<p>Unfortunately our visit is during summer session, but it cannot be helped. We'll go on a tour & information session. Anything else we should be sure not to miss?</p>
<p>BTW, S is looking at Journalism.</p>
<p>FYI, for parking, if you enter through the gates with the big M, continue straight forward (there's a traffic circle) past the Student Union. Take an immediate right, and directly on the left of that street is a garage A.K.A. the Best Place to Park Ever if you're visiting. Sometimes they direct you to strange and out of the way lots for events. It's annoying.</p>
<p>The tour will definitely hit up the prettiest parts of campus, but I noticed it only tends to go through the central mall area. There are other pretty areas off to the sides, so explore! Make sure to check out Stamp Student Union. I always thought it was so cool inside compared to dreary ones at smaller schools. And you can go to the book store and get lots of Maryland gear :). </p>
<p>Also the dairy icecream is really good. I'm into horses, so it was neat to see all of the agricultural stuff on campus (they have a barn!!) - but guys don't seem to be as enthralled by that kinda stuff.</p>
<p>I'm going to UMD for journalism, too, and I found it pretty cool to ask where to find a hard copy of the student newspaper, The Diamondback, and pick it up. Also get a book of class descriptions (I found one in the library, but I'm sure Stamp has one). It's neat to flip through.</p>
<p>If you have time, definitely take the metro from the campus into DC. I'm not exactly sure how that works, but apparently it's only a short walk. I think it would be neat to see how easy it is to get up to the city and to walk around the capitol a bit. I'm sure they have good seafood in Oregon, but lunch at an upscale restaurant with CRABCAKES (mmm) in DC would be very Maryland.</p>
<p>How long are you staying?</p>
<p>Thank you for your great info. We are planning to take the Metro - it should be fun. I haven't been to DC since I was my son's age. We'll be there a week. Going to visit UMD, American, GW, and drive to Ohio University & back before we leave. It's a whirlwind trip!</p>
<p>And seafood is definitely on the menu!!! :)</p>
<p>If you're taking the metro into/out of College Park, there's a free shuttle that runs between Stamp Student Union and the station. Definitely check out TerpZone in Stamp--it has a bowling alley, billiards, arcade, Subway. Really cool.</p>
<p>Yeah, definitely get your son a copy of the Diamondback if he wants to see how he can get involved in journalism right away. I know of a couple freshmen who are already on the full staff and have their respective beats and all.</p>
<p>oregonianmom---you should do a drive-through of Georgetown, even if your potential-Terp isn't interested---it's a really cool area of D.C. 2 of D's very good friends are going to Georgetown, and she'll be in CP---they are already plotting getting together on weekends.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>Make sure to go into a standard freshman dorm. They suck and you must get any and all fantasies out of your head. U have to realize the dorms are crappy and then u can move on to other things.</p>
<p>Go to the CRC as well.. they usually let u in for free if u tell them ur just looking around.</p>
<p>Oh oh! U must go to the WaWa on Knox and Rte. 1. Parents will be able to see where all the drunk people commune everyday of the week.</p>
<p>Seafood? Have lunch at Kinkeads
<a href="http://www.kinkead.com/kinkead/kinkead.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.kinkead.com/kinkead/kinkead.htm</a></p>
<p>I've seen pics of the dorms; they look pretty utilitarian. It'll be interesting to see what S thinks.</p>
<p>What is the CRC?</p>
<p>Kinkeads looks wonderful!</p>
<p>CRC = Campus Recreation Center, now known as the ERC = Eppley Recreation Center.</p>
<p>somebodynew, you know as much as I do that nobody calls it the ERC. They did a terrible job announcing/dedicating it to that and nobody on campus knows who Geary E Eppley is. It's the CRC forever!!!</p>
<p>true haha
when did they change it to ERC?? I have no idea</p>
<p>Oh, I still call it the CRC and probably always will. But as an Orientation Advisor, we're supposed to call it the ERC when asked about it, so I'm trying to get the acronym into my vocabulary.</p>
<p>Gotcha. Yeah, terrible idea to change it but whatever. I guess he was a good guy.</p>