A student is half asleep and the phone rings. She rolls off of a mile-high, top bunk, hits the floor and picks up the phone only to have the person on the other line hang up.
This situation is ideal comparably speaking.
In many instances students living in triples are subject to half naked roommates rolling out of bed in the morning only to land on the back of an unsuspecting roommate. Innocent students are forced to send home clothes and televisions that won’t fit in their cluttered rooms.
Why complain though? There is still a roof over their heads and food on their plates. Many students in triples do not share the light-hearted optimistic approach. The roof and food do not provide comfort.
The issue of overcrowding on the USM campuses is an ongoing problem. It is a predicament that is present on campuses big and small across the nation.
“It is not a different problem then on any other campus,” said Denise Nelson, director of residential life. “It is definitely not ideal, but it’s no new phenomenon.”
While employed at the University of Binghamton in New York, Nelson was witnessed a situation where a wing of a hotel had to be rented to house students. This year they are constructing two new dormitories for the rising number of students on campus.
How is it that every year students go to school to face a housing crunch?
“It is not a predictable number on campus,” said Nelson. “We literally have people coming in today looking for rooms?”
Although this is a continuing problem, there is still the same number of overcrowded room as last year. There are 64 men and 64 women living in triple units.
The construction of Philippi Hall in Gorham last year was actually a hindrance on its own intention to create space. “Philippi only elevated the problem, it keeps upperclassmen from moving off campus,” said Nelson
Housing is a very difficult situation to solve. Many students admitted they would not be able to attend the university without being provided housing.
When the first year students come to school they are faced with the issue of being suffocated in a claustrophobic room with two other students that they most likely don’t know.
“My first thought was that there would be some conflict,” said Kevin McKay, an undeclared freshman living on the Gorham campus. “I find it easy though because we all like each other and it helps having connections.”
These are little built in perks to living a cramped life. Automatically the number of friends doubles with that extra roommate. And the monetary incentive of having to only pay the typical price of a double is divided three ways.
A lot of people questioned about living in the triples are enjoying themselves, but some aren’t dealing with the tight quarters so well.
“I like my roommates a lot,” said freshman Ashley Emerson, a classical voice major. “I’m just too cramped. But I felt lucky just to get a place to live.”
Spaces open up in the dorm throughout the year so students in triples do have opportunities to move out of their rooms. Emerson said, “Hopefully in the next week one of us will be able to move out. It’s just too small.”