Nope, the 18 year-olds are in a transition period and have just left home. Many are homesick and are underprepared to live away from home. Some don’t know how to: bank, do laundry, discipline themselves to study, manage their time effectively, borrow and repay money, bathe, etc.
That’s right, YOU feel, but the university doesn’t feel the way that you do. You have a different perspective on what to expect from 17-18 year olds. Why, in heaven’s name, would you want to room with younger students??? PLUS, new freshman get priority and the housing office often runs out of beds in the dorms.
If you think you are missing out on the “dorm” experience, think again:
At Davis, they’ve been putting the students in tiny triples because the school has been out of space for the freshmen for a while. You won’t have a lot of space for yourself. The students are restricted in what they can and can’t bring into the rooms. They aren’t “partying” in the dorms because of the rules which have become more stringent. They have more mandatory RA meetings to discuss rules. You seriously want to be THAT micromanaged because you want the so-called “dorm experience”???
Transfer students at Davis are new to the campus and have their own area to meet and interact with others. They are generally more mature, have more space in their rooms and aren’t restricted by the limits of dorm rules. The school realizes that transfers are new to campus and want them to feel welcomed by putting them together with like students. It’s not that hard to meet people in the SH apartments.