Living in a Temporary Triple

You’ve just found out that you been housed in a temporary triple.  Right now you might be feeling anxious; relax, it will be okay.  The Residential Life staff is here to help you navigate the experience.  Here are some tips to help make your living experience more successful.

Frequently Asked Questions about temporary assignments

Tips for Temporary Triple Success

• If travel permits, try to leave the least essential items (i.e. winter clothing) at home.
• Make sure to contact your roommates prior to move in day so you can discuss who is bringing what for the room (TV, stereo, refrigerator, etc).  Otherwise, families should plan to take unnecessary duplications home with them on move-in day.
• Explore alternative study sites; check out your building’s study lounge, the library, or even your dining hall during “down” time.
• Communicate with your roommates!  Respect differences and bring up issues directly with your roommate(s).  Don’t involve floor-mates or friends – it just muddies the water!
• Get to know your Resident Assistant (RA); they can help you adjust to college, find activities to get involved with, and help you address roommate conflicts.
• Complete the Roommate Agreement Form; make sure you talk about things like: what’s okay to borrow, how late friends/family should be calling the room, guest protocol, and the dreaded SNOOZE button!
• Go into the experience hoping for the best.  Many Binghamton students have successfully survived living in a temporary triple; we promise we will do our best to help you through the process!

Words of Wisdom from Those Who Made It

We know that sometimes you want to hear the “real” story, from people who’ve lived it. So we contacted three sophomores about their temporary triple experience.

Caroline C – Biology (pre-med) major
Lauren C – Arabic & Spanish major
Amber P – Mechanical engineering major

What suggestions or tips do you have for someone who’s been assigned to a temporary triple?

Caroline: Be open minded and get to know both of your roommates!! At first it is going to be a bit weird and awkward but once you break that wall, you guys are going to be inseparable!
Lauren: Make general rules and always have respect no matter the situation. Respect will get you further
Amber: Respect each other’s space, make sure to ask whenever you want to borrow anything, keep the noise down if anyone is sleeping or studying, etc.  Basically the same rules as if you live in a double but they are much more important, because space is limited.

What was the best thing about living in a triple?

Caroline: I LOVED IT!! I LOVE both of my roommates. I think that the best thing about living in a triple is that you are never bored and it is such a great way to learn about other cultures and customs. It turned out to be such a great experience, making my freshman year so memorable and unforgettable!
Lauren: It was never boring!  I adjusted faster and half the time it felt like we were having a slumber party.
Amber: You have one extra person to relate to about school.  If you don’t get along fully with one, you always have another person who you can talk to.  Also it’s good because there are more friends you can meet through two roommates as opposed to one.

What did you learn from the process?
Caroline: I learned a lot of things! First and foremost, everything happens for a reason, so if you were assign to a triple, TRUST ME it was meant to be. There is something that you are bound to learn from your roommates. Especially when you need help with your homework they can both help you! Also, when it comes to waking up in the morning, trust me its so much better when you have two roommates rather than one! I honestly don't regret anything.
Lauren: I learned I’m capable of living with one girl who was a lot like me and one girl who was completely different.  I think people learn most about themselves though.
Amber: I learned how important space is and how important it is for others to respect it.  I learned how to adapt to a new lifestyle with others my age.

Do you have any final thoughts?

Caroline: It’s funny, because once I found out that I was going to be in a triple I was devastated. I called BU right away and once I got to school I even went to the office so they could de-triple us. I didn’t even unpacked, but once I got to know my roommates, it was amazing. It was like we were sisters that had not seen each other in awhile. When residential life came to our room to de-triple us, we were like NO thank you! We love it here…together!