Maryland not Duke’s biggest rival, but Wednesday’s game showed skill, heart

After watching Maryland’s victory over Duke Wednesday night and joining the thousands of other students in celebrating the win on Route 1, I have just one thing to say to Keith Waters (“Terps’ rivalry with Duke nonexistent; Blue Devils don’t obsess about Terps,” Jan. 26) and all the other Duke fans who mock our school for thinking there exists a rivalry between their team and ours: You win. I, for one, promise to never call what we have a “rivalry” ever again. I concede; North Carolina is your rival. Your students camp out for tickets to that game, but they don’t really care about attending the Maryland game. We are not your rival and never have been. We’re just some team you play every season. OK. Like I said, you win.

But keep in mind down there in Durham, N.C., that while you’re smugly noting the lack of a Duke-Maryland rivalry, we are just fine with being the nonrival that has what it takes to beat your overrated team. We played hard last night, despite some questionable refereeing and the lack of a home-field advantage. We showed heart and soul and, above all, skill. Waters said in his letter that if Diamondback reporters went to North Carolina, they would be “hard pressed to find any Duke fans who place any special significance on beating the Terrapins.” With all due respect, Waters, I’d say that being the only team in America this year to beat your team is pretty significant, at least here in College Park. Speaking of College Park, we’ll see your boys here Feb. 12.

Jennifer Fisher

Sophomore

Criminology and criminal justice

Lack of house parties turns university into prison; new students still want to have fun

It’s about time that someone took notice of the lack of party scene on this campus (“R.I.P. College Park house parties,” Jan. 26). It is sad I am telling stories to my fraternity brothers about what this campus was like just three years ago. It is sad that at least once a month we drive up to Penn State because we know there will be parties. And it is sad that in a fraternity house a 21-year-old cannot have friends over who are also 21 to have a few drinks in the basement without risking probation for his entire house. This is not college. This is more like a prison. It’s not as though the new students don’t want to have fun. They just have nowhere to do it. I will graduate soon, as will the others who remember the good times. And all that will be left are our stories that will be passed around as people sit in their rooms watching TV and wasting their weekends.

Lyle Dresbold

Senior

Government and politics