Teen came home from college to find her room taken and her stuff in the attic — her dad had helped her pack up her dorm without saying a single word

Returning home to one's own room can provide a sense of comfort and stability. However, when 18-year-old (u/temporary-reality416) came back home after her first year of college, she was livid. Well, the teenager realized her parents had moved all of her belongings to the attic and had given her room to her 22-year-old brother, Joshua. What ticked her off was her parents' accusing her of being ungrateful for 'allowing' her to stay with them at their house. The post was shared on June 12, and it has since garnered over 1,000 upvotes on Reddit. 

A shocking homecoming

Before the teenager went to college, her family moved into a smaller 4-bedroom house. Her twin brothers, Joshua and James, had moved into their own apartments, and so, living in a smaller house seemed like a decent option. The parents took the master bedroom, the author and her younger sister had separate rooms of their own, and the extra room was turned into their dad's office. However, when the teenager returned home from college, she realized Joshua had moved into her room. Well, he was kicked out of the AIT (Army) for misconduct and returned home to stay with his parents. Interestingly, the author's father hadn't told her anything about her room while picking her up from her college. 

The author was visibly upset, but instead of understanding her, her father said, "What? We didn't think you would care. You can sleep on the couch, or you can go buy an air mattress to sleep in my office, but you have to be out every morning by 8 am if you do that." Instead of staying over, the teenager left for her brother, James' house. Her parents called her a spoiled brat and said she couldn't come back to their house until she apologized.

A web of lies

Thankfully, James was on her side and allowed the author to stay at his place. After a while, she asked her paternal grandmother if she could stay with her. The author shared her grandmother's response, "[She] told me to give her a list of everything that I would need in the house so she can go get it before I arrive. And then promptly called me back asking if I could come sooner and go with her to get said items (I can tell I’m about to be spoiled lol)." Additionally, she found out her parents had lied to her maternal grandparents. They said that they had told her beforehand, and she was okay with it. They also lied about offering to revamp the office, saying she insisted on getting her room back.

More than a shared space

Sharing rooms with a sibling is not uncommon. It may even be fun for some children, but sharing rooms as adults may be a bit more difficult. A CBS News poll from 2021 revealed that 60% shared a bedroom with a sibling while growing up, and 30% always had their own bedrooms. Furthermore, a study by Hammonds Furniture found that those who shared a bedroom with siblings believed it helped them navigate life as an adult better. 59% said it prepared them to share spaces, 39% believed it strengthened relationships with family members, and 38% said it improved their emotional intelligence. The author may not have minded sharing space, but her family removing everything from her own room without notifying her upset her.

'Get your own place'

Netizens were on the author's side and asked why her parents were giving Joshua special treatment. Several others also appreciated James for having his sister's back during a difficult time. u/MeatofKings wrote, "NOR, and tell your dad he was a coward for not telling you before you got home. Do not apologize for leaving." u/Obrina98 commented, "Parents are deflecting. Kid, get your own place or storage unit so you can retrieve your things from the attic and get financially independent from them as soon as possible. Apparently, they’re going to favor the ne'er-do-well brother. He’ll never leave either."

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