I would be worried that this girl is pretty self focused. It is just not a great way to begin a room mate relationship. Yes I see that she had that bed last semester but that roommate left. It is a new start.

I would not reply for a while. My reply might include something about waiting to hear on my single.

In the end it will probably be fine.

Anonymous wrote:I think it is reasonable.

And some people need that natural light for mental health reasons. As an RA, I once had to broker a room swap for exactly that reason. It was critical to one student, but her roommate refused to give up the spot with natural light.

Maybe it was critical for the roommate too? You seem exceptionally accommodating to one roommate and oddly unsympathetic to the same need from the other one. Weird. Did you have a crush on her or something?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do colleges insist on this outdated idea of roommates anyway? My eighth grader, who is an only child, insists that she would rather commute to George Mason when she is in college than share a room.

Are there schools where single rooms the norm, or at least a possibility for a freshman?

I hope your child is planning for a career field that will afford her the opportunity to live alone for the rest of her life.

Sharing an apartment is not the same as sharing a room.

And when she gets married?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do colleges insist on this outdated idea of roommates anyway? My eighth grader, who is an only child, insists that she would rather commute to George Mason when she is in college than share a room.

Are there schools where single rooms the norm, or at least a possibility for a freshman?

I hope your child is planning for a career field that will afford her the opportunity to live alone for the rest of her life.

Sharing an apartment is not the same as sharing a room.

And when she gets married?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do colleges insist on this outdated idea of roommates anyway? My eighth grader, who is an only child, insists that she would rather commute to George Mason when she is in college than share a room.

Are there schools where single rooms the norm, or at least a possibility for a freshman?

I hope your child is planning for a career field that will afford her the opportunity to live alone for the rest of her life.

She would have no problem sharing an apartment with someone. It's sharing a *room* that's the sticking point.

P.S. I was a schoolteacher, then a federal worker, and never shared an apartment with anyone, until my future partner moved in with me when I was 35.

Anonymous wrote:Why do colleges insist on this outdated idea of roommates anyway? My eighth grader, who is an only child, insists that she would rather commute to George Mason when she is in college than share a room.

Are there schools where single rooms the norm, or at least a possibility for a freshman?

Some schools let you buy out the other half of a double for a higher price, often twice the rate you'd pay with a roommate. Others have honors dorms set up as four-person suites with individual bedrooms and a common room. Alabama comes to mind.

But gat dang, assuming she goes to a school that allows students to live off campus as a sophomore and up, it's one frigg'n year — and that year is crucial to finding your niche and establishing yourself as part of the campus scene. Is sharing a room for a year that terrifying for your kid that she'd rather be a loser living at home in her childhood bedroom and not having a life on campus than just learn to deal with the temporary inconvenience?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do colleges insist on this outdated idea of roommates anyway? My eighth grader, who is an only child, insists that she would rather commute to George Mason when she is in college than share a room.

Are there schools where single rooms the norm, or at least a possibility for a freshman?

I hope your child is planning for a career field that will afford her the opportunity to live alone for the rest of her life.

Sharing an apartment is not the same as sharing a room.

Anonymous wrote:Why do colleges insist on this outdated idea of roommates anyway? My eighth grader, who is an only child, insists that she would rather commute to George Mason when she is in college than share a room.

Are there schools where single rooms the norm, or at least a possibility for a freshman?

I can't agree more with your child. I am even more upset that some colleges REQUIRE on campus living.

Anonymous wrote:Why do colleges insist on this outdated idea of roommates anyway? My eighth grader, who is an only child, insists that she would rather commute to George Mason when she is in college than share a room.

Are there schools where single rooms the norm, or at least a possibility for a freshman?

I hope your child is planning for a career field that will afford her the opportunity to live alone for the rest of her life.

Anonymous wrote:If it's the same room, and the person was there last semester, I think it's not so unreasonable although poorly worded. I would roll with it and hope for the best. Getting along with a difficult roommate is a pain but it is good to do it at least once, and a Spring semester seems like an ideal time honestly. That way it's not a whole year.

Yeah, the first time I read this, I thought, "Wow, that kid is rude." Then I realized it's the same room and in an ordinary year, the kid would have left all his stuff on that side of the room. I'd tell your child to take one for the team, but be prepared that the roommate might be a little difficult.

Anonymous wrote:Why do colleges insist on this outdated idea of roommates anyway? My eighth grader, who is an only child, insists that she would rather commute to George Mason when she is in college than share a room.

Are there schools where single rooms the norm, or at least a possibility for a freshman?

because if they dropped the notion the going rate for colleges would shoot way up to fund all dorm construction for the new single rooms

There are some dibs there, ideally some sharing or swap but worth WW III?

Why do colleges insist on this outdated idea of roommates anyway? My eighth grader, who is an only child, insists that she would rather commute to George Mason when she is in college than share a room.

Are there schools where single rooms the norm, or at least a possibility for a freshman?

Did the roommate occupy the room alone first semester?

The lack of pleasantries is probably misdirected frustration. She knew she could be assigned a roommate, but was optimistic it wouldn't happen. It's not right, but college kids are immature.

Is the bed by the window a hill to die on? Let your child decide, and let your child face any resulting consequences.

Did your kid want that bed? So they care??

If it’s just the pleasantries just try to let them set the tone.