ORONO, Maine — More than 150 students at the University of Maine are currently living in overflow housing to meet the demand of an incoming class that's 13 percent larger than last year's. While many may not enjoy their living situations, some would prefer to stick to their nontraditional dorms.
This is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that UMaine has used its overflow housing strategies. However, Executive Director of Auxiliary Enterprises Dick Young can recall at least four years in the past decade or so the university took such measures.
The goal is to relocate students as the semester goes on, but everyone that is in overflow housing is there because they missed the application deadline on July 12.
"Everybody beyond that date—somewhere closer to the end of July, early August—got into some of these overflow housing situations we have on campus," Young said.
Young estimates that by November, all students that can and want to be moved will have their new assignments.
However, some students like freshman Lydia Bloodsworth, Kendra Rivers, and Emma Williams are content in their double dorm.
"I'd share the space than risk living with someone I hate," Bloodsworth said.
Other students have been moved into lounge spaces converted into four-person rooms. Logan Vergaia said the dorm he shares with his roommates is plenty big, noting he would "absolutely" keep the room if he can.
Living in the lounge space of Androscoggin Hall's second floor, Jaidian Sanchez admits his biggest concern was not his improvised dorm.
"I was kinda just like, 'I just hope that my roommates are fine,'" Sanchez said. "I was honestly more worried about the roommates than the living situation."