To honor Maryland track and field and cross country seniors, umterps.com will feature letters about each of their experiences as Terps. Here are the letters from Brittany Lang and Caroline Augelli.Â
Brittany Lang, cross country/distance
Dear Maryland,Â
Putting on the Maryland jersey and wearing that Maryland flag is not only the privilege of representing my home state, but representing so many things that have had a lasting impact on my life. It allows me to represent my coaches, teammates and school, which I use as my motivation every time I put on my shoes.
The University of Maryland was not where I began my college experience, but the three years I was able to experience in College Park will be some of my favorite years for life. UMD was a place that saved me in a lot of ways, inspired me, motivated me and pushed me in all aspects of life. Every year, I grew as an athlete, became more and more knowledgeable in my field of study and learned all about life along the way.
After making so many memories with some of my favorite people on this planet, I cannot imagine myself as anything other than a Terp for life.
Always,Â
Brit Lang
Caroline Augelli, cross country/distance
Dear Maryland,
Thank you for the unexpected. When I chose you, I was primarily motivated by the academic programs that I wanted to pursue. I wasn't expecting to walk onto a varsity NCAA D1 athletic team, join a video game orchestra, or meet so many good friends from different spheres. I couldn't have foreseen that after only a couple months, all three would become indispensable to me, things that I will bring with me into adult life. I feel lucky; I came here for the academics, and I got so much more.
Thank you for the opportunities. The wealth of experiences that you offer was a big draw to my high school self, and I have tried my best to avoid letting them go to waste. It is due to your breadth and flexibility that I was able to study abroad despite being a three-season athlete, take fun liberal arts and advanced Chinese classes alongside my engineering course load, and take part in campus events even when I was overwhelmed with academics and traveling to track or cross country meets on the weekends. You have enabled me to spend the last four years bouncing between academics, athletics, extracurricular activities, and my social life; it has been crazy, and I've loved it.
Finally, thank you for the challenges. The past four years have been really hard; I remember too many late nights, days of mentally taxing class work followed by physically-draining athletic training, and a juggling act of sacrifices to fit too many interests into the limited hours of the week. I encountered situations that I didn't expect, and had to find ways to work through them. As daunting as they have been, they have helped me to grow. I can now understand concepts that I was ignorant of before; I am stronger; I have better people skills. College has encouraged me to push my limits, and a result, I have become a better and more capable person.
Thank you for a wonderful four years. Although closing this chapter is bittersweet, I look forward to returning and will think back on them fondly.
Caroline Augelli
-TERPS-
