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Luis Torres

Junior from Mission, Texas
Computer Science with a minor in mathematics

Do you live on campus? If yes, what do you like about living on your own?
Yes. I love deciding for myself when to be home and when to make meals. I dig playing music as absurdly loud as I like, and leaving at 2 a.m. to ride my bike around Richardson is also wonderful.

List some of the clubs or organizations you are involved in at UT Dallas.
Collegium V, Radio UTD, Club Tennis, SPEAK and Golden Key.

List some of your hobbies.
Playing my clarinet and guitar, collecting music, video games, tennis and cooking.

Something that people may not know about me.
I’m the only person I know that is equally likely to spend a Friday night throwing a party with a bunch of friends or cozying up on the couch and reading a math book for leisure.

Why did you decide to become a First-Year Leader?
Firstly, I tend to jump on any opportunity through which I can meet exciting new people. Also, I believe that in my last two years, I’ve rounded up a pretty hefty amount of insight on the way this school works. If my advice can help even just one freshman to have their ideal first year of college, my mission will be accomplished.

What advice do you have for the freshmen class coming into UT Dallas?
Balance yourselves. Just because you’re in college and on your own doesn’t mean that shirking your academic responsibilities is okay. However, neglecting to have some good old fashioned, 100 percent inconsequential fun once in a while will drive you nuts!

What do you wish you did during your freshmen year that you didn’t?
I really could’ve branched out a bit more my freshman year. I got my grades and got along great with my roommates, but when my sophomore year began without the nurturing environment that the freshman phase brings, I felt lost. If I had taken the time to make a good network of friends outside of my apartment and join a few clubs, I would’ve been able to hit the ground running in my second year.

What do you like about UT Dallas?
I love its academically nurturing atmosphere. I don’t feel at all strange for actually being excited about what I’m learning in class, and UT Dallas fosters those who want to get that extra substance from their studies. Also, the students here are a rare combination of brilliance and modesty that I doubt can be found anywhere else.

Why did you decide to attend UT Dallas?
The primary reason for my coming here was financial. UT Dallas gave me a scholarship with which no other university could even begin to compete. I had also heard about the stellar computer science program, which is what I had decided to study long before I came.

What has been your favorite/best UT Dallas experience so far?
I would most definitely say Homecoming 2007. I hadn’t been to Homecoming the previous year, so I didn’t have any expectation for this one. When I walked into the Galaxy room and saw that it had been completely transformed into a glittery, ritzy ballroom, I was shocked. The rest of that unforgettable night was filled with salsa dancing, gambling, jazz and a pervading sense of panache.

What did you learn about college life that you didn’t know before?
I never would have guessed that college life would be like a four-year paid vacation.

What do you like to do to unwind after class?
I like to go home, play a favorite CD loudly enough to drown out any thoughts and cook myself a meal.