There’s a large contingency of students on campus that live the single life…that is, living in a single room on campus. I’m a senior here at SLU, so I have experienced my fair share of housing environments. As a freshman, I was paired with a random roommate, as most people are, in a double. Sophomore year I was in a quad, which definitely has its pros and cons as well. Junior year I was in a double with one of my friends, and this year for the first time, I’m living on my own in a single. If you’re having roommate troubles or wondering what it’s like living in a single, here are a list of the pros and cons:
Pros:
In my senior year, I’m fortunate enough to be living in a single in the new dorm (Kirk Douglas). Living in this building, in and of itself, is a pro, but let me break down for you what I’ve experienced thus far:
– One of my absolute favorite things is not having to worry about if I’m waking up my friend/roommate when I have my 8:30 and 8:50 am classes every morning. I like to set a couple of alarms, and sometimes I set a timer for 10 more minutes, which can be bothersome to a roommate.
– In tandem with the pro above is that, when I do get up, I can turn on all the lights and play music or watch a YouTube video out loud while I’m putting on my makeup and/or making my breakfast in my room.
– In the new dorm, we all have our own bathrooms, so I can arrange my things on the shelves and counters however I want and never have to wait to use the bathroom or to shower.
– If you want to bring someone back to your room, you don’t have to worry about your roommate being there. And, on the opposite spectrum, you don’t have to worry about finding a place to sleep if your roommate wants to bring friends back.
– You can take naps in your room without getting disrupted. You can also go to bed whenever you want.
I asked another Her Campus chapter member at SLU, first year, Sarah Roden, of her opinion on living in a single as a first year. Some pros she mentioned I agree with are as follows:
– “If you come in your room late at night, you can turn on all the lights and be as noisy as you want – you don’t have to worry about your sleeping roommate/tripping over things that may be on the floor”
– “You can play your Netflix out loud!!!”
– “You can have friends over and not feel bad about disturbing your roommate”
Cons:
– The price is higher– not only for the room, but also because you have to supply all extra furniture on your own: TV, fridge, microwave, keurig, silverware, dishes, etc.
– There’s no switching who takes out the trash each week, you always have to do it on your own.
– You definitely have to be in constant communication with your friends on when they’re eating or going to the library to study. When you have a roommate and want to go somewhere, you can just ask them to tag along, since they’re usually in the room with you.
Sarah’s Opinion:
– “If you sleep through your alarm, you don’t have a roommate, who knows your schedule, to wake you up”
– “If you watch a scary movie alone in your room, it’s kind of spooky. Whereas it would be more comforting if someone else, like your roommate, was there with you”
Overall, despite the extra price that comes with living in a single, I think that it is 100% worth it to have your own space to be independent and relax.