University of Georgia Top Questions

Probably Greek life is the most popular group. Student activities are going on every day/night and there is something for everyone.

FOOTBALL! Gymnastics is also really popular!

Sports and intramural sports are extremely important activities, but sororities and fraternities have big events too.

There are so many student activities and groups on campus, it is so easy to get involved in whatever you enjoy! One of the biggest groups on campus is the Greek system, which is composed of various Fraternities and Sororities that are all involved in various philanthropies in the Athens area. Another main organization is that of the Student Government Association. SGA is a touch organization to get involved in, but once you do the rewards are endless. SGA members are involved in the UGA government, and there are various boards and panels that all have a major influence on various parts of campus life. Mock Trial is another organization that is really fun to be involved in, it requires a lot of time with practices and out of state tournaments, but the team bonds that are formed in this group last forever.

Football is king at UGA. I'm personally not a big fan of football, but when it is football season, no one will let you forget it. The stadium is massive and is right next to the student center, so most people pass it at least once daily. As I've said before, there are a wide variety of students, so the activities are just as varied. Some people love to hit the downtown bar scene and get blitzed on a Saturday night while others will simply spend that time studying. One cool thing that UGA does is called UGA after Dark. It is held on Fridays free of charge for students. The activities vary from event to event, but one time I went there was a climbing wall and belly dancers outside and food inside. It was a bizarre event, but I enjoyed it. For people who are into fraternities and sororities, despite a bad general reputation not all of them constantly swell like liquor. There are a few co-ed business fraternities one campus as well as some that cater to specific majors or groups. I honestly don't know how some of the people in the more extreme fraternities do as well as they do. I've known a few people in the honors program that will spend their weekends completely wasted but still do better than me on an exam the next Monday. As far as some areas go, I can't speak to them. I don't live in the dorms, and I already have a girlfriend, so I haven't been looking at the dating scene. I also haven't been to any parties, but they happen pretty often. If you want to party but don't enjoy alcohol or drugs, the fraternity Phi Slam holds dry parties and raves every so often. They are loud and too crowded for me, but for people looking for that aspect of partying minus the alcohol, that exists.

I can't tell you what are the most popular groups on campus because there is a lot of them, each catering to the interests of different people. I don't think I can go wrong with people liking the athletes though. They're sort of the "celebrities" you could say, although I don't think so...but don't tell them that. I am here and there. I've been a member in a choir, a tae kwon do class, a fencing team, and a dance company so I've been trying to do a little bit of everything. Usually the only people that leave their doors open are freshman students because...they're encouraged to. If you leave your door propped open in other dorms it'd be considered a fire hazard. I met my closest friends because their doors were always open in our freshman dorm.

There are so many events going on at UGA drinking and non-drinking to take advantage of and its so easy to meet new people.

The most popular student organizations are through the Center for Leadership and Service, which are run by faculty, such as the Arch Society, which represents the University, and Student Government. Volunteer UGA is also very popular, and in encompasses dozens of organizations geared towards volunteering and serving the Athens and other communities. There are always inter mural sports to get involved in, and there is a very large environmental community full of different clubs with specific interests/goals. Organizations often "table" in the center of campus to promote their club and upcoming events, and the University holds an organization fair every semester. As for dorm life, it is different at each dorm, but my freshman year I lived in Creswell, the one thought of as the main, most exciting freshman dorm, where students are encouraged to interact and leave their doors open. Many students meet their friends on the hall they live on, through rush for greek life, and in various organizations. Many also fine their significant other through these things, although the most common is through dorm life. Football is a religion at UGA, and students of all groups come out to support the Dawgs. After the games, the bars down town are swarming with students. Most students party a few times a week, the most popular nights being Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, unless it is football season, in which case it is Saturday instead of Friday. Frat parties are very popular, especially raves, and many different types of students attend. If you are looking for something to do that does not involve drinking, there is Dawgs after Dark, which is a carnival run by the University once a month. As for the rest of the time, Athens is rich with culture and there are always various bands performing at venues down town.

For journalism majors like me, working for the Red & Black is a popular activity. I was just hired there this semester. The Red & Black is UGA's student-run newspaper and has been voted the best college newspaper by Editor & Publisher. It's office is off-campus on Baxter Street. You get involved with the Red & Black by submitting between one and three samples of your work, whether you're a news writer, a variety writer, a sports writer or a photojournalist. Once you're on staff, you get paid (not much) for your submissions. Working for the Red & Black is an awesome learning experience that looks great on a resume, especially if you can work your way up to editor. Other campus publications, such as Ugazine, can offer valuable writing and editing experience as well, and Magazine Club helps students get connected with organizations they may be interested in getting involved with after graduation. At UGA, football is a big deal. Almost everything you see has "Dawgs" scrawled across it. Even the bus marquees encourage the Bulldogs to victory throughout football season. You don't have to like football here. Just don't mention it. One neat thing about UGA is the variety of guest speakers that visit us. Every semester usually sees an interesting lecture series hosted in the UGA Chapel. They cover a wide range of topics, including politics, art, ethnicity, gender and so on. Only around 11 percent of the campus population pledges Greek, but that's a fairly high number for any single university. Anyone driving down Milledge Avenue enjoys gazing at the gargantuan fraternity and sorority houses. Deciding whether or not to go Greek is up to the individual. I went through half of the week-long rush and decided it wasn't for me, but some people really benefit from the professional and social connections they make in their fraternities and sororities. Aside from the regular Greek groups, there are also some that focus on specific areas of interest, such as the co-ed business fraternity or the women's music fraternity. There is never too little to do in Athens, and for many UGA students, the weekend starts on Thursday. We have plently of places to eat, unique shops and interesting events. The music scene leaves students with no shortage of cheap shows to attend. The 40 Watt downtown is one of the most popular concert venues. Athens also has some beautiful parks and trails. Bear Hollow, for example, is free to to get into and resembles a small zoo. Those in more of a movie mood can visit the Tate Center's dollar theater, as well as the one located near Athens' mall. In addition, Cine, a theater in the downtown area, specializes in obscure and foreign films. UGA also has its own art and natural history museums.

Wesley Foundation -Christian Church Group Greek Activities- Varies Habitat for Humanity Student Government Association