<p>To each his/her own is the philosophy I adhere to as well. However, I have to admit that I am a tiny bit concerned that students may be subtly pressured into accepting a new norm that they are not entirely comfortable with if opposite-sex random assignment becomes “opt-in” option for freshmen students.</p>
<p>I draw upon my own experience as a college student in the mid-80s when co-ed floors with co-ed bathrooms were first becoming mainstream.</p>
<p>I absolutely, positively, 100%, did not want – and was not ready for – a co-ed bathroom.</p>
<p>It was an “opt-in system” in that there were plenty of single-sex halls and floors available with single-sex bathrooms.</p>
<p>But the only thing that I feared more than a co-ed bathroom was being seen as “uncool.” Choosing the single-sex floor was decidedly uncool. So I went with the co-ed option and was truly miserable every single day. I NEVER got used to it.</p>
<p>Now co-ed bathrooms are so entrenched in the social fabric that most students do not bat an eyelash. But I fear that when “opting in” to randomly assigned, co-ed dorm ROOMS becomes more common for freshman students, students will feel pressured to opt in even when they are not entirely comfortable with the prospect of sharing a room with a randomly assigned roommate of the opposite sex.</p>