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Ramin Toofan

Senior from Dallas
Neuroscience, Pre-Med

What is your hometown or country of origin?
I was born just down the street at Medical City Dallas and have lived in the area all my life. My dad, Mansoor, is from Iran and my mom, Jane, is from England.

Do you live on campus?
No.

List some of the clubs or organizations you are involved in at UT Dallas?
AED (Alpha Epsilon Theta), the Pre-Medical Honor society at UT Dallas
I also compete in UT Dallas Intramural sports and won the coed mini-golf event in my freshman and junior years!

List some of the clubs or organizations you are involved in outside of school.
In past semesters I have volunteered at the Medical City of Dallas as an ambassador, and I am currently working as a physician scribe at Dallas Internal Medicine Group at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.

List some of your hobbies.
I enjoy cycling, football and the other football — SOCCER! I follow the English Premier League team Arsenal, and I plan to attend one of their games when I’m in England next year. I enjoy going on trips, reading and in general relaxing during my free time.

Something that people may not know about me.
I’m an avid cyclist and have worked and competed for Richardson BikeMart. One thing that I am most proud of and like to tell others is that through cycling I have been able to realize things in myself that I wouldn’t have thought were possible or even realistic! Just a couple months ago I completed another 100 mile ride, or century. Getting through a ride like that can be tough, but the feeling of accomplishment at the end is GREAT!

Why did you decide to become a First-Year Leader?
Being able to help impact the early college career of students is what excited me about the program. My Rhetoric 1101 experience was wonderful and I hope to carry that on to the incoming freshmen.

What advice do you have for the freshmen class coming into UT Dallas?
Get to know your professors and advisors early on; they are the keys to your success at UT Dallas. Through my Rhetoric 1101 class, I got to meet and get to know my neuroscience advisor, Leah Nall, and since then I have really enjoyed being able to go into her office any time if I have any questions. I have friends at schools like UT or Texas A&M that dread the advising process, but for me it’s always been positive! Also, a lot of the professors at UT Dallas are open to meeting at most any hour of the day, and, as Dr. (John) Sibert likes to say “When the door’s open, come on in!”

What do you wish you did during your freshmen year that you didn’t?
Although I got to experience college life in the classroom as a freshman, I wish I would have lived on campus during my early years. My family left it open to me and were very supportive with whatever choice I made, but at the time I was happy to stay where I was.

What do you like about UT Dallas?
UT Dallas presents its students with the flexibility and amenities for the entering student to pretty much pursue any route they wish to enter. As a freshman I took an intro to painting course, and during my sophomore year, I discovered the great orchestra ensemble we have. As a science-minded student, it is nice to take time in the day to pursue some of the other classes and activities that we offer around campus!

Why did you decide to attend UT Dallas?
I was born and raised just over a mile from the UT Dallas campus and always considered it on the level of a community college. As a child, I would watch college sports games with teams such as Duke, Notre Dame and UT and always thought of those schools as the “real” universities. My parents would always tell me that UT Dallas would be a great place to go, but I would say with an emphatic “no,” that I would be going to somewhere like UCLA or Florida. It wasn’t until getting in to the college application process that I really began to see what UT Dallas had to offer. With its medium size and willingness to provide scholarships to students, I ended up only applying to UT Dallas and UT and made the decision on which one to attend due to the financial support I received from UT Dallas. Since my first day on campus, though, everything has really been wonderful. I have found the teachers ready and willing, and an excellent advisor who just so happened to be my Rhetoric 1101 teacher. I’m proud of my school.

What has been your favorite/best UT Dallas experience so far?
As far as a favorite goes, I have really relished the time I have spent in activities that are away from the normal lecture/textbook style. Through the UT Dallas Career Center I have been able to earn credit for my work experience. In some cases, the textbook is your only resource, but my bit of advice is to pursue the many opportunities that surround the campus. As we are centrally located, there are many hospitals, businesses and other future work places that are open to college students. Through my work-study I have been able to meet great people and experience what it will be like one day in the career I plan to pursue.

What did you learn about college life that you didn’t know before?
You have to study! Easy concept, right? They tell you all the time in high school that you have to study, but it’s not until that first semester that you realize what that really is. I didn’t do as well as I’d like in my first year and through that period I really began to notice what it would take for me to succeed in my upcoming semesters. If I could pass one thing on to the entering freshman it would be to study, study, study. Just as one works out on a regular basis, one needs to keep up with the daily work to do well in classes.

What do you like to do to unwind after class?
For me, the best stress reducer and way to unwind is to workout. The body is a natural device and giving it adequate exercise time helps keep your head sewed on straight! On days when I’m stuck in a rut or have something that really bothers me, going on a jog or ride around on my bike helps free my mind.

Other information you’d like to contribute:
Rules for success: leave time for sleep, eating and studying and let the rest of the activities fall in line. If you look after yourself physically and mentally, your time at UT Dallas can be the best of your life!