Some of you may be heading to college in the fall. There is an endless numbers of decisions to be made and things to think and worry about. Will I like college? Will I do well? Will the food be good? Will the professors be nice? Will I get along with my roommate? Who will my roommate be?
What if you could choose a member of the opposite sex as a roommate?
A number of colleges across the nation are providing a few new options for dormitory roommates by offering mixed-sex dormitory rooms. Sound crazy? Some people don’t think so. Students taking advantage of the mixed-sex options include gay students who are not comfortable rooming with a member of the same-sex, or close friends or couples who would prefer to room together (most universities with co-ed dorm rooms discourage romantic couples from rooming together, although they don’t forbid it).
This is a far cry from the way colleges were in the 50s, when dorms were off-limits to the opposite sex. Then, in the 70s, co-ed dorms began to spring up around the country. Are co-ed dorm rooms the natural next step?
Some college administrators and staff members think that it simply comes down to having a compatible roommate. It should not matter what sex they are. Some parents, however, are having a difficult time agreeing with the mixed-sex set-ups, saying that it could cause distractions or sexual tension/issues between roommates.
Students who have taken advantage of these new policies have been quite happy with it. They enjoy having more of a choice of roommates, and are pleased to have the freedom to choose anyone, regardless of the gender.
Colleges joining this movement include Wesleyan University in CT, Clark University in MA, University of Southern Maine, and over a dozen others. Perhaps more universities will join in implementing this progressive, though controversial, policy.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/05/02/coed.dorm.rooms.ap/in...
I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this option...I mean it's not the smartest thing in my eyes...the school I'm going to doesn't allow this but in each building the floors alternate between guys and girls so it's not like we're really that separated...not that I care since my b/f lives 500 miles away...but we've discussed maybe one of us transferring next year and getting an apartment together...I think that's a better option...it gives you your own space and you won't be disrupting everyone else in the dorm
I think that's great. I have two gay friends , one male and one female, that said it would have been easier to live with eachother than with people of their same gender. And for trans-students that are technically and legally of one gender, but identify as another its easier to be able to live with people that you're comfortable with and not be grouped by gender. I'm not to keen on the couples living together though, because it you end up having problems, it causes a mess for the people in charge of housing .
Common sense is as rare as genius. ~Emerson
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Well in college many people have members of the opposite sex in their rooms anyways... I know that isn't the point but I thought I would make a joke. :]
Haha..
Après la pluie le beau temps. ♥
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Well, I know you're referring to people of the opposite sex "staying the night", but I've known couples that unofficially lived together in on-campus housing for long periods of time. One of my suite mates last year lived in her boyfriend's single room for the entire year. That kind of sucked because that meant she left her own single room empty while there were people living in triples that would have liked to use it.
Common sense is as rare as genius. ~Emerson
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Oh I actually didn't even think to mention that! I know of a girl who's boyfriend lived in her dorm room WITH her roommate. Like he lived there for months... and still does. I know the guy and he is sooo lame but if I were the roommate I would say get the heck out of here! Except, I would probably add in a lot of swear words.
Après la pluie le beau temps. ♥
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Dorm life does indeed suck enough without worrying about hearing domestic disputes next door. I don't think romantic couples should be allowed to live together on campus. If you want to live with your significant other, you should get your own apartment because dorm living is communal living.
However, I lived in a triple with two girls and I would have much rather lived with a guy friend. I just tend to get along better with guys. I would have maybe liked to at least have the option, so I think it is a good idea overall.
www.progressiveu.org/blog/americangirlinchina
College students, for the most part (lol), are adults. They should be able to make an adult decision about who they want to live with for the school year. There is already so much crazy drama in dorm life, students should at least have the option of choosing a compatible roommate, regardless of whether that person is male or female.
I don't know about the whole adult thing... (haha)
but I agree that college students should be able to choose a compatible roommate, no matter the gender.