Finding Your People

Transcript

Let’s head over to the res halls to meet Gabby, a senior computer science and game development major who is also a resident assistant in one of UMBC’s living, learning communities. Gabby is gonna tell us all about how some of her best experiences have come from these close-knit communities. Gabby, we can’t wait to hear all about it.

– Thanks, Alex. Ever since I was a kid, I loved playing video games on various gaming consoles and devices with my friends. I couldn’t stand not interacting with people and I always felt a need to keep learning. To this day these things have stayed with me, especially computers, learning and people. Not so surprisingly, I’m now pursuing these passions at UMBC. I am an RA or residential assistant for the Honors College Living Learning Community where I also spent my first year. Living learning communities or LLCs are places or floors in our housing communities where students can live with a more specific group of people with similar interests. UMBC’s LLCs are focused on topics such as humanities, STEM and women in technology to name a few. The best part of his experience was living with like-minded people who are from all sorts of walks of life and have different ideas and values. We are forever united through the Honors College and as very academically focused students. Today, I live with more first year honor students and I get to help facilitate and form my own connections with them and help them adjust a college life. UMBC offers all sorts of opportunities to live on campus and get to know people with similar interests and really flourish in your completely different living environment. Getting to live with other people and participate in extremely fun events and bonding moments together really makes applying to LLCs worth it and creates friendships that last throughout your entire college career and beyond. I really learned that who you end up living with makes a huge impact in your life. I found friends in this LLC who understand me and help me grow as a person. That’s my story, back to you, Alex.

– That was awesome, Gabby. It feels like there’s really something for everyone at UMBC especially when it’s so easy to find like-minded people to hang out with after class, talk about lifelong memories and friends, not to mention plenty of late night snacks. Great job Gabby.