, everything went back to normal—back to the dirt, the disorder, and the carelessness.
That experience taught me a huge lesson. I can never, and I mean never, manage to stay in a dirty environment again. It’s not just about the physical discomfort; it affects your mental state as well. A dirty space makes you feel uneasy, unmotivated, and sometimes even depressed. That’s why I’m very selective about the people I stay with now. If I notice that someone doesn’t care about cleanliness, I simply can’t live with them.
Now, I prioritize a clean and healthy space. A tidy environment makes life easier, and I don’t have to be feeling uncomfortable in my own space. I’ve learned my lesson, and I’m never going back to that kind of life.