I’m a current UMD student, so here’s my input on some of the questions!
- How far away is Washington DC from campus and how long would it take to get there using public transport? Washington DC is a short metro ride away from campus. We have a bus (the 104 bus) that leaves from campus and goes to the College Park Metro station and, from there, you can take the green line to get to DC. It once took me 15-20 minutes to get to DC, but, during rush hours, it might take somewhere close to 25-30mins. It's really not bad at all.
- How are uni parties or is it not really a party place? There are a ton of parties. You usually have to know someone to hear about them in general (and sometimes even to get into them). They're usually on frat row or in off-campus housing.
- Is college football big at uni? and if so, how much are tickets? College football is huge here! (Though, so is soccer and ESPECIALLY basketball.) There's a ton of school spirit/pride here. Students get a free ticket for the games through a ticket request system.