Shared space, odd sleeping habits, clashing tastes in music -- all have long been considered inevitable in the freshman initiation process. For many students, both at Brandeis and elsewhere, one of the biggest adjustments to college life is learning to live with a roommate. A recent trend, however, shows that colleges nationwide are creating housing with an increasing number of single rooms.According to a recent New York Times article, in an attempt to attract prospective students and to keep current students living on campus, some colleges are phasing out double rooms. For first-year students, single rooms remain rare, but among upperclassmen, this once luxury item has become widespread. Locally, both Boston University and Northeastern University have new high-rise apartment buildings that give residents private bedrooms within four-person suites.

The demand for singles reflects the growing affluence among American college students, the New York Times reported. Many grew up with their own bedrooms at home, and are willing to pay higher housing fees in order not to surrender this privilege. Brandeis Director of Residence Life Maggie Balch added that children of divorced parents often have a bedroom in each of their parents' houses, and as a result, "they don't know how to share."

Cliff Gayley, associate principal at William Rawn Associates , a Boston architectural firm that built the high-rise at Northeastern as well as residence halls across the country, told the New York Times that despite the increasing prevalence of singles, "there is no doubt that each institution has a fairly broad reservoir of singles and doubles." Gayley spoke of a pressing question that colleges face when designing residence halls: "How does a college best respond to the pressures they are receiving today and still remain true to their academic mission?"

Brandeis residence halls offer a mix of singles, doubles and triples. Of about 2800 beds on campus, 1299 are in singles. Ziv Quad, built in 1987, consists entirely of single bedrooms.

According to University Registrar Mark Hewitt, 83.5 percent of Brandeis undergraduates lived on-campus during the fall 2002 semester. This fact seems to indicate that Brandeis students do not mind living in double and triple rooms.

In planning the new residence hall, being built near Ziv, the design team trustees -- Kyu Sung Architect, administrators, students, residence life staff and faculty -- did follow or reject the national trend. Instead, they opted to maintain the current balance between the two types of rooms: 108 students will live in singles and 112 in doubles.

Architect Kyu Sung Woo said, "It's not black or white; singles or doubles." Double rooms, he said, allow, "more social interaction," and singles grant "more privacy and personal space." The new dormitory will allow students to choose. "We have a lot of public space -- lounges, living rooms and so forth, which provide spaces for communal interaction. I think the issue of whether it's best to be separated or be together is already solved."

Woo outlined the numerous opportunities for interaction: There are three distinct parts of the building, each located around a central courtyard. Within this space, every 6 to 8 students will share a bathroom and a small living room, and every floor (about 20 students) will have a larger living room and a kitchen.

Balch described the arrangement as "the best of both worlds."

"We try to meet the missions and needs of each school," Woo said. "We did not approach this from the general trend point of view; we tried to understand what Brandeis students want and need ... I would like to think that this is uniquely Brandeis."

These 'wants and needs,' as revealed by students' comments, seem to extend in opposite directions. To some, singles are an utmost priority, but others place equal or greater importance on convenience and the chance to live with close friends.

"I just don't get who would choose to live in a double after sophomore year," David Grant '04 said. "Why would they build a new dorm with doubles? All the senior options in the past have been all singles."

Kelly Scheinberg '03 said "Once you go single, you don't go back. I can't imagine living in a double again."

A current resident of a Ridgewood single, Adam Landau '04 said in the "worst-case scenario," he and a friend have agreed to live in a double next year. He explained that he wants to continue living in a University residence hall because he is involved in many activities on campus. "I like being able to roll out of bed and walk to the Campus Center," he said. But, in Landau's view, most upperclassmen would not settle for a double under any circumstance. "I think that I'm in the minority," he said.

Rebecca Pardo '06 saw the situation differently. "It's definitely worth it to have a roommate and be on campus," she said. "Most of the upperclassmen seem content."

"By junior year, I hope to have a single," Amanda Urdang '06 said. "But, if I had a double in Ridgewood in an apartment with my friends, I'd live there."

"It depends on what your friends are doing," Pardo said, echoing Urdang's comment.

Residing in a double in Ridgewood, Dave Lieberman '04 is in the exact situation Urdang described. "I really have little or no problem living in a double," he said, adding he briefly considered living off-campus this year, but decided against it, partly because "on-campus housing is a little easier."

"I lived in a single last year. Obviously, if I had the choice, I'd probably live in a single," Lieberman added.

Lieberman and his friends plan to live in an apartment off-campus next year, but not specifically because of the desire to live in separate bedrooms. "We're going to be seniors and the chances of getting good on-campus housing are probably slim," he said.

"It's actually a little bit cheaper to live off-campus," Lieberman added. "It's probably going to be pretty sweet. It will be like real life, as opposed to now, which is not at all like real life." Whereas now, Lieberman explained, a dead light bulb is fixed by a simple call to Facilities, this would not be the case in "real life."

In addition to Facilities Services, Balch mentioned other incentives for living on-campus: safety and proximity to classes and the library. "When college students get to be juniors or seniors, they want to have more independence than what they feel residence halls offer. But, because we have so many different residence options, they would rather be in a Ziv than off-campus," she said. "It's part of the progression of being in college -- more independence each year."

Part of this independence may include living in a single, Balch said. She said a firm belief that at least for first-year students, however, the benefits of sharing a room outweigh the disadvantages. "You acquire normal skills of learning to be assertive, learning who you are and developing your own style of communication," she said. Without a roommate, she added, one "misses out on learning and excitement (and) internal, personal growth."

"Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a single. But, you have to learn how to get along with people and compromise," Pardo said, likewise.

"Everyone has freshman roommate horror stories. You work it out and learn to deal with it," Urdang said.

Ultimately, as Balch said, "I think it's a personality issue. Some people may belong in singles, some doubles. It depends on the student.