So I have the option to live in a private room or with roommates etc. I have always been facisnated with having a roommate , planned cute gifts from where I’m from to give when I first meet them , outings , etc but after recent observations I think my living habits will conflict with any roommate I have , I don’t want to get into too much detail , it’s minor but I think I would be more comfortable living on my own. Will this be detrimental for my social life? I think of a roommate being someone I can talk to if I’m homesick , go out with me, join clubs with me ,safety reasons ( walking home) etc and now I feel like I’m going to be missing out if I live in a single advice ?
If you are not an outgoing person then having a single room will likely make you feel more isolated.
Singles are in high demand. The beauty of them is they allow you to be as social as you want on your own terms. Many kids leave the doors open when they are in there so that floor mates can come in and visit. If you want privacy then simply close the door. You will socialize as much as you want in college.
Good luck.
I would also caution you not to build up the roommate relationship in your mind before you even arrive. While what you describe does occur for some roommates it definitely does not happen for all. Some roommates peacefully coexist but are not friends socially. You may not become best friends or even friends at all with your rommmate and that’s ok. But if you go in expecting that you will it could be a big let-down.
A room mate is not a long lost sister. At best you become friends but live independent lives. Be grateful if you have the same idea for lights out, alarm clock usage, and weekend guests.
A single on a floor with many singles works well. You can leave your door open when feeling sociable and can swing by the other rooms at meal time to see if anyone else is hungry.
Joining clubs is great. Go to the first few meetings while there are other new people to feel awkward with.
It depends. It’s nice to have a place to yourself that’s quiet and allows you to “escape” for a little while.
As is reflected in the varying answers you have gotten, it really depends on the person. I agree with @adlgel and @Snowball City that you shouldn’t expect your roommate to be an automatic best friend, especially if you don’t know the person. In fact, sometimes it’s better to expect to coexist.
A single is definitely the way to go if you don’t need to be forced in order to socially interact (personally, much like a locust, I only become sociable once there is a certain population density). If you are willing to take initiative, and leave your door open as others have mentioned, a single can be awesome. You have much more control over the security of your belongings, the noise level, the amount of light, and the guest policy.
Honestly the only thing you’re seriously missing by not having roommates is a layer of free lockout insurance. As for joining clubs together, having someone to talk to or walk with, and going out, after orientation, you’ll most likely have a bunch of acquaintances from your dorm that have the potential to become friends through these very activities!
If you have a single in a dorm with a hall bathroom you will have plenty of opportunity to interact with others.
As several have posted, do not put all of your hopes and dreams into being put together with your next BFF. At most, hope to be able to tolerate each other. Living with a stranger is something you cannot really know until you are actually doing it. And a bad roommate situation can permeate your entire college experience for that year. If you think you might be a challenge for a roommate and can swing a single (many schools just aren’t able to accommodate because of lack of housing), do it. You will still be running into/meeting people in classes, the hallway, the bathroom, etc., so lots of opportunities to meet people if you work at it. My D isn’t rooming with either of her current roommates next year, although her friends are both on her floor in rooms close to hers.
As @GoatGirl19 says, “Honestly the only thing you’re seriously missing by not having roommates is a layer of free lockout insurance.” D and her two roommates have each locked themselves out at least once.