Maryland Housing TELL ALL: Dorm Life, Sorority Living, and Finding Independence at UMD [Jenna]

In this episode of The Best Four Podcast, Laura chats with Jenna, a junior communication major with a concentration in public relations at the University of Maryland. Jenna shares how a late night football game and the energy of UMD’s school spirit helped her choose a school close to home, and what it was really like transitioning from high school into college life through Freshman Connection.

Jenna walks through her full housing journey at UMD, starting with her freshman year dorm in Elkton, complete with elevator mishaps, laundry room lessons, and the highs and lows of classic dorm living. She opens up about finding her roommate last minute through the class Instagram page, navigating the adjustment to a non-traditional class schedule, and why living in the dorms was an essential part of her freshman year experience. From there, she shares why living in her sorority house sophomore year was one of her favorite chapters, and how moving into The Standard junior year gave her a new sense of independence, privacy, and balance.

In this episode, we cover:

• What Freshman Connection at UMD really is and how it compares to the traditional freshman experience
• How to find roommates and friends through the UMD class Instagram and Facebook groups
• Her freshman year in Elkton including dorm life highs, AC struggles, elevator chaos, and laundry room lessons
• Dorm essentials every freshman should bring to campus
• Adjusting from a high school routine to a later college class schedule
• Why she believes freshmen should live in dorms
• Living in her sorority house sophomore year and what made it such a special experience
• Signing early at The Standard, getting a rent discount, and what it’s like having her own room and bathroom
• Why freshmen do not need a car at UMD and how she gets around campus
• Starting the search for senior year housing and why it’s more competitive than expected