I totally agree with you inthegarden! I just don’t get it and think maybe the decision was left up to someone who just walked and said, “hey let’s put the extra be here”. His room is the first room on the ground floor. There is a window but you wouldn’t even know it as it’s not huge and the two sets of elevated beds (bunk and loft) block any light from coming in the room.
You are probably paying less than the doubles. For some that is worth it, for others not. Live with it for now and he can always move as things open up. My son was in a built-up triple freshman year. It was so tight and it was my biggest worry for freshman year. But it worked out. He lucked out with 2 great random roomies and I think he learned to be flexible. He was organized to begin with but this forced him to be even more so. If you didn’t store it, you wouldn’t have space to walk or might risk losing it. Hang in there.
I just wish I could post a photo. As they say it’s worth a thousand words. 
Worse still, the photo shows the room at its best (before three men actually live there).
I can’t even imagine it in a couple of weeks!
Yes, I am paying less than a double but that really isn’t the point. Why didn’t they make my sons minuscule dorm room a double and change the double we saw to a triple? Or why am I paying the same as other triples that are double the size? Also, UCSC would not have a housing shortage if they went with the standard set by the dorm room my son shares with two others. They could make the double I saw into a 6 person dorm room and have room to spare. It just doesn’t make sense.
Before they changed the CC website, I know that some people posted a picture by making that their avatar (that’s the basketball like thing next to your name). Maybe you can still do that?
I wonder whether such tight quarters fits within the requirements of the town fire code. On the other hand, you need to weigh whether you’d be thought of as THAT parent, and need to just let it pass. Regarding your comment about the fact that you are full pay and think that since you are paying more, your kid shouldn’t be the one short-changed, well… I get it. It’s frustrating that you are paying all that money for this tiny room and this doesn’t represent fair market value. But I think that argument would go over like a lead balloon. I think they would say that they can’t discriminate on the basis of whether someone is paying or not (or by how much someone is paying), and that your kid just got the short straw on the bad-room lottery, which they would say is an equitable way to do this.
Call and complain. Ask for a reduction in the room charge. Ask that your son be moved.
Hope he’s happy being moved.
The last thing I want is to be labeled “that” parent. The whole reason I signed up for this account was so that I could vent here and NOT to the school… at least before I figured out what I wanted to say exactly. I love hearing everyones opinions. I think I mostly wanted a little validation and commiseration I suppose. At this point I will not be asking for anything to happen in regards to my son but maybe for them to make informed decisions next year… Make it better for the next occupants kind of thing…
Ah-I made my avatar photo the room photo. I am standing as far back as I can to take this photo. The only thing you can’t see is the wardrobe/desk combo I’m standing against and the door.
If it were me, it would have nothing to do with paying more or less, or why MY child were the one assigned the triple, but why was THAT particular extra-small room the one to be made into a triple as opposed to a more spacious one. It’s also about safety and whether it meets bare-bones quality-of-life standards for anyone, not just my kid.
I’m not a very materially spoiled person and have lived in some rough places but I wouldn’t want any kid to be forced into a situation where s/he HAD to study until late at night at a possibly far-away site because neither the dorm room OR dorm common space t study was tenable. It’s one thing to generally study elsewhere… but feeling as if you can’t ever study there… only sleep, shower and store your stuff and have nowhere that remotely feels homelike…IDK, doesn’t feel very conducive to learning.
That is very tight, like being in the Navy.
There will be no studying done in that room. No eating, no sorting laundry, no big parties… That’s a place to sleep and drop books.
It might be better without the desks and chairs.
Hey, at least you didn’t have all that expense of decorating! (read the Pineapple Sorority Girl thread from last year).
I think at this point my only reason to talk to the housing director is to ask two questions. 1. Why was this room chosen to be turned into a triple? 2. Does the UC have basic minimum space requirements for all students? My child is new and doesn’t want to fuss about it. I love him for that but as his mother there are many reasons that I’d like him in a comfortable situation his first year at college.
Funny you mention eating. UCSC gave them the option of bringing a mini fridge and microwave. One of my sons roommates brought them but there was literally NOWHERE to put them in their room and the mom had to take them home.
My D studies in her bed. Her desk is simply for storage. Roommates did the same. She has one of those lap desk things. Works for her.
Studying in bed would be a decent solution if my son could sit up in his bed without hitting his head… He’s on the top bunk and ceiling is too low to accommodate a man sitting up.
Oh no @momofangels! That’s why my D couldn’t loft her bed this year - not enough headroom to sit up in bed (she’s 5’11). That really stinks and the room does look super tight!
Wow. That practically looks like submarine conditions to me. I have seen a lot of dorm rooms at a lot of schools, but that one is the only one that gave me visual claustrophobia. Sorry, @momofangels ! What a good sport your son is.
Maybe you could ask the housing director to take a look at the room.
I’m curious—where is the third desk/wardrobe?
@3SailAway When I took this photo I was standing as far back as I could with my back against the 3rd set of desk/wardrobe. The only thing you can’t see in the photo is the door to my right and the wardrobe/desk to my back. It truly IS claustrophobic and I was only there for 30min.
Wow. First thing I thought of too was it looks like he’s on a submarine. I really do wonder if this violates some kind of fire or health code. Is there a window in the room?
@melvin123 There is one small window to the left that is just outside of this photo. The third set of desk/wardrobe is touching my back, the door is to my right and the small window to my left. I doubt it breaks any codes as it’s probably ok for 1-2 students but 3?