The only way to know for sure if the University of Maryland is right for you is to visit the school. There is no other way to know just how fun, engaging and life-changing this university can be. Luckily, the Images tour guides here at UMD are the best and brightest when it comes to learning all you need to know about what it’s like to be a Terp.
Meet junior government & politics major Alexa Brenner. Brenner is not only an Images tour guide, but she’s also the organization’s Social and Recruitment Committee Head. Aside from giving tours, Brenner has the privilege of recruiting new guides, planning the social events for the semester and helping the group to build a better community here at UMD.
“Being a tour guide was something that I always wanted to do no matter where I went to school because I love showing off things that I’m passionate about and I love talking to people,” Brenner says.
Becoming a tour guide is an intense process that requires outgoing people who have a real passion for the University of Maryland. The fall tours are especially important because they typically consist of high school students who are deciding whether or not they should apply to the school.
“Fall tours are exciting because I’ve been gone from them all summer, and getting back into the swing of things is the best,” Brenner says.
The great thing about being a tour guide is that you can decide when and how many tours you’d like to give. Depending on the type of tour, they usually last from 45 minutes to an hour.
Tours are the best way to talk to real students about their experiences at UMD and discover whether College Park is the right fit for them.
“My favorite tour stop is McKeldin Library/Testudo because I love hearing how wrong people are when I make them guess how many floors are in McKeldin/how many books they have and telling [them] all of the funny stories about the traditions associated with Testudo,” Brenner says.
Asking questions while on a tour is something you should definitely take advantage of while on a UMD tour.
“I’ve been asked about what my sex life is like as a college student, and some of the hardest questions to answer are about the party scene and what there is to do on the weekends,” Brenner says. “I always just tell people that I’m not permitted to answer questions about my detailed, personal life and prospective families usually get quiet.”
Images works to ensure that students get a lot out of the tours while tour guides feel safe and comfortable, especially when asked questions that might put the school in a bad light. Although it is important to be honest, the job of a tour guide is to make the university look as great as possible.
“I usually try and find some way around the answer, but it depends on what the question is. With practice, it becomes really easy to answer hard questions. But honesty is always the best policy,” Brenner says.
Of course, none of us would be at the University of Maryland if we did not absolutely love it. UMD takes pride in how much school spirit is seen around campus on a daily basis.
Brenner and her passion for our school is one of the reasons that UMD is consistently a popular destination for college hopefuls all over the country. Thank you tour guides for all you do to promote our school!