<p>So I will be attending UC Berkeley this fall, and I am in a Unit 1 Triple in Minisuite. In the room, there is one (ground level) bed, and one bunk bed. This may seem silly, but I reeaaaaally do not want to be in the bunks. </p>
<p>**Disclaimer: I'm not trying to be inflexible. When it comes down to it, I would prefer to get along with my roommates and have a good relationship with them for the whole year rather than be too aggressive about getting the single bed and come off as a jerk. </p>
<p>However, it would be VERY preferred if I could get that single bed. So I was wondering, would it be too much to ask my roommates if I could have it before hand? Or should I just make it fair and we all draw straws (or something along those lines)? I don't want to get off on the wrong foot, nor do I want them to think that I'm high maintenance. But I also am hoping that they don't care <em>as</em> much as I do and are willing to let me have the single bed. </p>
<p>Yes, you will come off as a selfish if you make the case for the single bed now.</p>
<p>Send a light hearted email proposing that on move in day the 3 of you will draw cards with the highest card getting first choice, and so on to be fair.
That will leave the door open for them to reply they don’t care or they care very much like you. </p>
<p>You want to take the first come-first choice off the table to avoid a mad rush to be first in the room.</p>
<p>Another solution is to rotate so everyone gets a chance to have the single during the school year.</p>
<p>As the year goes on and you get to know your roomies maybe you can negotiate getting the single with monetary or other incentives.</p>
<p>I agree, don’t try to push it too early. You don’t want to give off the selfish impression before you have met them :P</p>
<p>Do you have a reason for not wanting the bunk? telling them you “reallyyy dont want it” won’t be very convincing, and who knows, they might be understanding if you have a good reason for why you’d prefer the single bed.</p>
<p>Unless you have a medical reason for not being in the bunks, then YES, you are being selfish. I would say drawing cards is a good idea. Maybe the two in bunks could draw for the single bed for 2nd semester, and the single person first semester takes the bunk of the winner of that draw, too. That would be equitable. You aren’t at toddler in the sandbox any more, you don’t get to just take what you want.</p>
<p>Why do you care so much? If you have a good reason, you’re roommates will probably let you have it. Really wanting it is not a good reason.</p>
<p>Just ask if anyone has a preference. If everyone wants the single bed, choose randomly. If they don’t care, then it doesn’t matter. If it’s really important, then just rotate beds so everyone gets a turn.</p>
<p>The only way to negotiate is by giving them something they really want, and you can’t know that unless you ask.</p>
<p>Ah… no, that is not how it should work. Unless you want your roommates to think you are a jerk right away. Especially since there are 3 roommates, not two. With two, you can just swap at semester if the other person wants to. With 3 it is more complicated. If OP really cares about this, he should email his roommates and ask what they think would be a fair way to handle it. </p>
<p>What are you willing to negotiate to get the bed you prefer? What kind of trade-off can you offer? Are you willing to give up closet and/or dresser space? Often a room like yours may have only 2 closets or dressers.</p>
<p>^This. Don’t make a big deal out of this. Get there before they do and put your stuff on the single bed. The only reason not to do this is if someone mentions the bed beforehand, and then you’d have to draw straws.</p>
<p>Trying rearranging the furniture if you can. I was in a mini-suite double, not triple, but our room was really big. You may be able to get all 3 beds on ground level, or two ground level and one lofted or something. But if there really are bed issues, maybe you can make everyone happy? I mean, see what the others think before you try to rearrange beds, but it might be worth a try if there are conflicts.</p>
<p>One of my kid’s roommates pulled that kind of s***. Actually, she lofted her bed in front of the only window in the room, put her desk under the bed, and used the whole wall set up for posters/etc. for her stuff. She moved in prior to my kid due to a summer program. It was beyond obnoxious. My kid was SO glad to get out of that room at the end of the year. Roommate was spoiled and selfish… which is how the OP will come across if he doesn’t bring this up. However, he should email about it before they move in. One of the other guys may be the same kind of jerk…</p>
<p>Had same situation last year with one of my kids. Move-in time for his floor was designated as 11am. He didn’t want the top bunk, but would’ve ok with either the single or the bottom bunk. So we got there promptly at 11. Roommate #1 had all ready unpacked and claimed the single bed. Not sure how he managed to convince to the RAs to let him move in at 9am. Roommate #2 had gotten there a few minutes before us and claimed the bottom bunk. Needless to say, this was not a great beginning to his freshman year. For weeks, I worried he would fall out of the top bunk. But in the end, he liked being on top, because of the privacy, and because #2 would often bring a lot of friends back to the room and they would all sit on #1’s bed (which irked #1 immensely), and when #1 went home for the weekend (which was pretty much every weekend), a friend of #2’s would sleep in the bed. </p>
<p>Well congrats on getting into UCB. My ex goes there anyways… lol.</p>
<p>Don’t mention anything to them now. Wait until you meet them in person and go from there.You don’t want to come off as selfish and needy to the people you have to live with for a year.</p>
<p>I lived in a double last year. And I moved in before my roommate. I just took the bed I wanted. But when she arrived I nicely told her she could have the bed I picked if she wanted. And she said no. So I got the bed I wanted. I would have given up the bed if she really wanted it. But she didn’t mind I guess.</p>
<p>I agree with invader, whoever gets there first should get to choose first. That is how everyone I know has always done it. That way you don’t make a big deal out of it.</p>
<p>I have no idea why people think whoever gets there first should get it. How on earth is that fair? Especially at a school like UCB, people are going to be coming from all over, so it’s going to take them time to get there. </p>
<p>I would talk to your roommates about room organization/general layout. Mention the single bed after a while, so it doesn’t seem like you’re obsessed with it. If I were to guess, they want it too.</p>
<p>People get to the dorm room and start unpacking. Do they have to wait until you get there to do so? Switching top/bottom bunks half way through the year is fair.</p>
anyways… lol.</p>