Summary Of Dalton Conley's When Roommates Are Random

It is an indubitable fact that every high school graduate ponders at one time or another who his or her college roommate will be. This unavoidable curiosity has been, for a long time, always unanswered until the roommates actually meet for the first time. Imagine, however, that a highschool graduate could not only find out who his or her roommate will be, but also pick the actual roommate. In Dalton Conley’s, “When Roommates Were Random”, Conley explains how he saw his capricious roommate selection, when he went to college, as a positive thing. Simply, Dalton Conley explains, mostly by indirect means, how today’s roommate selection process might not be beneficial for young adults. Sadly, randomness in general no longer shapes as many lives …show more content…
Harris, a professor of sociology at Cornell. This professor “studied roommates and found, in 2002, that white students who were assigned a roommate of a different race ended up more open-minded about race”(96). This study elucidates a very significant benefit of random selection of roommates: advancements in moral beliefs. This is just one of the benefits, however. Using a study is a very intelligent way to persuade and Conley used it a great …show more content…
Technology has allowed people to be in more control-this just increases a person’s proclivity to be the ruler of their own life-“as soon as today’s students receive their proverbial fat envelope from their top choice college, they are on Facebook meeting potential freshman”(95). Conley explains how these kids are just taking control the second they get the chance. People like to be in control now, more than in past times because of the specific information or tools that are available through technology. People try to plan out their next 4 years of college. These students are choosing, to a certain extent, who their roommate(s) will be, or simply, who their friends will be. If they don’t want to be in contact with certain people, well, they can press some buttons in their search for roommates. People try to make life as simple as possible but it is deleterious to try to compartmentalize existence on earth-possibilities could be drastically minimized if this occurs. Conley’s extremely persuasive and provoking essay can’t help but cause extrapolation. This issue of control goes beyond picking college roommate-it goes as far picking professors. It is a commonality that students will use websites that have ratings of professors based on other students’ opinions. What will happen to students after college if they are so used to picking what they want? Before long college graduates will be trying to pick who their