I’m not enrolled… but this assignment finds me in a student housing community super-close to the University of Maryland College Park and the beginning of the school year has a whole new level of meaning.
Let me tell you a little bit about commercial student housing communities: to be clear, these are off-campus apartments not owned by the University of Maryland. The apartments are furnished and all-inclusive in terms of utilities. And they are rented by the bedroom – apartments all share a common kitchen, living room, and dining room.
Everyone’s lease ends on July 31st and begins again on August 21st. This gap, when the building should theoretically be unoccupied, is called “turn.” Anyone who’s been anywhere close to this type of community knows, “turn” should be pronounced with the same gravitas as “winter” on Game of Thrones. It’s immense. It’s insane. It’s a string of 14-20 hour days: all hands on deck, a vast marshaling of contractors and vendors, and the office looks like the staff had a party but threw leases and addendums instead of money.
I arrived at the Baltimore airport about this time a week ago and (after an embarrassing kerfuffle where I tried to drive away in the wrong rental car) hit the highway for College Park. This town is situated equidistant from Baltimore and Washington D.C. It consists mostly of the University of Maryland College Park, a beautiful and stately assembly of brick buildings. With summer in full swing, the landscaping on campus is at its peak with wild roses, sunflowers, and irises all blooming. I would call it a riot of color, but it’s too carefully groomed to ever be described as a riot.
The campus is peaceful with only a few classes in session. The tidal wave of incoming freshmen is approaching, though. Like my apartment community, some businesses have shut down for summer renovations. I imagine that like us, they nervously check their calendars, eyeing August coming up.
I’m excited to be here. The Northeast is lush in the summertime, displaying full green oak leaves and thick lawns under skies that feature incredible cloud displays most evenings. The excitement of the approaching school year is palpable, and even though I’m not taking any classes, I talk daily to those who are. AND… just a short drive away is the McKeldin Library at the University of Maryland with seven floors of stacks rich in every sort of book you could ever hope to read.
Bring on the turn, bring on the new school year, bring on the rest of this beautiful summer ’16.
Go, Terps.
~ The Dauntless Princess ~
