<p>I would like to recommend that you rethink your current prejudice against roommates. You are already labeling potential roommates as " intolerable", demonstrating , perhaps, your own intolerance. You be assigned to share a room even if a single is requested. </p>
<p>Your mood is controlled by you. Your roommate(s)or floormates will certainly have some habits which annoy you. It is time to realize you will need to be tolerant and creative in order to maintain the high productivity you’ve managed under your parents’ roof. </p>
<p>No one will be there to create the perfect work and sleep environment for you. You will have to learn the art of compromise. That may mean learning to sleep while a roommate or suitemate is making noise, has the light on, or has guests. Earplugs, sound-muffling earphones, sleep masks (or a towel over your eyes), and utter fatigue, can aid your sleep. Studying can be done in any library around campus, some of which are opened 24 hours a day.</p>
<p>Even with a single, it may be a subdivided room, so the walls are just very thin wallboard (example–Greenough). One can hear entire phone conversations clearly through the walls. Thus, a single may not offer you quiet nor privacy.</p>
<p>The workload will almost guarantee a lack of 8 hours of sleep a night. Most Harvard students are so involved with their ECs and/or athletics that 8 hour sleeps are only a weekend luxury. (You may learn the power of the nap.)</p>
<p>Everybody at Harvard is gunning for med, law, business, or grad school admissions GPAs. Yet most learn to become socially adept, cooperative neighbors in their Houses. You can always move off campus to a single apartment after freshman year.</p>
<p>In the meantime, embrace your classmates and their quirky living habits. You’ll have a lot more fun.</p>