By Ashna Balroop 
At the University of Maryland, dorm living sparks mixed reactions from students—some appreciate the sense of community and amenities, while others struggle with navigating shared spaces.

UMD’s campus has 39 residence halls with 9,601 beds, according to the Department of Resident Life. The residence halls offer different housing options, such as traditional rooms, semi-suites, suites and apartments. College dorms are known for being part of the typical college experience, allowing students to make new friends and adapt to living independently.

Simone Foye, a sophomore biochemistry major living in Pyon-Chen Hall, has experienced both positive and negative experiences with communal living. 

“I enjoy having AC…  I love the kind of privacy that you get in the heritage community with the noncommunal, communal-style bathrooms,” Foye said. 

However, Foye believes that Pyon-Chen’s communal-style bathrooms can sometimes be unhygienic and that the layout of the building is awkward.

“[Since] they’re not necessarily private bathrooms, housekeeping doesn’t come around very often,” Foye said. “[Also] Pyon-Chen’s layout kind of sucks. It’s [not] as handicapped accessible or anything.”

For Foye, the best part of living in Heritage Community is its strong sense of community.

“It’s a sense of community,” Foye said. “You’re living in your living and learning program, so you’re surrounded by other people with the same kind of goals, and you’re all working on the same assignments at the same time.” 

Ella Kaplan, a freshman public health science major living in Denton Hall, enjoys her living environment but noted that it is far from some parts of campus.

“The people there are nice, and the front desk has been really helpful. It’s pretty clean, and the rooms are pretty big, ” Kaplan said. “[But] it’s far from the engineering buildings, the apartments, restaurants and bars.”

For Kaplan, Denton Hall offers a variety of helpful amenities that make the communal living experience better.

“They have a nice basement that just got redone which is a good place for me and my friends to go to either watch TV or to just do work,” Kaplan said. “Each floor has a lounge, which is nice.” 

Anisha Ray, a freshman computer science major living in Cumberland Hall, has also had a positive living experience. 

“I did hear that [Cumberland Hall] was recently renovated compared to some of the other dorms,” Ray said. “So I do feel like it’s a pretty good living environment, and [it provides] a normal dorm experience.” 

Ray believes that the lounges are crucial to the community-building aspect of the communal living experience. 

“I live on the eighth floor, and our lounges are pretty lively,” Ray said. “So I feel like it’s a good place to study or meet up with friends.”

Despite this, Ray believes it can be difficult to navigate a shared space with a roommate. To counteract this, she thinks it is important for roommates to establish guidelines to foster a positive living environment.

“It’s important if you’re living with a roommate to just be sure to go over boundaries and [know that sometimes] it’s good to have some personal space,” Ray said. 

Kaplan has had a pleasant experience with her [current] roommate but understands why some people may not be as fortunate as her. 

“Honestly, if you don’t have an agreeable roommate, or you’re not a very agreeable person, it’s hard because you have to share everything, and you get a cubicle, and you have to split it in half,” Kaplan said. 

Kaplan has still made many adjustments to her daily schedule due to communal-style living, to which she was not accustomed yet.

“At home, I studied a lot in my room, and I still do and try to, but it’s also hard because it’s half her room too, so I have to make do with what I have,” Kaplan said. “Also, if I want to go to bed earlier, I can’t always just turn off the light and go to bed.” 

While it is apparent that communal living at UMD has presented challenges for some students, it has also fostered connections and given students a chance to be a part of residential life designed to build community.

Featured Image: Students walking by Pyon-Chen Hall. Photo by Ashna Balroop.