The following does not represent the views of Loyola University Maryland, the Greyhound, or Loyola University’s Department of Communication.
The Class of 2028 was in for a shock as they headed into their first year at Loyola. At Summer Orientation, the first years were informed that their living arrangements were organized by Messina instead of being free-range as they have been previously.
All first-year dorms are grouped up by the Messina themes: The Good Life, The Visionary, Self and Other, and Stories We Tell.
“It goes back to what the program was originally intended to be,” Director of Messina Barbara Kurz said.
I met some of my closest friends through my Messina, but I was lucky. I know girls who had all-male engineering classes and would walk out of enrichment wishing for a female friend in class.
Why cut off a whole other avenue of friends? Why take away a fundamental point of the college experience which is meeting new people in the dorms? I understand that this fosters community, but I would get sick of seeing the same people every day.
“I would not want to live with someone in my Messina theme. I already spend too much time with them,” Grace Olson ‘28 said.
I was also able to meet so many people through my roommate and my classmates. They were two separate connections that enabled me to broaden my circle of who I knew on campus. It made me feel at ease having familiar faces all around and knowing that I will always see someone I recognize.
Another issue with this change was that the first years were notified of this change during their orientation. By this point, many people already found their roommates or had decided to go random; I can just imagine the craziness that ensued after that new information was stated.
“When I found out at orientation, I was definitely upset,” Olson said.
When I applied to colleges, LLCs were a big factor for me as I wanted to really have a home through my dorm building. This change-up would throw me for a loop that I would not want to have going into a new school.
Sierra Weilert ‘28 said it was not the best concept for first-year rooming and was definitely shocked when she first found out about it.
Why limit the access to the amount of people a person can see day-to-day? Why not try to push getting to know your floor with people who you might never see on campus or in class? Are the first years feeling okay knowing that they are the guinea pigs with this program?
If I was a first year, I would not be happy with this. I would feel as though a decision has been ripped from my hands. The school now decides who I room with even if I chose a different person. Needless to say, I am relieved this change came after my first year.
While this change was a shock to many rising first-year students, the new class seems to be handling it well. Both Olson and Weilert said that this new rooming situation has not stopped their abilities to make new friends.
“There is a lot more potential to do more programming and have more additional conversations for outside classroom development,” Kurz said.
The Messina LLCs have both positives and negatives. It fosters a community with classmates but takes away a possible outlet for a different one. How will this change affect the Class of 2028 and future first-years? That is something only time will tell.
