Barrett Housing: private vs shared bed/bath

Colleges and Universities A-Z Arizona State University
1

I’m trying to choose my Barrett housing, and I’m a bit torn. I’ll be a freshman living in Cereus Hall with the other Barrett engineering students, and I have to choose one of these room options:

  • private bed, private bath
  • private bed, shared bath
  • shared bed, shared bath

I was leaning towards private bed/private bath (because having my own bathroom would be awesome). However, I asked a few previous Barrett students, and they said they didn’t know anyone who choose this. One person also warned me that it would be harder to socialize in a private bed/private bath room, and recommended that I go with private bed/shared bath.

Does living in a private bed/private bath really make you feel isolated? Is it even a normal thing for freshmen to do?

If anyone wants to share their experience with the Barrett housing, that’d be much appreciated.

Thanks!

2

There are very few private bedroom, private bath rooms available and I have heard that most probably go to students who have a good reason for needing that option. My D had a private bedroom, shared bath and even that was probably more isolating than a shared bedroom. I think she would do a shared room if she had it to do over although it may also be just that her whole floor seemed to be very much less social than other floors. Her suitemate was also from Phoenix so not around very much. More likely she would have had at least one non-local suitemate with 3.

3

If I recall correctly, there is only one private bed/private bath on each floor, and there are two designated engineering floors in Barrett. Therefore, odds are you won’t be put in one of those rooms, and I wouldn’t recommend it anyway. You will probably have the best social opportunities in a shared room/shared bath, but as long as you keep your door open from the beginning of the year and make the effort to socialize with the other students on your floor, then you should have no problems making friends in any room you happen to get.

4

@STEMFamily‌ @lindayay‌ Thank you both very much for your input. I wasn’t aware that there were so few of those rooms, but it makes sense why that would be the case. I think I’ll end up selecting private bed/shared bath – and I’ll be sure to leave my door open!