Newark, DE: I was totally unsure of what to expect. I had never been to Delaware, and the impression I had of the state could be summed up in the quote from Wayne's World, "Dela - Where?" What's in Delaware? I thought to myself as my mother and I embarked on the five-hour road trip from Storrs, Connecticut to Newark.

We entered Newark at about 11: 30 p.m. and it was at that point that my entire state of mind changed. The first thing I saw as we neared the campus was the Bob Carpenter Center. This immense sports complex gave me the impression that sports are big at Delaware. This opinion was re-enforced by the fact that U. of D. competes in the NCAA Division I as a member of the North Atlantic Conference. As we continued our after-hours drive through the University, I realized that the state of Delaware is more than just a punch line in a movie.

The next morning we headed over to the Visitors Center where we were greeted as if we were the most important people at the University. Throughout the visit, every person I met was friendly, informative, and willing to put their time into making our visit worthwhile.

Our tour began with a brief, educational video. Then we walked around the campus, stopping intermittently to receive information on a building, course, rule, etc. Our tour guide was very informative and knew the answer to every question. The tour gave me a real idea of what the University had to offer. This school has great facilities, a huge library, a wonderful atmosphere, and much, much more. The school gave me the feeling of a close, family-like community, even though it is home to more than 14,000 students. All the faculty I met gave me the impression that every student is not just a number, but a person with a name and face.

The University offers many things outside of the academic perspective. Its location gives students the opportunity to go to Philadelphia and Baltimore, both less than an hour's drive. And if a student wants to see a Broadway show, he or she could hop in the car for about two hours to reach New York City. Also, if a prospective student does not wish to play for or does not make one of the Varsity teams yet wants to stay involved with athletics, the school offers many recreational and intramural sports.

My trip to the University ended spending a night in the dorms. My cousin, Stephanie, and her roommate, Sara, showed me what it was like to live at Delaware. It was obvious that the school provides its students with many things to make their lives easier. Every room has a direct computer hook-up, phone jacks, voice mail, etc.

The trip made me decide that the University of Delaware is number one on my list of colleges, and I encourage anyone interested in the University to go and visit. f




Reviewed in 1995