Likelihood of getting a single? Do I even want a single?

<p>This is a question for current Cornell students. If I request a single for first-year housing, how likely is it that I would get it? I've heard about students wanting doubles and being given singles, so I guess it must not be too difficult to get a single.... Also, do you think people with singles have different social lives than people with doubles? I kind of like the idea of having the privacy that a single offers, but I don't want to feel secluded, and I don't want a single if it means that I'm going to miss out on the fun of Cornell residential life.</p>

<p>Your likelihood of getting a single if you ask for one is GOOD, since many freshman dorms (most notably Clara Dickson) have tons of them.</p>

<p>And YES YES YES YES YES you want a single. All that "making friends is harder with a single" is total BS. You REALLY want a single. Trust me. You will really grow to love it if you have one, and be jealous of those who do if you don't.</p>

<p>How about GTs for sophomore year? We find out (I think) by mid-late March, and I would almost definitely request a single (I've got a great roommate this year, but single just seems so attractive...)</p>

<p>And Merry Christmas, everyone!</p>

<p>Singles cost more than doubles. That's the only disadvantage.</p>

<p>it mainly depends on you. with a single you never have to worry about being too messy, too loud, too whatever to anyone else, as well as having to deal with someone elses ****, smell, annoyance, and you can do what you want, when you you want. people usually either hate their roommate and hardly talk to them after living with them frosh yr or theyre lovey dovey with their roommate but this usually occurs when you pick your roommate beforehand (whether you know them really well or know that they share similar interests). from my experience most people with singles turn out to be really outgoing people who picked a single because they already knew this and just wanted their own space. i mainly picked mine for sex reasons which ended up being ironic at first because when you live in the low rises theyre so far away you just end up using the closer room, which is never low rise. when youre consistently with someone though it comes in very handy because youre not walking from the frats on west on a sun-wed night and when the walk is only two minutes most people chose a room that doesnt have another person in it. i loved my single. low rise is a suite set up and im really good friends with the kid who had the other single in the suite and listening to loud U2 through a wall is a lot better than having to be in the same room as someone blasting U2. other benefits of a single: you are less likely to be suspected of drinking (who would drink in a smaller single instead of a double?), if youre not getting any you can at least take advantage of the vast materials on DC++, you can sometimes do work in your room although doing work in general is highly doubtful. disadvantages: you have to buy all the stuff for your room, but if youre in a single you really dont want to have too much stuff, plus you can mooch off of the TVs and refridgerators of others. singles are surprisingly not as small as youd think. i had a full size folding table in my room for a while and while it wasnt very comfortable to play beer pong, it was possible.</p>

<p>anyway, in conclusion if youre remotely thinking that youd like a single, id say go for it. meeting people has nothing to do with your room, it has to do with you, so go out and do ridiculous things while you still can so you have some good stories to tell people when you meet them.</p>

<p>after living off campus this year i would never want a roommate again.. EVER. </p>

<p>also isnt clara dickson mostly/all singles? that means everyone if your dorm will be in the same boat as you so you will meet people</p>

<p>I have not for one moment regretted getting a single. A lot of my friends actually regret not getting singles. I haven't felt secluded or anything at all; I live in a suite, and I've been fortunate enough to have awesome suitemates. I'm the kind of person who always needs a "home," and being able to make my living space my own is important to me. For me, the freedom and privacy a single offers outweighs the extra cost.</p>

<p>do you feel like you never got the traditional college experience of having a roomate etc? I know that's a dumb question, but I just always felt like I HAVE to have a roomate at some point...</p>

<p>GET A SINGLE</p>

<p>and if you are a girl, apply for balch, regardless of the fact that its an all girls dorm. your rooms are HUGE!! my single this year is still bigger than my friends' doubles in dickson and in other dorms</p>

<p>^I agree. Balch is AMAZING. Great programing, quiet, safe. Honestly, being in a dorm with all girls is not that bad.</p>

<p>helenrez, if your question is directed at me...</p>

<p>I never really got into the traditional college experience thing, so the decision was quite a bit easier for me. I know some people who've said they wanted to experience the whole roommate thing, and they seem to enjoy it. I guess if you're interested in having a roommate there's nothing wrong with going for a double. Since I didn't really have a strong preference for that, going the safer route worked out for me.</p>

<p>thanks myarmin, that's what I was asking!</p>

<p>You definitely want a single (although at some point during your college career, a roommate would be an interesting and useful experience). I have a single now, but as I applied for a double I'm paying the price of a double. And I have no regrets. : )</p>

<p>when do we apply for housing?</p>

<p>how big is the difference in cost between a single and a double?</p>

<p>Around $600 I think.</p>

<p>I think the difference is more like $1000/yr, probably less than that. Applications don't come out until after regular decisions come out.</p>

<p>Definitely request a single, but do not apply for Balch, unless you are anti-social. Though Dickson singles are roughly the size of a large box, it's really nice having privacy, and not having to sexile a roomate/be sexiled by a roomate. I had a roomate in my sorority sophomore year and her anxiety/OCD/smelliness was unbearable. She went to bed before midnight every night and did some little tossy-turny passive aggressive shizz in her bed when she wanted me to stop typing/being awake. It was really cute. Dealing with other people's habits is a pain in the ass, quite frankly. I suppose it's a learning experience, but I think privacy is probably preferable to bettering your character by tolerating some annoying freak's habits. I'm probably slightly biased because my personal experience was pretty extraordinary, since I drunkenly decided to room with the craziest ***** ever. I wouldn't be concerned about a single hindering your ability to make friends, unless you're not a social person in the first place, in which case you won't make friends anyway. You should try to get a dorm in Dickson; it's probably the second most social/fun dorm after Donlon. Since most people there have singles, the living situation really forces you to be social. Unfortunately, my floor was full of a bunch of really butch athlete girls, so I befriended people from other floors. </p>

<p>With regard to the cost difference: if you request a double and Cornell gives you a single, they offer to pay for the difference via financial aid.</p>

<p>just because you are in balch doesnt mean you are anti social. yea my floor sucks because there are only 15 people there to being with, but i go to other floors and other dorms. its quiet when i need to study and thats important. if you are going to pay the same amount of money for a huge single in balch or a tiny closet sized single in donlon, you might as well get more for your money. plus, how can you give up having 2 closets and your own sink room?</p>

<p>It's really all about preference. Do you want a big room with a sink or some booze-fueled good times? Balch is notoriously anti-social, you can't really deny that.</p>