These college students need a lesson on LBYM

[jollystomper]

This sort of thing was not unusual at my Ivy League college 50 years ago. There were enough well off kids going there whose family would definitely fix up their spartan dorm rooms. Our campus newspaper would even run an annual "best looking rooms" contest to feature them.

The difference then, in my view, was most students did not feel compelled to "keep up with the Joneses". It was more like "that looks nice, now let me get back to hitting the books". In some cases it was looked on more as a "ridiculous" thing to do.

These days, the prevalence of social media has ramped up the competitiveness and envy in all sorts of things, and dorm rooms apparently are not an exception. Added to that is the view of college changing from what I call the "boot camp" mentality (everything is relatively spartan, one deal with challenges, to focus on learning and getting the skills and relationships for the long term) to the "experience" mentality (you need to live as comfortable as you desire, with studying thrown in but not to upset you). Given those factors, I am not surprised at articles like these.

I chuckle and think if I had told my parents I needed expensive nice things for my dorm, they would first ask me "what are you grades?", and there response would be one of following following:
A) grades bad: "You are there to study, look at your grades, you do not need any more distractions."
B)grades good: "You are doing fine without these things. But keep your grades up, and one day you will be able to afford them yourself."

 

[nobody]

I never left the poor days. My gal gives me a hard time cause she has a urnal box for a night stand.

 

[nobody]

My grand son is a sophomore this year at USC. He has a 3 bedroom, 2 bath dorm he shares with 5 others, complete with a full kitchen, dining room and living room on campus. It's in University Village with a Trader Joe's and Target on the ground floor. He's there on a full ride scholarship from the US Navy. Navy also pays him $350 a month this year, increasing by $100 per year for his Jr and senior years. Summers he's on deployment: submarine last year, aircraft carrier this year, aviator the next year and e.bedded with eith a SEAL team or Marine Recon his last year. During those times he gets full pay.
His major is International Relations with a minor in Chinese Language I think. He enjoys the experience, but says Calculus II is challenging. Ha!
Go Trojans! Go Navy!View attachment 52195

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Calc I,II,III, was easy look out for Diffy Q.

 

[FedRetired50]

I actually don't mind the buy-a-house-for-4 years ploy. Especially if the parent can rent extra rooms and then sell the place for a profit. That makes more sense than paying rent to the university or some other home owner.

 

[Walt34]

I actually don't mind the buy-a-house-for-4 years ploy. Especially if the parent can rent extra rooms and then sell the place for a profit. That makes more sense than paying rent to the university or some other home owner.

That's exactly what a cousin of mine did for his daughter. Of course, that being Shepherd College (now Shepherd University) in West Virginia, and 20+ years ago, the numbers were quite different. He bought a townhouse in Martinsburg, WV about 20 minutes away, the daughter found three roommates who's rent just about covered the mortgage payment, and in a year all four of the girls qualified for in-state tuition rates because they were now state residents. So the whole deal made excellent financial sense.

 

[folivier]

When my son was at LSU in a 5 year architectural program we bought half of a duplex. He rented the other 2 rooms to friends which paid all of his living expenses. When he graduated we then sold it and recouped our money. Much better than him paying rent and getting nothing back. And he learned a lot of financial responsibility doing it that way.

 

[pjigar]

I chuckle and think if I had told my parents I needed expensive nice things for my dorm, they would first ask me "what are you grades?", and there response would be one of following following:
A) grades bad: "You are there to study, look at your grades, you do not need any more distractions."
B)grades good: "You are doing fine without these things. But keep your grades up, and one day you will be able to afford them yourself."

I would do this with my DD even today. But then again, she doesn't ask for anything other than occasional art supplies (hobby) and decent cloths.

 

[jollystomper]

It is not all due to the parents... I gave my DD a 4 year budget that could cover everything IF she economized... she did not... she was spending way too much the first two years because of her friends whose parents WERE paying for everything...

She has come to realize that she is in trouble her last two years... decided to move in with her BF so rent is way down,. but she will run out of money at the end of her junior year... the lesson is a harsh one but she is learning fast...

one of our sons, in his freshman year, ran out of the meal plan money we allocated because he used it for many things other than meals. The college put the money on a university credit card, for use at the campus dining facilities. However, many of the local businesses accepted the card. We told him sorry, you will have to solve this problem on your own. He figured out that many campus organizations (particularly the political ones, as it was an election year and the school was in D.C.) were holding meetings and seminars where food - anything from finger foods to meals - were served. He also volunteered at sessions where he had access to whatever food was left over. So for the last two+ months of the term that was his source of food. He learned his lesson and never had that problem again .

 

[Lorenzo]

one of our son, in his freshman year, ran out of the meal plan money we allocated because he used it for many things other than meals. The college put the money on a university credit card, for use at the campus dining facilities. However, many of the local businesses accepted the card. We told him sorry, you will have to solve this problem on your own. He figured out that many campus organizations (particularly the political ones, as it was an election year and the school was in D.C.) were holding meetings and seminars where food - anything from finger foods to meals - were served. He also volunteered at sessions where he had access to whatever food was left over. So for the last two+ months of the term that was his source of food. He learned his lesson and never had that problem again .

That's harsh. I love it.

 

[folivier]

My son figured out pretty quickly which campus church had meals. He'd show up for dinner often.

 

[gromit]

I googled the article title referred to by the OP and found that the article has been reprinted, by another publication, without a paywall. Link is below.
Tuition: $9,400. Dorm room interior designer: $10,000?

 

[Koolau]

I never lived in a dorm. I commuted from home - advantages and disadvantages for sure.

DW went to a dorm in her Junior year ca 1968 (she decided the disadvantages of living at home outweighed the advantages.) Her dorm was pretty basic with two to a room and bath down the hall. She chose the plan without meals and it cost her (wait for it) $30/month! I don't suppose most dorm rooms these days can be had for much less than $30/day but I haven't priced them of late so YMMV.

 

[skipro33]

Calc I,II,III, was easy look out for Diffy Q.

I found Calc II and III harder than Differential equations. Heck I found Linear Algebra harder. And I mean "real" Linear Algebra with proofs and all the abstract concepts, not just matrix algebra. Partial Diff. Eqs. on the other hand, gets pretty hard and is one of the more difficult math classes I've taken. The one thing that makes it easy or hard is the instructor. A bad instructor will destroy a good math student.

 

[Koolau]

I found Calc II and III harder than Differential equations. Heck I found Linear Algebra harder. And I mean "real" Linear Algebra with proofs and all the abstract concepts, not just matrix algebra. Partial Diff. Eqs. on the other hand, gets pretty hard and is one of the more difficult math classes I've taken. The one thing that makes it easy or hard is the instructor. A bad instructor will destroy a good math student.

I got through all of them and I have no idea how. DiffEQ was my mental limit. Fortunately that was the max that I needed.

 

[punkinhead]

This thread title blames the students when it's pretty obvious the blame lies with the parents who are paying for it.

 

[FedRetired50]

This thread title blames the students when it's pretty obvious the blame lies with the parents who are paying for it.

No doubt it is the parents that are paying for it, so I'm not blaming the students. Maybe I should have said "these parents and college students need a lesson..." but my intention was "these college students need a lesson on LBYM instead of getting these over-the-top rooms".

 

[skipro33]

I got through all of them and I have no idea how. DiffEQ was my mental limit. Fortunately that was the max that I needed.

I challenge anyone to know what the heck they learned from DiffQ. I thought I was failing and was shocked to see I got a B in it!
It did help me to comprehend Calc II and III though.

 

[punkinhead]

No doubt it is the parents that are paying for it, so I'm not blaming the students. Maybe I should have said "these parents and college students need a lesson..." but my intention was "these college students need a lesson on LBYM instead of getting these over-the-top rooms".

I also blame parents when kids end up with a big pile of student loan debt because they clearly failed at financially educating their children.

 

[Koolau]

I challenge anyone to know what the heck they learned from DiffQ. I thought I was failing and was shocked to see I got a B in it!
It did help me to comprehend Calc II and III though.

My experience exactly. I wondered if the TA had graded the wrong papers for me.

Nope, never really "got" DiffEQ and never had to use it though I did use calc. I and II occasionally.

 

[motley]

I found Calc II and III harder than Differential equations. Heck I found Linear Algebra harder. And I mean "real" Linear Algebra with proofs and all the abstract concepts, not just matrix algebra. Partial Diff. Eqs. on the other hand, gets pretty hard and is one of the more difficult math classes I've taken. The one thing that makes it easy or hard is the instructor. A bad instructor will destroy a good math student.

Yeah but it's been so applicable to my career!

 

[motley]

This thread title blames the students when it's pretty obvious the blame lies with the parents who are paying for it.

Sure, but needing a lesson doesn't mean it's their fault they need a lesson.

 

[ncbill]

Oldest kid's freshman room was a converted study carrel, so single-only.

With a built-in bed & closet the free open space was all of 8' x 10'

I asked if he wanted a tin cup to rattle on the bars.

That cost me ~$12k!

Then his future employer paid tuition & room/board for the next 4 years.

 

[1242Vintage]

Back in the early 1980s lived in the dorms. Two student to a room and old steel furniture. Most of us survived and learned how to manage our time and balance an active social life … partying … with school work.

But those parties on Thursday nites were epic! Recall a couple guys hauling dozens of bags of sand into their room and hosting a beach party! They never did get that sand out of the carpet!!!

 

[motley]

I wasn't in the dorms in college but I was in the military. omg it sucked. Idiots blasting music all the time/etc, talk about your lower elements. I moved off base even though I was a lowly two-striper and could barely make ends meet.

 

[Badger]

Our dorms in the 60s were painted concrete walls, concrete ceiling, and asbestos tile floors with built in small desk and old steel frame bed rails with 4 inch ticking mattress. Two students/12'x14' room. One bathroom to serve 4 rooms. The walls were usually decorated with black light posters. Great fun.