Freshmen Singles

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I'd had a single as a freshman instead of the freak show roommate I was assigned. Her parents committed her the next summer.

I read somewhere that colleges are building mostly dorms with singles. Is because kids aren't used to/don't react well to having to share a room anymore because they've never had to do it at home.

I hear you! During the 3rd week of my freshman year, I walked in on my roommate and her best friend doing lines of coke. She was in rehab by December. When my DD's hit college, I would have paid a significant surcharge for my kids to have singles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Time to cut the cord a little bit and have some faith that your son is now an adult or about to be and that you have raised him to be able to function.

This sounds like helicoptering parenting to the extreme.

PP here - not the OP. Your sentiment is somewhat valid but your tone is a bit snarky. I do not know how many kids you have sent off to college, but this is a time for heightened anxiety for parents and new college students. Every little issues seems big! As the semester progresses, mom and DS will both worry less about the simple things. But seing as how her kid has not even left for college yet, I would be inclined to cut her some slack. Most of us with kids in college have BTDT.

There is a big difference between having some anxiety and stress about your kids going to college and freaking about about them not having a roommate to the point you are considering pulling the out of college!

I haven't sent any kids to college but I work in one and have to deal with people like O on the phone...all the time. A parent calling me all upset about the room placement and telling me they are going to pull their child out unless I give them exactly what you want is prime snowplow/helicopter parenting. Teaching your kids to self advocate before they reach college age is also a good skill as I am far more likely to listen to the concerns of a student then I am of mommy calling on their behalf. Also half the time when I talk to the students of these crazy parents the kids say they are fine with the situation (may not like it but will deal) and that their mom is crazy. They are kind of embarrassed to have the helicopter/snowplow mom. And probably the next call after this mom calling about being mad about a single room was a mom calling about being mad about a roommate. There are truly still far too many parents who haven't properly prepared their kids to function competently, to deal with stress and pressure, and to self-advocate. Too many have jumped in to save the day all the way through. Then there are all the college students who have never made a bed, never done laundry, never cleaned a bathroom.... The transition and adjustment can be brutal for the pampered kids.

The students who do the best adjusting to college are the ones whose parents have cut the cord early on and taught them to be responsible, accountable, independent and to cope with frustration, disappointment, stress and hurt.

[Anonymous]

So funny to hear about parents calling colleges. My parents certainly never did and I would not (although I still bug my college kids about them doing the calling when necessary).

[Anonymous]

A single can be a pro or a con...really depends. You didn't mention how big of a school your son is going to.
My DD had a nightmarish dorm situation her first year -- 2 really loud girls in one part of the suite...and her suite mate always locked the door to have sex.

The next year -- dd had a single and said they did get kind of lonely. Had optimal situation the next year -- four girls all had separate rooms