Sophomore’s new suite mate is 37

[Anonymous]

No. This is super weird. I have a trans daughter and would be weirded out by this. Also weirded out by a 37 year old woman. It’s not the gender. It’s the age.

Your expectation when your kid goes to college is that they will be socially interacting with people around the same age. Also could not imagine why a grown adult would want to live with basically children.

[Anonymous]

I really thought this was a troll until I googled and found several posts about much older students living in dorms. Many universities do not forbid it. I think they are worried about age discrimination lawsuits.

There are posts on reddit with this situation:

I’ve worked in college housing and we had folks ranging from 40 to 70 years old who insisted on living in the dorms, refusing to live in the apartments designated for older (25+) students. A lot of times they annoyed their room/floormates because they said offensive things and had no clue what the current social norms were.

I lived on a co-ed floor my sophomore year of college and the girl next door had a roommate in her 60s. I love being around older folks and absolutely nothing but respect but it was the most uncomfortable situation ever. That woman had no business being in a dorm full of teenagers. We had the family housing too but she lived with us kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really thought this was a troll until I googled and found several posts about much older students living in dorms. Many universities do not forbid it. I think they are worried about age discrimination lawsuits.

There are posts on reddit with this situation:

I’ve worked in college housing and we had folks ranging from 40 to 70 years old who insisted on living in the dorms, refusing to live in the apartments designated for older (25+) students. A lot of times they annoyed their room/floormates because they said offensive things and had no clue what the current social norms were.

I lived on a co-ed floor my sophomore year of college and the girl next door had a roommate in her 60s. I love being around older folks and absolutely nothing but respect but it was the most uncomfortable situation ever. That woman had no business being in a dorm full of teenagers. We had the family housing too but she lived with us kids.

Reddit. Must be true.

[Anonymous]

If the roommate is a full-time student then it is what it is. The University isn’t obliged to move anyone but if a student wants to put in for a room transfer they are free to do so. Personally, I think some posters just like to stir up drama. The guy has been a fine roommate so far and his age is no indication that he won’t continue to be a decent roommate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really thought this was a troll until I googled and found several posts about much older students living in dorms. Many universities do not forbid it. I think they are worried about age discrimination lawsuits.

There are posts on reddit with this situation:

I’ve worked in college housing and we had folks ranging from 40 to 70 years old who insisted on living in the dorms, refusing to live in the apartments designated for older (25+) students. A lot of times they annoyed their room/floormates because they said offensive things and had no clue what the current social norms were.

I lived on a co-ed floor my sophomore year of college and the girl next door had a roommate in her 60s. I love being around older folks and absolutely nothing but respect but it was the most uncomfortable situation ever. That woman had no business being in a dorm full of teenagers. We had the family housing too but she lived with us kids.

There are always annoying floormates or suitemates. OP's situation is awkward because of the gender inclusive aspect but I see no issue with the situation described above if the kids are all 18+. One of my female friends ended up in this situation in college with a much older also female suitemate and they ended up being great friends and are in touch to this day. I remember it was awkward at first but then it was just normal. She described it like an older sister situation. I do think the suitemate was in her 30s.

[Anonymous]

Why are you making assumptions about the male identifying roommate? Would you feel more comfortable if the roommate were male identifying but trans?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are you making assumptions about the male identifying roommate? Would you feel more comfortable if the roommate were male identifying but trans?

Did you not read any of the thread before posting? He could be a trans man. That's literally not the issue. These are teenagers with a suite mate that's parent age. That's the problem. It's already been explained that they don't care if the person is trans.

[Anonymous]

She signed up for gender inclusive housing, you don’t then get to change the rules. Why anyone signs up for gender inclusive housing is beyond me. I’d hate to have to cover myself just to change my clothes. My kids dorm room is so so small there is no privacy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would be raising hell. Sorry. 37 is not 18. Creepy.

Agree. Why would a 37 year old want to live on campus?

Ever hear of Willie Sutton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a very strange situation that I imagine would allow the child to very easily get a room switch.

I'm surprised that it happened in the first place; at DC's school, non-traditional students over 25 are given subsidized off-campus housing.

I had thought there were age limits too in many colleges.

[Anonymous]

I think it is fine for people to express preferences for housing, but you’re basically saying your daughter purposefully opted for inclusive housing but now feels it is too inclusive. If she wanted to pick and choose who she lives with, she should have opted for that.

I’m not surprised all types of non-traditional students are placed in inclusive housing. If there aren’t special dorms for older students, where else would they be placed?

[Anonymous]

You are an idiot that you have let your DD stay in the same flat as this man! Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Come on people. This is a completely fabricated story. Don’t be so gullible.

[Anonymous]

You're in the looney bin housing.

You're getting what you asked for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this what is known as "concern trolling?

Not really.

What kind of trolling is it then?

Op here I get that it seems so weird/ unlikely and touches on hot button issues so I understand it might seem like a troll post-fair enough. It is true, though, and as I said in my first post this is not an anti all gender housing post-if anything it’s an anti mixed age housing post.

So age discrimination is ok?

I totally get where you are coming from, OP and would not want my daughter in the same dorm as a 37 year old man. But when you opt for gender inclusive housing, you lose control on who defines what inclusive means and are stuck in the position of being age exclusive.

How uncomfortable is your daughter? Tell her to stand up for herself here.

Depending on the state, this is most likely not actionable age discrimination.