AITA for asking my roommates if I could store my pee in the fridge?

A 21-year-old woman, grappling with a rare autoimmune disease, needed to keep a 24-hour urine sample refrigerated for a medical test. When she asked her three nursing-major roommates if she could use their shared fridge, they refused outright — with one even mocking her request. Feeling unsupported, she wonders if her ask was unreasonable.

This story explores the balance between medical needs and shared living dynamics, while at the same time questioning whether her request crossed a line. Was she wrong to seek their understanding? Let’s explore the situation.

‘AITA for asking my roommates if I could store my pee in the fridge?’

The story starts with a medical requirement and an unexpected reaction.

She improvises a solution but feels hurt by her roommate’s response.

The roommate’s actions make her question her request.

This situation raises a question about empathy in shared living: Is it unreasonable to ask roommates to allow a medical sample in a shared fridge, especially when met with mockery and rejection?

This 21-year-old, navigating a rare autoimmune disease, needed to refrigerate a 24-hour urine sample for a medical test. Unaware of the requirement initially and given no guidance by her nurse, she asked her nursing-major roommates for permission to use the shared fridge. Their flat refusal, coupled with one roommate’s mockery and public discussion of the issue, left her feeling unsupported and isolated.

Social psychologist Susan Krauss Whitbourne explains, “Shared living requires compromise, especially for medical needs, and a lack of empathy can strain relationships” (The Search for Fulfillment). Her request was reasonable, as the sample would be in a sealed container, and she offered precautions like wiping it down and keeping it bagged on her fridge shelf. While roommates have the right to refuse, their lack of empathy—especially as nursing students familiar with medical procedures—was notable, and mocking her was unnecessarily hurtful.

From a societal perspective, shared living demands balancing individual needs with collective comfort. She could have proposed a sealed container or explored a mini fridge as an alternative. Her roommates, in turn, should have shown more understanding for her medical situation and avoided publicizing the issue. An open conversation about boundaries and needs could foster mutual respect and prevent future tension.

These are the responses from Reddit users:

The social media community largely supports the woman, criticizing her roommates’ lack of empathy, especially as nursing students, though some acknowledge their right to refuse.

Many users find her request reasonable and call out her roommates’ insensitivity.

Some recognize the roommates’ right to refuse but criticize their approach.

Others use humor or strong support to defend her.

The social media crowd largely backs the woman, arguing her medical need justified the request and criticizing her roommates for their lack of empathy, especially as nursing students. They find the mockery and public discussion inappropriate, though some agree the roommates can refuse but should have offered solutions instead of negativity.

This story highlights the need for empathy and compromise in shared living, especially for medical needs. Open communication and creative solutions can balance individual requirements with collective comfort, preventing unnecessary conflict.

How could she have approached her roommates to gain their support for her medical need? What steps can roommates take to address sensitive requests like this respectfully?