As for you freshmen, you have now begun the most epic journey you will ever go on in life. By now, you've gotten your first homework assignments, timed walks to class down to the nanosecond, crammed for your first quizzes, got a good GTL routine (for the non-Jersey Shore inclined, that's gym, tan and laundry) and contemplated skipping that 8 a.m. discussion. Unfortunately, your life is nothing like Animal House, so some of you might have decided to listen to your parents for guidance as to what to do ... and then ignored it. Some of you might have then listened to Asher Roth and taken his advice more literally - "Pass out at 3, wake up at 10, go out to eat, then do it again."

Here we have the unique opportunity to spend four years doing whatever we want, plus class. While this might mean four years logged into your Xbox Live or World of Warcraft account, it might be more beneficial to find the one thing everyone looks for in a school - diversity.

In an institute of higher education, which serves the purpose of preparing us for the real world while expanding our minds, diversity must mean something beyond racial demographics to teach us  the intangible things in life that cannot be scribed into textbooks or transmitted by professors. Diversity can best be expressed through two things - varied experiences and varied ideals. Of course, race may play a role because it can affect how we perceive others and are perceived by others. Race is still an important element, but there are a plethora of other less visible things that have shaped how each of us experience the world.

Participating in student groups is an easy way to promote and experience diversity at the university. There are more than 600 recognized groups at the university, each serving its own purpose and catering to a different audience, and all are willing and able to take on new members. There are, of course, ethnic and identity-based groups, but there are also a lot of advocacy and service groups, where the diversity lies in sharing in the exchange of skills and ideas. There is a group for everyone, but if there is still something lacking, you can start your own group and get funding for it. Although it sounds cliché, it's true that joining groups can make the university considerably less daunting and seemingly much smaller.

So freshmen, Freshmen Connection and transfer students and everyone else looking for new friends, networking and free stuff, take advantage of our diverse university. Go to the First Look Fair on McKeldin Mall on Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., where the university's student groups will be represented. Check out www.stars.umd.edu to find a list of all the groups. Contact me to find out more about any group or to see whether there's a group for you. Get your tuition's worth. Do something unique. Do something crazy. Be unstoppable.