<p>Like the majority of students at W&L, our daughter was in a single as a freshman. She kept the door propped open when she wanted company, otherwise it was shut.</p>
<p>Definitely a blessing. If I could have paid an extra $350 for a single my freshman year, I would have done it so fast your head would spin around.</p>
<p>As other people say, random roommates are sometimes great, and sometimes not so great. My freshman roommate was in the room ALL THE TIME and was on the phone with his girlfriend ALL THE TIME. All day long, all I heard was “I love you so much . . .” It wasn’t hell, but it was definitely annoying. </p>
<p>I don’t know about other people, but I find it nice to have some time now and then where I can be alone and undisturbed. </p>
<p>Also, as other people say, there are plenty of opportunities in a college dorm to meet and hang out with other students.</p>
<p>Send him to school with a batch of cookies to share. He’ll make friends quickly.</p>
<p>Definitely a blessing. As someone else stated a roommate can be good, bad or somewhere in between–but when it’s bad, it’s very bad living 24/7 with someone who is driving you crazy. None of my 3 had positive experience with their randomly assigned roommates—one was so-so, one was horrible and one almost turned into a legal issue. Keep the single!!</p>
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<p>But if he lives in a coed dorm, he’ll still have to worry about dormcest! ;)</p>
<p>D was so looking forward to the roommate experience. It started off rocky when she called the rm and rm said she didn’t even know if she was still coming to that school. Ok. D moves in on move-in day, rm had contacted her to say she was moving in the next day. Ok. Everything was fine until fall break. After fall break, things fell apart and D can’t put a finger on it. RM was unhappy at the school and was looking to transfer. She spoke another language and always used it when on the phone in the room. D knew enough of that language (after 4 years) to know some of it was about her. Rm started locking the room door when D would go to take a shower. Rm stayed up late, D needed to go to sleep early and had a VERY heavy schedule (school assigned, not designed by her). Rm wouldn’t talk about what was wrong. D went to RA who tried to mediate. RA couldn’t get anywhere. D took it to the housing office who worked with her and when all options failed, got D a single. She moved out in November and kept the single for the next 3 1/2 years. It was a great room and a good thing for her. She had made a wonderful best friend during freshmen orientation and we suggested she room with her for soph. year. D said she loved the friend, but living with her would be too much. So they each had a single in the same dorm and are still friends today.</p>
<p>We are anxiously awaiting S’s roommate assignment and hope his works out much better!</p>
<p>kitty56, your S probably will have a much better roommate experience because boys, as a rule, have much lower expectations in this department.</p>
<p>I think as with so many thikngs, this is one of those situations in which single and double have benefits and drawbacks D had roommates both frosh and soph years that she got along very well with. She adored having someone whom she felt was “her person” to confide in. When they closed the door they unburdened themselves of minor irritations and each kept the other’s confidences. I don’t think she understands hows lucky she was.</p>
<p>She was HORRIFIED that S asked for a single. His school puts 65% of frosh in singles. He said he would be worried if he were the only one, but because so many have singles, he was sure everyone would be looking for company. He chose single because he is a problem sleeper.</p>
<p>I second cookie/candy/brownie suggestion. The purveyor of sweets is usually popular. TV and DVD collection another good suggestion. Just caution him to remain neutral because his room will certainly be the favorite place of those having rommate problems!</p>
<p>Once again, thanks for all your stories. Son #1 has had some BIG ups and downs with roommates too - lucky for him he had a GREAT roommate his freshman year and, regrettably, they went their separate ways for soph year (and things went drastically downhill from there - and I suspect my son was not completely faultless in one of the situations).</p>
<p>I FINALLY spoke with son #2 tonight and he was very positive about the news of the single right from the get go. I honestly didn’t know how he’d react, so now I’m relieved. :)</p>
<p>yeah! good news.</p>