“So, you’re saying that you’re not planning on going out tonight?” my roommate asked incredulously. Mind you, it is the first week of school, a time often associated with excessive partying, pool lounging, and marathon episodes of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. The syllabus review is clearly one of the easiest class sessions held in a semester. Regardless, it is Monday, August 31st, the very first day of school; somehow I still question why I reject the invitation to go out.
Now, by no means do I wish to give you the wrong impression. I am no party professional. There are students here that surpass me in this area. I proudly manage to maintain my GPA, club and leadership commitments, and a 25-mile a week running regiment. However, I also like to uphold the typical Maryland reputation. Don’t act so naïve. Students, faculty, and the public alike are all aware that a night spent at the University of Maryland is always memorable. No pun intended. Congratulations, U.S. News ranked the undergraduate program at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at No. 16 in the nation. Princeton Review also rated the University’s student body as No. 2 in the ‘least likely to study’ category. We can also say that Playboy nominated us as a top 15 party school. If you are reading this article, chances are you are either accepted or at least applying for acceptance into the business school. Thus, you are no mediocre student. Regardless, just because you are a business student does not exempt your active participation in adding to the latter two rankings.
This summer, I was fortunate to have an internship with a very reputable accounting firm in the DC Metropolitan area. There were a number of bright Smith School undergraduates also participating in the program. We were among the ranks of University of North Carolina, William and Mary, and University of Richmond types. My bias withheld, I must say that all the Smith interns possessed a work ethic, drive for success, and overall intelligence superior to none. It was clearly evident why our students are so heavily recruited within the company. This exemplary showing did little to prove to our fellow interns that we weren’t an entire group of raging alcoholics. Then again, we maintained a strong presence at any company happy hour.
So where is this article going? Work hard, play hard. I believe that the Smith School has earned every single respected ranking granted to us, but it is a start of a new school year; it is time to take these titles to the next level. One day, with your help, I am certain that we will reach the single digits of the U.S. News rankings. There is no time like the present to begin these best practices. This year, maybe you should actually read the assigned chapter before class. Aim for six hours of sleep the night before your exam. Proofread your paper. Yet don’t forget your roots; remember the reason that you came to Maryland. These are the best four years (who are we kidding- five years) of your life. Aim for that beautiful entwinement of your academic and social life. Chances are that most of your high school friends are jealous of the time you spend here. I like to think that the Smith School especially is comprised of a group of extremely intelligent students who just happened to bond over the fact that we like to have a good time.
No matter how pretentious my fellow interns were this summer, they never failed to say the same thing, “You go to Maryland? That must be so much fun!” There is no denying that assertion. To leave you, I hope you live out your semester with this motto in mind: Live with reverence for yourself and others, Tuesdays are little Thursdays.