University of Mary Washington Top Questions

The most popular clubs are probably the political groups, service oriented groups, and religious groups. We have several very active service groups who are involved in a wide range of projects. I am involved in COAR or Community Outreach and Resources, which is the largest on-campus community service group on campus. They have more than 15 weekly programs that get students involved in actively volunteering in the Fredericksburg Community. COAR also provides on-campus events for the community (like a Trick-or-Treat for kids and a Spring Egg Hunt). There is also a group on campus called Students Helping Honduras that fundraises large amounts of money and organizes trips down to Honduras over all student Holidays. Athletic events have definitely become more popular and fun to go to since I've been a student at Mary Wash. Guest Speakers are always around and are usually pretty popular, depending on the field. I've seen Madeline Albright, Senator Webber, John Edwards, Bill Clinton, several big comedians, and several big authors on academic works. We have a very active Theatre department that puts on several plays, musicals, and short acts on-campus that are very cheap for students. We also have several Acapella groups that bring other groups on-campus to perform. The dating scene, unfortunately, is a little slow. There is a pretty big guy-girl ratio gap...maybe 45-65. So if you're looking for guys, the pickings are pretty slim. I met my closest friends from activities on campus that I started doing with people I met in my dorm freshmen year. It's all linked... If I'm awake on a Tuesday at 2am, I'm studying or writing a paper. On weekends, I'm probably watching a movie or at a party. I'd say on average people party one night a week. There are people who party every night of the week, and those that don't at all, so you can find where you fit in. Frats don't exist, except for the underground one that puts on pretty fun parties at a local "club" if you can call it that. If I didn't want to go out, I could catch a late cheap seats movie for a dollar and then go to the Washroom to chill out and eat some food at late night. Off campus, downtown often has fun stuff to do, like big parades or concerts. Oh yeah, did I mention I saw Plain White T's and Lupe Fiasco on campus too this past year??

If you want something to happen at UMW, be it a protest or a poetry slam, all you have to do is go to the student activities office with a plan, and they'll help you to make it happen. During the warmer months, there is usually an activity planned for every Friday and Saturday night. The school also funds a guerilla art group on campus in its effort to erect spider webs in academic buildings and fill the fountain with rubber ducks.

there is no dating scene. at 2am on a tuesday night i'm outside my room in the lounge playing games or trying to write a paper with people on my floor. devil goat day happens each year and its awesome. there are no fraternities or sororities. and on a saturday night you wont have too much fun if youre not out at one of the two parties going on. central park is the best. i honestly dont know what students did before it was built, it has everything to do in it.

Although UMW has the reputation of everyone leaving for the weekend, almost everyone stays. The people are what makes this university, what drives the social life. There may not be as many opportunities to get shit faced as there are at say, Tech, but if thats what you wanted from college, you probably could have done that somewhere that didn't charge tuition. The lack of frats and sorors actually makes it a happier place, and so the partying is much more of a hangout/chill with your friends then a 'get plastered with creepy strangers.' I'm a guy, and even I prefer it that way.

-Most popular teams: Mens and womens (A) rugby (B) baseball / softball (C) lacrosse (D) basketball (E) swimming. -Every student for the most part leaves their doors open all day, unless they're drinking in the room haha. If they aren't open, they most certainly are unlocked, and a community atmosphere is very prevalent. This is one thing that I loved about UMW and its dorm life, although the actual dorm facilities sometimes leave things to be desired (higher shower heads!) -Athletic events are popular for the sports-minded kids. Rugby, baseball, basketball, and lacrosse are all popular events to go see. -Dating isn't as popular as the stereotypical college "hook-ups", but it's not uncommon to know kids that date. -Last weekend before I left for school I went to a few parties where everyone had a great time. I think drinking on the weekends is one of the more stereotypical college things to do, and UMW has its fair share of this for sure.

Not a lot of social life, but that's one of the reasons I chose the school.

not much activity, nice because no pressure, not very much school unity because not a D1 school...boring at times, town does not like college, is a perfect example of a suitcase school

Theatre, unfortunately, is not the most prevalent thing to do on campus, though we tried our best to get as many people as possible in the seats. At 2am on a Tuesday, you can usually find me wandering around campus talking to people. Frats are not important - hell, there aren't any of them. Devil Goat Day happens every year, as does the Multicultural Fair and tons of other stuff.

UMW does have a lot of social activities, and my best advice for people would be to get involved in them. One of the biggest organizations is SHH, which is Students Helping Hondoras." And there are a lot of volunteer opportunities through Circle K and Rotaract. Perhaps because of the university's small size, it is very easy to get involved in activities and then to acquire leasership positions in them later on. We don't have a football team, and we have Division 3 sports, so sports are not that popular. We don't have a Greek life--UMW just approved the first co-ed fraternity this year. A lot of partying can go on in the freshman dorms during Fridays and Saturdays, though I am told that in the upperclass dorms a lot of people will go home. As far as the dating scene goes, you don't stand much of a chance, since the student body is only 1/3 male. UMW has a strong honor system, so students can feel free to leave their dorm doors open or leave stuff in public and still expect to find it when they return. Sometimes people feel that the honor system is more based off of fear, however.

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