Freshman

at University of Maryland (UMD) are guaranteed residency, but they

are only entitled to a very small room that is meant for no more than two people.
UMD lets incoming freshman request a roommate of their choice but in many
situations students randomly end up in a forced triple. There are many difficulties
that arise from this situation.
Students wonder why UMD is not building more housing but the university
explains that they have, including the 3,000 beds in south campus, Oakland Hall in
2011, Prince Frederick Hall in 2014, and can also include the seven student
apartment communities since 2005.

Twenty students spoke about their living situation as a
freshman and how it affected them. 20.51% of the
people lived in triples, 12.82% lived in quads, 38.46%
lived in a single or double, and 28.21% of people lived
off campus. 23.08% of people wished they had a double,
7.69% believed the triple was still enough room, 7.69%
said they got used to it eventually, 61.54% of people
were not applicable to answer the question.

Students that were forced in to a triple were extremely
unhappy with the percent of 23.08. 38.46% of people
had the opportunity to switch their rooms after the first
Example of an uncomfortable
roommate situation
Photo by: theblacksheeponline.com

semester and 61.54% stayed in the same room.

I was extremely unhappy my freshman year and
was considering transferring until I joined a sorority,
said student Gabby Love. It was mostly because of my
living situation. I would always see girls on the same
floor as me doing everything with their roommates so I
felt bad that I did not get along with mine. Since I was
forced in to a triple I felt awkward because the two girls
(more)

Elkton Hall
Photo by: reslife.umd.edu

were already close from orientation and I always seemed left out. I would also get
anxiety because the room was so claustrophobic.
According to the Department of Resident Life, they have created an On-
Campus Student Housing Strategic Plan from April 2014 that will renovate existing
halls over the course of fifteen years. Cambridge Hall is the first building that has
undergone reservations.

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