That’s insane. I think you should at least talk the housing office. My kid’s triple looked like this except that there was another room of a similar size with the open closets (and ultimately the desks) in it. And the one time we saw it, the impact of 3 boys living in it had not been kind to the ambiance. That is essentially a sleeping pod.
You have got to call. It’s not about being THAT parent. It’s about paying for housing that is completely inappropriate. In the meantime, i would tell him to try to see that room as a place he sleeps in. Try to find places on campus or elsewhere in the dorm where he can study peacefully and get alone time. It might be the case where he packs up his stuff each morning and doesn’t even return to the room until it’s time to wash up for bed.
I think you have a right to complain. There’s just not enough room in that room for students to store a reasonable amount of personal belongings while still having space to navigate.
I lived in the room @lookingforward describes in #15. It was very tight. The saving grace was that with two rooms one could be used simply for sleep (double bunk beds) and the other for work and socializing. We also had a common lounge in the basement of the building. Not to have any place to go that doesn’t require a sign up is IMO insane under these conditions.
Depending on his personality, he could be truly fine with it (viewing it as mostly an inconvenience) or not (even if he tries not to show it). For some kids, it might affect mental health. You know your own son, so I’d go with your gut about this.
Going away to college and leaving everything behind that is loved about home is a huge upheaval for some. Even the more stable or adventurous may need to create a sense of home and comfort in the dorm room (even if it’s a mess by our asesthetic standards). I know it will be all-important for my homebody daughter. Having to wander around campus for a place to “be” all day because there’s not even a comfortable place for three people to sit in the room could exacerbate a sense of disorientation or homelessness for some students. What will happen in wintertime, when there’s not even a leafy tree to sit under?
I would first talk to your son. What does he want to do? If he really likes his roommates and his hall mates he may not want to move. If he doesn’t really care about them one way or another then I would call. Also think about his location. He may be centrally located now but may be moved to a dorm that is in a more remote area of campus. He could also be moved in with an upperclassman. If you call, you just have to be willing to accept the consequences. It’s extremely unlikely that they’ll move them to another room in the same dorm.
That being said, if your son is willing to move, I would certainly call. Who cares about being “that parent”? It’s a huge university not an elementary school where everyone knows everyone else. I would want him out of there ASAP unless he truly loves it. My D would lose her mind in that room.
Wow! Please keep us posted. Even before I saw the pic, I was thinking that I would definitely be calling about how much you are paying vs other same-size double rooms. I do wonder if it is like what you wondered…this ended up being a forced triple when it really wasn’t supposed to be one.
Just a thought , but as small as dorms can be, do the local Fire Marshalls ever inspect? Just wondering.
Yes, all commercial buildings are inspected on a schedule. This room may have been ‘reconfigured’ after the last inspection.
School hold fire drills and other safety classes. I doubt many college kids pay attention.
That is horrible. I would definitely talk with someone. First year (but any year really) is stressful enough without having to be in such overly tight quarters. Not adequate for sleep, study, or rest. And if a fire? Don’t sit back on this, in my opinion. Let your gut guide you and your son.
@momofangels Have there been any developments? I just moved my DD into a triple that is 25x13 today. I cannot imagine squeezing them into a 12x10 room. I agree that you should be a squeeky wheel. What do the other parents think? Maybe all 3 sets of parents can complain together.
Yeah, I thought my daughter’s quad, maybe 16 X 12 was small, two bunkbeds, she was literally shoehorned into a corner, but her space looked spacious compared to that photo. I know if we were in that situation and were paying what was charged first year room and board, my husband would have had someone on the phone, maybe the university president even!
Hi All,
Thanks everyone. I really enjoyed everyone’s advice.
Sorry for the belated update! I ended up calling the housing director and it was “enlightening”. She was lovely and helpful but I was left completely confused. She said that they have had lots of complaints about that particular room in the past and that was why it was reclassified from a “large triple” to just a “triple”! Ha. I asked her if she’d actually ever been in that particular room to which she answered that she believed me that it was small. I asked her again to just take a walk and check it out and that for future classes they might want to reclassify it to a “double”. Anyway, she was more than happy to move my son to a different roomier option as there are many openings. She even mentioned that if the roommates were getting along she had bigger rooms that they all could move to??? Why in the world did they put those three in that room in the first place is beyond me…
End of the story (is it the end though??) is hilarious. I called my son and told him that I called and he said “yeah that sounds great I’ll talk to my roommates.” Couple of days later I talk to him and he says his roommates don’t want to spend the time moving. I mentioned that if it was “me” I’d go look at the options and offer to move my roommates if it was going to be a better situation and reminded him that this is going to last a whole year. At this point they are staying put in their tiny 120 sq ft room in which they have now put a fridge and microwave on one of the roommates desks and my son stores his bike vertically on the ladder to his bunk.
The best part is I heard one of my son’s friends texted him and wanted to come visit and do some mountain biking. My son’s response? There is always room at Chez A? I can’t wait to hear where they put the 4th body. 
Thanks for the update! I LOL’d! My D was in a super small single over the summer for her internship and ended up having three friends come for the weekend and crash in her room. They do find a way to make it work ; )
Wow! That room is insane. I thought my daughter’s freshman dorm was bad, but that is tiny! I’m glad they are making it work!
I complained at a SUNY, bitterly about the price inequity, and did get an adjustment.
Hi All,
Quick UPDATE #2…
I just got home from visiting my son and helping him move dorm rooms. I KNEW it wasn’t over. Though he did not want to admit it, the size of his room had a huge impact on his happiness and mental health. Both of his roommates snore REALLY loudly and there was just no escaping it in that old room. He did not sleep and it caused a huge problem in the middle of midterms. He moved to a single room in the same building and it is barely smaller than his triple, has huge window that gets a ton of sunlight. Part of me wishes I’d pushed the issue a little more when I knew it wasn’t going to work but I guess he needed to figure it on on his own. I’ve been encouraged to complain by the university because they can’t/won’t change it just because it makes sense to do so without complaints. They won’t even come step foot in the room to see it for themselves but keep saying they believe me. What the heck!?
Happy Holidays Everyone!
Congrats to your son on his new room!
A single room with friends in the building is the best!
Good to hear! I’m sorry he had to go through the sleepless nights and accompanying negative effects, but glad that things are better now.
So glad this worked out for your son in the end. I am late to this thread but I know my D would really struggle in that space. She doesn’t spend a lot of time in her room and usually studies at the library or in the common space at the dorm, but she does like “her space” and that would seriously make her claustrophobic. Her room now is not spacious by any means - it’s just your standard dorm room - but compared to your son’s old room it’s practically a suite!