Jenna Bush Hager Reflects on College Life and 'Wild' Dating Past

Jenna Bush Hager revealed on a recent episode of "Today With Jenna & Sheinelle" that her college years were marked by a "wild" dating life, which she eventually had to bring "in check."

During a discussion about a new campus trend called 'wellness darties'—gatherings focused on exercise, matcha, and ice baths instead of alcohol—Bush Hager and co-host Sheinelle Jones expressed a different perspective on college "wellness." Their idea of managing college life often involved late-night trips to Taco Bell.

Bush Hager, who graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, and Jones, a Northwestern University alumna, shared that they sometimes felt they didn't fully embrace their college experiences. "I just want college students to have fun, because at some point, you're gonna have a mortgage and you're gonna have kids," Bush Hager remarked. Jones added, "I feel like I didn't do enough."

Bush Hager agreed with this sentiment, stating, "I didn't date enough, for sure." However, she noted that by her senior year, she had joined a run club and participated in half-marathons, indicating a shift towards more structured activities. "By senior year, I was, like, 'Ok, Jenna, let's get this in check,'" she recalled.

Jones commented on Bush Hager's past, noting that she had "truly lived" before her senior year, accompanied by a photo of Bush Hager in a sequin, snakeskin top. Bush Hager humorously attributed her style to her Texas roots.

Bush Hager has previously discussed her college years, particularly the unique circumstances of her father, George W. Bush, being President of the United States during her time at the University of Texas at Austin. In a 2023 interview with People, she shared how her father had "naively" promised her and her twin sister, Barbara, that they could lead "normal lives" while he was in the White House. She admitted that this proved not to be entirely true, and they were all perhaps "slightly naïve."

When her father was sworn into office in 2001, Bush Hager was a freshman in college, while her sister attended Yale University. Bush Hager was so immersed in her college life that she reportedly ignored a call from actress Katie Holmes, who was seeking assistance in preparing for her role in the 2004 film "First Daughter."

During her freshman year in 2001, Bush Hager received a misdemeanor charge for underage possession of alcohol in Austin. Later that same year, she was cited for using a fake ID, and her twin sister was also cited for underage alcohol possession. Bush Hager pleaded no contest to both charges.