Embarking on one’s journey through college is one of the most exhilarating and life-changing experiences in life, and yet, it can be both incredibly uncomfortable and extremely terrifying. Fortunately, dear incoming freshmen of the University of Maryland, you have chosen the greatest university on planet Earth. You have found a university that is a family; a university that bands together to achieve the greatest of things as we pursue fearless ideas. From a UMD student who has just completed a freshman year at this fabulous educational institution, here’s some tips, some advice, and some things I definitely wish I knew.

1) The new meal plan

The dining plan at UMD has always been somewhat confusing, and the new plan, being implemented in the Fall 2016 semester, is no exception. First things first, the new dining plan means ALL YOU CAN EAT, ANYTIME DINING. Upon entering any of the three dining halls, the North Campus Diner, the South Campus Dining Hall, or 251, you will swipe your hand over a scanner and have access to whatever you want whenever you want it. Unfortunately, all meals must be eaten in the dining halls and cannot be taken to go, something returning students can DEFINITELY be heard complaining about. Depending on which plan you decide to purchase of the four different options, you may have access to Guest Passes and Dining Dollars. Guest Passes allow you to bring anyone who does not have a meal plan, including visiting family and friends, into one of the dining halls to enjoy as much food as they wish along with you. Dining Dollars are a currency that can be used at any of the cafes in campus buildings, like Applause in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (CSPAC), at convenience shops across campus, like the 24 Hour Shop, and at brand name locations in Stamp (the student union), including Chick-fil-a, Taco Bell, Auntie Anne’s, Sbarro, and Subway!

2) Terrapin Express

Terrapin Express is a pre-paid debit account that can be accessed through one’s student I.D., or “swipe.” Terrapin Express can be used at restaurants and services in Stamp, including the Book Center, where you can rent and purchase textbooks, at Hoff Theatre, where movies and other performances are shown, and at Terp Zone, where there are games and activities available for students, including a bowling alley! Terrapin Express can also be used at the dining halls or in cafes and convenience shops across campus, in the libraries for printing and other services, for laundry, and at the Health Center.

3) The bus system

Knowing the bus system is absolutely CRUCIAL. The buses are an on-campus student's access to the restaurants and stores on Route 1, to apartments and houses off-campus where parties and other events take place, and to the Metro and other forms of public transit that go to D.C. and around College Park. There are buses that go directly to UMD owned apartments, like Courtyards, the Varsity, and the View, as well. However, the most important buses to know are the buses identified by color, which run only in the evenings. The best way to learn each route and to know when and where a bus will stop is to get the NextBus app, an absolute MUST for any UMD student.

4) Route One

Route One is home to a variety of cheap and fairly delicious restaurants. Firstly, any UMD student’s go-to breakfast place is Bagel Place, offering, you guessed it, bagels. Another favorite for any college student is Chipotle, however, the Route One Chipotle tends to have a line out the door basically all the time, so be wary. Every UMD student HAS to try Bubble Tea at Ten Ren’s and Shanghai Café is your best bet for some decent Chinese takeout. If you’re looking for something to snack on during a night of hardcore studying or after a bar crawl, the newly opened Insomnia Cookies is the perfect place to satisfy a sweet tooth. You can also never go wrong with one of the awesome pizza places on Route One Looking for a personal, custom pizza? Blaze is the place for you. Craving a slice of pizza bigger than your head? Head to Pizza Mart or Pizza Kingdom. Maybe you’re feeling a calzone instead? D.P. Dough always has great deals.

5) Campus

Being able to navigate one’s way around such a huge campus is incredibly important. Learn the buildings and use the Campus Maps app to help you find your classes and landmark locations on campus!

6) Events

As important as academics are, college isn’t all about studying and work. Take the time to find the balance and explore all the events on campus. There’s always something going on at the University of Maryland, from activities sponsored by residence halls, like the North Campus Carnival and cookouts within different communities of residence halls, to events on the mall, like carnivals, movie screenings, and more. Oh, and definitely don’t miss out on the festivities of Maryland Day during each Spring semester!

7) Free stuff

Hearing the word “free” is music to every college student’s ears, and there’s definitely plenty of opportunities to get free stuff at UMD. Many of the events mentioned in #5 involve free activities and prizes, from bags and pens to t-shirts and other apparel! Further, there’s always a chance to get free things at football, basketball, soccer, and other sports games, like more t-shirts and spirit wear. All sporting events offer free student tickets, and there are tons of concerts and performances at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (CSPAC), for which any student can get free comp tickets on Mondays (and students with majors housed within CSPAC can get free tickers any time)!

8) Greek Life

The University of Maryland is home to dozens of social, service, academic, and professional fraternities and sororities. If you’re interested in joining a “traditional” Greek organization, participating in the informal Fall Recruitment or in the intense Spring Rush Week are the best options. These events give potential pledges the opportunity to learn more about the different sororities and fraternities on campus, so they may find the right fit. For those Greek organizations that do not participate in Rush Week, typically the professional and academic fraternities and sororities, there are still typically rush events and information sessions held! In addition, sororities and fraternities at UMD are constantly sponsoring events and fundraisers, and they participate in either Greek Week or Geek Week (depending on the organization), or weeks filled with competitions, parties, and service projects in celebration of being Greek.

9) Athletics

Every Terp should make an effort to go to sporting events and to learn the songs, cheers, and traditions! You'll soon know to always have keys at football games, to know the opposing team goalie’s name at soccer games, and to be prepared for crowd participation at basketball games. More importantly, going to games can increase your chances of getting tickets to future, more exciting games. Simply havinf your ticket scanned at a football game and leaving after a few minutes is totally common and acceptable. Most people don’t stay after the first half anyway…but you should! Go Terps!!!

10) Get involved!

The University of Maryland is home to nearly 900 student organizations, in the categories of academics, military, culture, performance, sports, religion, and more! There is truly something for everybody, and getting involved on campus is key. Take some time to attend the First Look Fair held for two days at some point during the first few weeks of school (the Fall 2016 First Look Fair will be held September 14^th and 15^th). The First Look Fair is a chance to learn more about tons of different organizations on campus and to sign up for email lists, information, and even membership!

11) Registration

Registering for classes through Testudo is one of the most frustrating processes you will undergo each semester at UMD. All incoming freshmen get assistance with their first semester registration from advisors at orientation, but after that, UMD students are on their own. Make sure to spend time browsing the Schedule of Classes, or the course catalog, on Testudo before each new semester. A great resource is CourseOff, a website that allows you to try out different schedule combinations! Some words of advice? Keep your schedule compact, but save time for meals. You definitely don’t want hours of time between each class, but always remember that breaks, even short ones, are important. Also, avoid 8AMs at ALL COSTS. Waking up is a lot harder in college than it was in high school. You may think you can handle it, but you trust me, you can't. Besides, you don't want to have a typical UMD 15-20 minute, cross-campus walk at 7:30 in the morning.

The University of Maryland is obviously a unique and wonderful place to spend one’s college years, but, despite this collection of information and tips to better prepare you for your college transition, you won't fully know how special it is to be a Terp until you're here with us. Welcome to UMD, incoming freshmen! Get ready for the time of your life.