College Parent FB groups

[mom2binsd]

Are a lot of BBB'ers kids actually lining up their roommates in advance through social media etc? Any obvious patterns to where this happens, like SLACs or big state universities etc?

I certainly remember the "you get what you get" era, and in my case, what I got was very problematic… (It was bad enough that they let me move to a single down the hall.) I do remember kids from the same home towns requesting someone but otherwise, no possibility of selecting.


Sent from my iPad using Baby Bargains

DD is a freshman at a large school (55K) and she found her room mate through the Facebook page (we joked it was like Tinder for roommates). They chatted a lot online, then Facetimed and then she and I drove up and had lunch/spent the afternoon with her roommates family (we are about 2 hours from them). It was great, and they even said if they didn't feel it was going to work it was ok after the meet to decide not too live together. Our families get along great, both younger brothers play travel hockey and we are all Blackhawk and Cubs fans. We coordinated a lot (had a parent/kid group chat for supplies for the room), went for lunch together at move in and have done a few other social things together. Girls tend to use the Facebook route, I have also heard that some kids use Discord.

I cringe when I see mom's looking for roommates for their kid. DD did all of her applications herself and pretty much took care of everything, would send me the info I needed to input etc. A few boys I know just left it to chance and it's been fine. Our dorms have a lottery to actually pick your dorm (except if you are in a LLC and they get specific dorms), DD and her roommate prioritized A/C and location and are fine with their dorm (not the newest but it's in the "six pack" so they are happy but both moving into an apt next year (so much cheaper but they had to start looking in October for a place).

[StantonHyde]

.

I found that one of his HS a classmate’s parents got in trouble on the college FB parent page. It is a well known college with Jewish roots and a very active alumni. I knew plenty of people that went there that weren’t Jewish, but there is a group that goes there that is. I mean it’s like a Catholic college, KWIM? So there was information about the homecoming and it included things like Sabbath celebration Friday evening. The parents posted a snarky message about WHAT activity would be scheduled at that time slot for the Christian parents. It did not go over well. I felt bad from their kid.

At the newer Catholic HS in our area, there were a number of non-Catholic families who sent their kids. No big deal. We're not Catholic either. Butttt....they wanted their kid to be able to get out of the religion classes. ummmmm, who get's to tell them that's why the school exists??? The principal had to send out a big all school email even. yeesh. You should know what you signed up for....

[StantonHyde]

They really do have their merits. It’s easy to tune things out and focus on the overwhelming helpful info.

Eta- I don’t know how people not on those pages know, for example, that you have to (and can) book your hotel for graduation as soon as the ceremonies end in spring for the next year. Or what popular hotel holds a lottery for rooms and how to enter that. There are so many things that I would have had to learn the hard way if I turned my back on this resource.


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

Oh, I am totally there for the awesome parent who put together a spread sheet of recommended (and NOT) area hotels. That's what I love! Just have to ignore the rest.

[StantonHyde]

My niece did the Facebook or Discord thing and found someone she thought was good. The 2 of them were put in a quad with 2 other girls who had known each other in HS and weren't really looking to expand getting to know people. And the roommate turned out to be a Bible thumping vegan--not what my niece was looking for. She doesn't spend a lot of time in her room. I worry about what an absolute slob DS can be. We have told him he can't live like that!! I remember my brother put a line down the middle of his room in freshman year and told his slob of a roommate that everything had to stay on each person's side. I am lucky and went to a school where I had my own room for 4 years. It was a small room, but it was mine!

[WatchingThemGrow]

Wait...i missed it stantonhyde, where is your DS going?

[dogmom]

At the newer Catholic HS in our area, there were a number of non-Catholic families who sent their kids. No big deal. We're not Catholic either. Butttt....they wanted their kid to be able to get out of the religion classes. ummmmm, who get's to tell them that's why the school exists??? The principal had to send out a big all school email even. yeesh. You should know what you signed up for....

Oh, that’s weird actually. The catholic schools when I grew up (1970’s) definitely allowed the non-Catholic kids to opt out of the religious classes. I think my point was there was programming for three days, and just one that focused on the Jewish faith and somehow these parents wanted counter programming for the non-Jewish time during Friday night dinner. Just go out to dinner!

[StantonHyde]

Wait...i missed it stantonhyde, where is your DS going?

Cal Poly SLO!! For City and Regional Planning. I am super excited for him. Now I have just have to contact some offices to get his "scaffolding" in place for his 504 needs. He can and does advocate for himself. I just want to make sure we get it set up if/when he needs it.

[StantonHyde]

Oh, that’s weird actually. The catholic schools when I grew up (1970’s) definitely allowed the non-Catholic kids to opt out of the religious classes. I think my point was there was programming for three days, and just one that focused on the Jewish faith and somehow these parents wanted counter programming for the non-Jewish time during Friday night dinner. Just go out to dinner!

My point is--of course there is going to programming for members of Jewish faith at that school. If folks didn't want that, then go elsewhere. And to your point--the programming wasn't mandatory. Go do anything else you want :-)

[SnuggleBuggles]

My point is--of course there is going to programming for members of Jewish faith at that school. If folks didn't want that, then go elsewhere. And to your point--the programming wasn't mandatory. Go do anything else you want :-)

The number of parents at ds1’s public university that were up in arms about not having Good Friday off or their kid having a big project to work on that weekend was ridiculous. It’s a public school. If religious observance was that crucial then you should have chosen a school in line with your religious needs…or familiarized yourself with the normal policies and considered them when making a school selection. And, I bet the parents were complaining way more than the kids were- as with everything on the parent page. Kids roll with things way, way better than the parents seem to.


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

[chlobo]

Are a lot of BBB'ers kids actually lining up their roommates in advance through social media etc? Any obvious patterns to where this happens, like SLACs or big state universities etc?

I certainly remember the "you get what you get" era, and in my case, what I got was very problematic… (It was bad enough that they let me move to a single down the hall.) I do remember kids from the same home towns requesting someone but otherwise, no possibility of selecting.


Sent from my iPad using Baby Bargains

My DDs school doesn't allow you to pick a roomate, even if you know someone. They have you fill out a questionnaire and go from there. Having a horrible experience my freshman year I am all for the school trying to do a better job than picking a person out of the hat.