Surviving a triple

[Anonymous]

I had a forced triple one year (double room) but we chose that. One of the girls needed a roommate, and my chosen roommate offered and I agreed...I didn't know the 3rd girl well.

It was fine.

You'll need to loft some beds, and they should agree to who gets to do this before school begins. I think we lofted two beds and I had a regular bed. One lofted bed had two desks under it (one for each girl) and the other lifted bed had another bed under it (L-shaped, so only the head of the bed) and one desk. - these were my bed and desk. I liked it. It worked because everyone had a private space - two girls had lofted beds they could retreat to, and I had a covered area I could retreat to. Two of us had desks in corners and the other could sort of hide behind a tapestry she hung. It was cozy. Messy. Fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh you guys are mean.
Basically I was looking for practical info but thanks for the snark.

Like what? Put a curtain between the sleeping areas? Assign time slots to use the bathroom? C'mon OP! Yout got snark b/c it was such a ridiculous question.

[Anonymous]

I loved my triple. I loved my hallway full of triples. We met more people, there was always someone around who would want to go to an event or grab a bit to eat.

If you act like this is a BIG DEAL, your student might think there's something to worry about.

By the way, at some point, they are going to call home upset about something. It won't be because they have a triple. It might be a roommate issue or a privacy thing, but that's a normal part of dorm life especially since so people haven't shared a room or bathroom before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh you guys are mean.
Basically I was looking for practical info but thanks for the snark.

Sorry op, you were just pretty dramatic about it so people responded in kind. As far as actual advice...aside from going in with a positive attitude and finding s good study spot outside the room, there's really not much earth-shattering advice we can give you. Part of your kid's college experience will be learning to navigate these types of situations for himself

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved my triple. I loved my hallway full of triples. We met more people, there was always someone around who would want to go to an event or grab a bit to eat.

If you act like this is a BIG DEAL, your student might think there's something to worry about.

By the way, at some point, they are going to call home upset about something. It won't be because they have a triple. It might be a roommate issue or a privacy thing, but that's a normal part of dorm life especially since so people haven't shared a room or bathroom before.

This!

[Anonymous]

Maybe he can sleep in your helicopter at night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC will be a freshman at an urban college and has been assigned a triple. This was a surprise. How did your child, who really appreciates their privacy and lone space do? Any tips to make it better?

I don't know of any teenagers who don't appreciate their privacy and lone space. Get a grip OP. Your snowflake will survive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There will probably be opportunities for 1 student to move out during the year as kids leave school for various reasons.

...like having an assh*le roommate that can't deal with having 3 people in their room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh you guys are mean.
Basically I was looking for practical info but thanks for the snark.

Sorry OP, there is no practical (or legal) way to remove a roommate. Maybe you should try a commuter school so your child can stay at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe he can sleep in your helicopter at night.

Mic drop

[Anonymous]

I lived in a triple that was supposed to be a double my freshman year. My parents did not blink an eye. I find this kind of question to be really strange. Oh and my roommates are still two of my best friends. College is not just about academics, but learning how to navigate life on your own. You would do well to stay out of these kind of things.

[Anonymous]

I disliked my freshman college roommate so much I pretty much spent as much time as I could out of my room. Ended up hanging out mostly in the double down the hall with two other girls, essentially making it a triple. 30 years later those women are still my best friends.

Let your DC experience this on his own. He'll be fine. And if he dislikes it, something fortuitous like the above can happen.

[Anonymous]

The main practical thing to deal with will be lack of storage so I wouldn't over pack. Some kids chose to mail their out of season clothes back and forth or handle the swaps on visits. Even kids in singles will go to the library for quiet. Think of a dorm room as really just a bed and place to keep the stuff. A bad roommate fit is annoying but short term.

[Anonymous]

We saw a few instances of this when touring colleges. Sure, kids cope, but shame on the universities for their money-grubbing actions that resulted in more students than housing. Nearly the entire freshman class at Villanova (at $70k per year) is living in double rooms with three beds. They share two closets and only have two desks in the rooms. That also means 50% more people using bathrooms designed for the original capacity of the building too. Such universities should be ashamed.

[Anonymous]

I lived in a triple my freshman year and it was great! I’m not sure what kind of practical advice there is to give. You can split the fridge rental etc three ways?

I moved to a quad my sophomore year. That was even better because I picked my roommates.