This past February I spent a day visiting the University of Maine at Orono. The campus is a pretty combination of old brick buildings and modern facilities. The Fraternity Row at UMO is a street with large white sorority and frat houses one after another. The mall, a paved pathway running straight through the campus, is lined with trees and students. Situated near a pond, the Maine Center for the Arts is a beautiful theatre and auditorium for many of western Maine's productions. Overall UMaine is a homey, friendly school.

The college town of Orono is a typical "small town," however there are many hangouts where the locals spend their time. In western Maine, Orono isn't far from Bangor where one can find the closest shopping mall.

The dorm room I saw housed two girls and was small, but comfortable. The UMaine Black Bears' hockey rink is also small, but they pack the fans in for every home game. The student union of this college has a moderately large bookstore, selling everything from silk UMO ties to a specific Chemistry textbook.

There are all sizes and shapes of students at UMaine, and the ones I talked to were eager to talk about the fun they have at their school. As I left the student union I noticed a huge banner advertising National Condom Week: "Happy Valentine's Day" it said, "Love Safely." Even though the University of Maine is located in an old-fashioned town, the students are definitely living in modern times.


Reviewed in 1990