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Road Trip: Maryland

Posted: Tuesday March 4, 2008 12:25PM; Updated: Tuesday March 4, 2008 12:34PM
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By Mark Selig

With an enrollment of over 25,000 undergrads, the University of Maryland offers a little something for every college kid. For those planning a visit to College Park, here's SIOC's guide to all things Terrapin:

Best Spot for a Pre-Test Luck Charm

Need luck on an exam? Walk by a statue of Testudo and touch his nose.
Need luck on an exam? Walk by a statue of Testudo and touch his nose.
Bill Vaughan/Icon SMI
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The story goes that if you rub school mascot Testudo's nose, you'll have good luck. There are four bronze statues of the mascot on campus, and when students walk by, they often rub the diamondback terrapin's nose and hope it well help them ace that next test. There is one statue conveniently located in front of the library, which is en route to many classes. Around Finals, students leave offerings to this Testudo, hoping that if they leave a sandwich or a T-shirt for him, a great grade will ensue.

Best Place for a Late-Night Bite

Is there anything more cliché than a group of college kids huddling around a pizza at 2 a.m.? Well, students at Maryland can fight the stereotypes and instead order D.P. Dough -- the self-titled "pizza alternative," which makes delicious calzones with whatever combination of meats, cheeses, sauces and vegetables the customer wants. Mmmm.

Best Place for Pizza

OK, I admit it. They still eat pizza at Maryland. Whether it's lunch or dinner time, Ratsie's is usually the busiest. Order a whole pizza and a pitcher of beer to split with your friends or just buy individual slices; either way, you'll probably leave full. Located in spitting distance from the city's five major bars, Ratsie's is sure to be packed each night after the bars let out.

Best Place to Accelerate the Freshman 15

The Diner, on north campus -- one of two dining halls at the university -- is open from 7:30 a.m. until midnight and offers pizza, cheese steaks, quesadillas, burgers and any other form of greasy food that comes to mind. Sure it has healthy options too, like salad and fruit, but tell me you're opting for that instead of freshly-baked cookies or a giant scoop of dairy-fresh ice cream, and I'll tell you that you're a liar.

Best Place to Work Off That Weight

The Eppley Recreation Center, located yards away from the diner, has a weight room, track, four full-sized basketball courts, racquetball and squash courts, deep water pools, saunas, ping pong tables, aerobics and martial arts rooms. All students need to do is show their student ID to get in. After a long workout, you can reward yourself with a cold smoothie from Sneakers Café.

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