TIME CAPSULE:
Letter to a Future Freshman

Dear Incoming Freshman,

I would like to first congratulate you on your acceptance into the University of Maryland College Park, a top public university that is the flagship for research. A proficient research university aspires to create and communicate advances in knowledge that will benifit the society, nation and beyond. You are wondering how this affects an undergraduate? Well, this gives you a rare opportunity to be a part of research by interning with Professors who are working on various intriguing experimentations. UMCP has a lot to offer socially as well as academically through clubs, enterntainment(movie theatre, bowling, pool, etc.),and artistic performances at the Clarice Smith Perfoming Arts Center. Most importantly sport tickets like football and basketball are free for students so take advantage of that and support your fellow TERPS!!! These are all opportunities to meet and interact with a diverse group of people and build (hopefully longlasting)relationships with others and foremost HAVE FUN while doing so. Personally, I chose to attend the University of Maryland due to its diversity and the world itself it a very diverse place and by attending UMCP I would gain a greater appreciation for the different cultures around me!!!!!

First I want to stress that in College YOU ARE YOUR OWN MOTIVATION. You have probably heard countless times that "college is different from high school" this is a fact and not just some myth. Sorry to burst your happy bubble thinking that in college you can "forget" to do an assignment and your Professor will nag you about it and extend the due date just for you if you smile the right way. I know I WISH it was like that too!!! In college your education is solely in your hands. Thats why in universities there are Professors and Lecturers and not teachers. Don't worry though because if you have any problems understanding any material you have the option of attending the Professor's or Lecturer's office hours and/or email, which I believe are beneficial. Some Profs upload the outline for their lectures online, but don't let that fool you because they tend to add more details in lecture. The exams in these courses tend to be based more on the lecture than the outline. PLEASE ATTEND ALL LECTURES. Although some of the freshman courses are huge don't let that be your excuse for not attending because in the end when you want a letter of recommendation for graduate school(I do so I sit in the front) I feel as if it would be beneficial to have a personal relationship with your Professors.


Prior to the first week of school you will be given the chance to find all your classes, so don't worry about getting lost because even if you do there are maps and other students which can be very helpful. Of course you want decent grades so PLEASE READ AND DO ASSIGNMENTS because every point counts. So be smart when assigned readings don't procrastinate because you will probably think "I have time to do it later", but trust me there will be some other obligation(life is unpredictable). It is very important to get organized from the beginning of semester because it will help keep you on top of all you assignments. Most assignments are to help you grasp the main concepts of the course, so it would be to your advantage to complete them. Personally, I am very forgetful expecially when all I do is anxiously wait for Thursday . Most nightclubs allow 18 year olds in the 21 and older clubs on Thursdays(there are buses on campus that can take you there);this shouldn't become an every week thing. If you like to procrastinate and don't get anything done, then while your friends go out you will be left ALONE in your room catching up(no fun!!!). Then you can't concentrate because you are wondering how much fun they are having. When they talk about the stories from that night all you can do is stay quiet. Trust me that sucks!!!! So far I have taken my midterms but not any finals so I can't accurately tell you how to prepare. However, I can tell you from my midterm experience not to cram the morning of(I didn't but a friend of mine did who will remain anonymous)!!! I hypothesize that if you work hard during the semester, and have decent grades, then get a low grade on a final won't affect your grade as much as if you were not doing any assignments.


There is so much freedom in college, but don't forget that in the end you're here for an education, and to gain life experience so don't get too crazy. Unacceptable behavior can lead to the lose of on-campus housing.Not to mention the fact that there are a lot of people on the housing waitlist. Concerning roommates, I chose my roommate so there aren't any problems. But if you don't you could either get someone that is very similar to you or is your complete opposite. In case the latter is intolerable, you can possibly change roommates the next semester. Living on campus is advantageous because you can get involved, and enjoy the company of people around your age(no more parents nagging you to sleep or making you watch the news...maybe thats just my experience). Above all, campus life helps you to become increasingly responsibe and mature because you now make your own decisions and must deal with the implications whether positive or negative.


If you think about it, the point of attending a university is not merely to gain knowledge, but to apply that knowledge in order to live a fruitful life. So why should you be given a ripe fruit off a tree that you neither nurtured nor planted?? You shouldn't, so in order to deserve this fruit you must have determination, dedication, and diligent time management. In life it is imperative to travel the road less traveled, meaning that you follow your own path in life, and fight the uphill battle to the top in order to live a gratifying existence. Maybe you could be the one to change the world for better.


Sincerely,
Zahra F Mansaray



P.S: I WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR YEARS AT MARYLAND AND REMEBER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL ACCESSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES


Last updated: 10 November 2007.
Email: zmansara@umd.edu