The University of Texas at Austin Top Questions

UT is a politically active campus, making organizations like the University Democrats very popular. Greek life is big at UT, with a large selection of fraternities and sororities, and huge, themed fraternity parties on the weekend. However, for girls, rush can be overly competitive and selective, and I know several beautiful, normal girls who dropped out because of the stress. Sorority girls at UT can also be snotty, exclusive, and over obsessed with getting smashed and hooking up. I live in Blanton, one of the three honors dorms, and a part of the Honors Quad. Although the rooms in Blanton are old, small, and have no sinks, the dorm itself fosters a very social environment. The Honors Quad hosts several social events each semester, successfully creating a tight knit community amidst the vastness of UT. It gives you the minimized high school environment where you know almost everyone and almost everyone knows you. This community helps integrate people who would normally stick to their particular social niche (Asians, Jews, blacks, Indians, rich white girls, etc.) if they lived somewhere else on campus. For instance, in my dorm I know a Christian black girl whose best friend and roommate is an Indian Hindu. It is a really great place to make friends with interesting and diverse people.

I didn't drink alcohol until I turned 21, and I had a total blast staying sober! Despite UT's reputation as a hard-core party school, there are tons of people who don't drink. I used to get together with a big group of my friend that didn't drink and have loads of fun! Instead of drinking on the weekends, you can play Peter Pan's Putt-Putt, bowl at the Union, walk to the capitol, have coffee at Spider House, eat somewhere you've never been before, window-shop (or just shop) on South Congress (SoCo), see a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse, watch a live band play, or just make your own adventure as you go along! There's never a dull moment in Austin!

Most popular: Well, you can never forget sororities or fraternities on any campus (unfortunately). But next up would probably social/political/environmental activist groups. All kinds of them. Oxfam, FaceAids, White Rose, &c. They're the ones usually tabling anyhow. Oxfam-UT: We're a subsidiary of Oxfam America. We look to find sustainable solutions to systemic world poverty. We always have a few different campaigns going on: Fair Trade, Make the Coop Sweat-free, &c. Doors in Dorms: It depends on the dorm. For the most part, freshman probably do. They want to meet people. I think Jester is the most social dorm, so definite door-openage there. Athletic events: Too popular for anyone's own health. Guest speakers should be just as popular, but aren't - that's what you get at a big-10 school. Theater probably is for theater students. Dating scene: With a school of over 40,000 people to choose from, you can't help but date. Closest friends: I have one best friend from high school, one best friend I met in the dorm my first year, and one best friend that I met in an internship that works in Oxfam-UT with me. They're all tied for first. 2am on Tuesday: Studying. Or getting late-night coffee with friends at a nearby cafe. Annual traditions: Explore-UT where all the organizations come together for surrounding younger schools to...explore. Sports events. Any annual cultural holidays are usually celebrated by the representing organization. Party: It depends on your social group. If you live in West Campus, you're probably going to a party at least once a week. And in Austin, you can't forget about Sixth street - the partiers surely don't. Sor/Frats: I imagine they're just as important as they are at any other university. It's not Greek life, but you see a lot of them around. Last Weekend: I had a David Lynch movie night with my friends. We ate at a Romanian restaurant called Drakula's, I studied allllll day Saturday and night - most of it at a coffee shop, and I had an Oxfam officer meeting on Sunday. Sober Saturdays: Slam poetry, a movie at Alamo Drafthouse, rent something with friends, find something free and new in the Austin Chronicle. It's a diverse city with all sorts of things always happening. Off campus: See local live music, new movies, go to Barton Creek, check out a park you've never been to, maybe a new play - always something.

Dorm life differs greatly from dorm to dorm. The dorms with private baths, though more private and nicer, are significantly less social than those with community restrooms. It must have something to do with the fact that people are simply out in the halls more often, but community bath dorms (especially the smaller dorms) are more social than San Jacinto or Duren (the two private bath dorms on campus). Jester is a very, very large dorm and always has a lot going on. It can sort of smell like pee sometimes though. When it comes to food, avoid J2 and eat at Jester City Limits instead (more expensive but the food is better). The athletic events are very popular, football especially. Our sports teams are all very good, several ranking in the top 10 nation wide. Guest speakers are somewhat popular, especially when it is someone really interesting like the Dali Lama, Bill Clinton, or other influential heads of state. The dating scene is pretty good. With such a large number of college-age people (there are several other smaller colleges and community colleges close to UT), dating is pretty easy. You just need to go where the type of person you want to meet would hang out. If you like the club-kid types, go to the clubs. If you’re into the nerds, try the library or honors organization. You get the point. Meeting friends is also pretty easy. I met most of my friends from my classes. It is pretty easy to bond with a new friend when your both getting destroyed by the hardest test of either one of your lives. Organizations are also good places or simply through some of your other friends you already have. People tend to stay up late here. I know I’m a little on the extreme side, but during the week I average around 4-5 hours of sleep (the weekends is all about catch-up). If I’m up at 2am on a Tuesday, I’m either studying for some killer exam or hanging out with some friends at someones apartment. Traditions are common at UT. The Torchlight Parade (before the OU game) and the Hex Rally (before the A&M game) are two football traditions that we have for our two main rivals (Texas always does it bigger, who else had two huge rivals). There are also other things that happen yearly like ACL and South by Southwest (see above), Come to UT (for Freshmen mainly), and tons of other University sponsored events (there is ALWAYS something going on). People do party here a lot (we don’t get ranked in the top 10 national for nothing). Most weekends, I end up party hopping with friends all around West Campus, a major student apartment/house area just west of campus (hence the name). My last weekend consisted of a surprise party for one of my friends on Friday followed by pre-drinking at a party and a rave at one of the co-ops (a kind of student housing) on Saturday night. If you don’t want to drink on a Saturday night, simply go out and have fun with everyone else. You don’t really need to worry too much about MIPs or anything like that in West Campus. Police are pretty chill in West Campus and will simply give warning at the most (unless you do something to really make them mad). Your friends will always appreciate you if you’re the sober one because although we drink (a lot), we tend to be pretty safe about it and having a resident DD (designated driver) is a good thing in a group of friends (here’s a shout out to you Kyle). Just remember to ALWAYS drink/smoke/etc. responsibly!!! Greek life if apparent on campus, but it is not a necessity. I am not a big fan and try to avoid the frat scene as much as possible. The only people who really think Greek life is a big deal are those people in the fraternities and sororities. There is also a ton to do off campus. There is a lot of shopping. There are high-end stores in The Domain in North Austin while SoCo (South Congress) has some urban, local shops that have some chic and trendy clothes for those who are looking for something a little more unique. There is also a bunch of shopping on 2nd street, the Drag and the Arboretum. Bands come through Austin all the time, so catching a live show of one of your favorite known or relatively unknown bands is always a good weekend treat. There are also a bunch of local bands that play regularly that have developed a pretty good following. Music really is the heart of the city. Austin also has some pretty cool parks for the tree-hugging hippies like myself. Hiking up Mt. Bonnell is always fun and the view is great. There is canoeing/kayaking on Town Lake (now they call it Lady Bird Lake, but most students/Austinites go by Town Lake still). Zilker Park is a popular hangout of many nature goers also. Austin really is the gem of Texas as far as I’m concerned (sorry San Antonio), and I wouldn’t want to be any other place.

-Greek Organizations seem pretty prevalent. The spirit and service groups are also very active. -I'm involved with CKI, an international service organization sponsored by Kiwanis International that has a focus on helping children in the community and across the globe. -I'm also involved with UT Ballet Folklorico, a traditional Mexican folk dance troupe that performs on campus and across the state. -Students in San Jacinto rarely left their doors open. -Athletic events are extremely popular. -Guest speakers typically draw large crowds. -Theater is not nearly as popular as athletics, but it has a very committed group of enthusiasts. -People are always dating someone new, there are lots of choices. -I met my closest friends through CKI and smaller classes. -At 2AM on a Tuesday I would be studying for something really important, but I'm usually not up that late on a Tuesday. -There are countless traditions and events: Gone to Texas, Project Reach Out, 40 Acres Fest, Party on the Plaza, Explore UT, Hex Rally; the list goes on and on. -People typically party Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. -Greek life is definitely visible, but it is not the most important thing on campus by any measure. -Last weekend I played Rock Band at a friend's house on Friday night until 3AM, woke up to tutor kids for the TAKS test with CKI from 8-noon, did a performance with UT Ballet Folklorico for Explore UT, went to a friend's birthday dinner, went to another party on Saturday night, and slept in on Sunday. -There are lots of things around town like lazer tag, Austin Parks n' Pizza, dancing at a club, seeing movies, countless choices for dinner. -Off campus I sleep, study, eat, and party.

Greek organizations. I'm in Texas Spirits. Its all girls. We go to games together and have social events. I think people leave dorm rooms open. Athletic events very popular. We've had really good guest speakers, like the Dali Lama. We're one of the top cities for singles. I met some of my closest friends through Spirits or in the dorm and then through people they knew. At 2 am I'm either studying or drinking. Traditions - lots, Red River Shootout - we play OU in Dallas and lots of people go up there to party. People party a lot. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are full of parties in West Campus. Last weekend I stayed in Friday and went to 6th street on Saturday. Frats have huge parties. All the freshmen girls go, but boys outside the frat aren't allowed.

Popular groups- athletic events UTNSA- UT nursing student association- the nursing council- many people go to these meetings to find out about nursing opportunities and see fellow nurses Dorms generally don't leave doors open Athletic events are HUGE Guest speakers all the time for soo many different groups Theater- always busy Dating scene- Austin is a great place for outdoors activites, new places on campus Closest friends I met at home before coming to college 2am- doing homework/checking email/facebooking Events- so many People party at different rates- some every day, some once a semester, if that Fraternities/sororities are very important to the people in them Last weekend- Went to a coop party bookstore, Ate lunch, went on a hike, went to a Karoke place, went to the hospital on Sunday for Nursing clinicals Sat. night- Karoke, swimming, movies, study?? Off campus- homework, sleep, eat, lesiure

Athletic events are very very popular, and can get to be a bit much at times. The dating scene has been minimal for me, but a lot of students do date. My closest friends have predominantly been those who I went to high school with whom I grew closer with Freshman and subsequent years. If I'm awake at 2AM on a Tuesday, I'm probably either studying or watching TV and thinking about going to sleep. People party very often and often to excess. Fraternities and sororities are very important. I joined one for a month my Freshman year, but didn't like all of the forced togetherness with guys who I wasn't growing closer to at all, and people sort of look at you strange if you say you're not in a frat, and I always hold prejudices against those types of people. Last weekend I went to a sorority's formal with a good friend. I got sick from the dinner so it wasn't too fun. You could go to a movie on a Sat night, or to go play bingo. I have me time off campus.

very group specific however, people LOVE football so football season is INSANE here. That is where you feel the most comradery among fellow students because everyone is celebrating or looking to make a hard win! fraturnity and sororities are not that important, you should however, find a good group of friends somehow who are involved in the same things as you. this can be done through a frat, sorority, student government, college specific clubs and councils, college of senate councils ( exact name?), and definitely in an honors college.

i am in the university fashion group. it provides great opportunities for fashion majors. however, like most groups it is very political and if you aren't friends with people in charge you have to work hard to get what you want. i lived in an off campus dorm (towers) and our doors were always open when we were home. greek life is very important here. while i believe it is only 10-15{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students, those of us involved are very passionate about it.