Moving into a college dorm..single vs. double!?

[deerpark]

I am really stuck on whether to request a single or a double for my college dorm room.

Next year I will be attending school at an extremely small liberal arts school (less than 2,000 students) therefore the student body is extremely welcoming and friendly. I will be playing soccer here, so I will have an immediate family on campus. I am generally a pretty social person anyways, so I don't think making friends will be an issue for me. In addition I have some habits--such as staying up late, playing music all the time, passing out then waking up extremely early to shower, etc--that I know no roommate would want to endure. These things make me lean towards a single dorm.

On the flip side, I am an extremely easy-going person. I don't mind other people's habits, and I could easily control my own bad habits if it was worth it... because I have extreme fear of missing out. I know that you don't always get the perfect roommate, but if you get a good one then you always have someone built in to talk to, go out with, get advice from, get ready with, etc. In addition I don't want to be stuck in a bubble with only one group of friends--I want to branch out and meet everyone!

So that's my dilemma. My self-indulgent side is clashing with my need to be social. I would really appreciate any thoughts or advice you may have... does it seem like I'm leaning towards one or the other?

[Eternal]

Have you discussed the costs of a single vs. double with your parents? Single rooms can cost up to double what it would be if you were to have a roommate. Additionally, I think it's a good experience to live with a roommate. It teaches you how to compromise, and how to live with others without conflict. I've learned a lot from every roommate I've had (and I've had around 10 different roommates). You'll also still get alone time when your roommate is out. The people I knew who had a single room tended to not feel as connected in the dorm as others. They also got lonely sleeping by themselves every night while everyone else had a buddy in their room. It's up to you, but I definitely think having a roommate is a good experience.

[JazzyJazz]

Personally I would hate not having any space to myself. I'm at college/university and live with 7 other girls; we have our own ensuite bedrooms but share the kitchen and lounge. For me this is a perfect set up. I can go and visit them in their rooms if I want to, or I can just spend time with them in the communal area. But if I want to be alone, I know that I have my room to go back to.

However, this is me and and I don't mind my own company. I know other people who have shared a room and that worked for them. But then I also know people who found it difficult, so it really does depend on you as an invidual, plus the person you are paired with.

In terms of worrying that you will be missing out, I think that by not sharing with someone you are only in danger of missing out on a particular college experience, not on socialisation altogether. Realistically, even if you shared with someone, you would not want to spend all your time with them anyway.