<p>I know. Alwaysamom: Thanks for being shocked right along with me. And his room is like a version of a Frank Sinatra bachelor pad from an early fifties movie. And he drives my very sporty '99 Saab.</p>
<p>Thinking grad school.</p>
<p>How are yours?</p>
<p>Another mention of Beloit, with both proximity to Chicago and at least some singles. Higher ranked than St. Norbert as well.</p>
<p>Gosh, it never occurred to me that anyone would actually want a roommate. I thought everyone would prefer a single, but perhaps that is because my kids also are “beyond-(their)-years” and like solitude. The daughter I described, who refused a single, was downright phobic about having a roommate, especially considering the health risks. She also is majoring in an artistic endeavor that requires a lot of solitary work. She has survived and even thrived.</p>
<p>I forgot to mention white noise. You can buy gizmos at Radio Shack (low end) or Brookstone (high end) or CD’s that provide choices for white noise: waterfall, rain, ocean etc. Fans work also.</p>
<p>I am not so sure that having roommates is a new American custom. Having a room to oneself, especially while growing up, is actually fairly new in our culture, with the exception of the very upper class.</p>
<p>This is the first generation that has grown up with this degree of control over their environment, and also, along with rooms to themselves, rooms with computer, tv and phone (not speaking of any posters here, but from experience in our own town). We heard a lot of shocked comments on campus tours, when the dorms were included.</p>
<p>The disabilities office at our daughter’s college told us, with nearly rolled eyes, that they get a lot of excuses for applications for single rooms. I can’t say that I agree with their skepticism, but apparently this is a big issue for many people. I would think, to remain competitive in the game of attracting students, that many of the schools would start building dorms with single rooms.</p>
<p>I would not ask a question like this during an interview-it could be misconstrued and it’s hard to know that in the short time allotted- but it’s a good one to bring up during a tour and would be fine to ask during a phone call. Like cartera, my D is also a VP major, and she has 2 room mates in room which is 2 doubles put togetherIt’s been an adjustment, but it’s working and she’ll make it to May!I must say that dorm life is not exactly what it was “back in my day” (in the caves!), but after talking to parents of other freshmen this year, the consensus is that we are all surprised at the amount of drinking, partying, “hooking up” and drug usage goes on, and it’s across the board. It’s everywhere and no one group of students is immune. Not every kid tells their families about it, especially not the ones who seem to be majoring in “Drunken Revelry 101”, but it something that schools should consider a problem rather than looking the other way or sweeping it under the office rug. The housing assigments come out 3 months or so after the deposit is paid, usually in early to mid August, so it’s truly the luck of the draw. My D has had some serious health problems from living in very close quarters this fall/winter and will be moving off-campus for next year. Yous D may have to bite the bullet and go with it for her first year, but have her check out all available options for subsequent years.</p>