Anna
The best thing about UMN for me is the wide variety of majors and other extra groups that smaller campuses don't have. I think the school is too big. If I have a problem that I need to fix I have to go to many different places and jump through many hoops just to fix it. When I tell people from back home that I go to the U the main reaction is how far away it is from home, or something about city life. Not many people know a lot about the academics or specifics where I am from. Most of my time spent on campus is working. I feel that the U overcharges their students and should give out more financial aid. The U's administration doesn't really instill an opinion on me much. I think the system treats you like a number, and as long as you are willing to be treated as one appeasement will get you through. I don't feel that there is much school pride, but that is because I compare it to Madison's school pride. There just isn't the same aura like at Homecoming or football games.
Rachel
The best part about the University of Minnesota is the availability of anonymity, accompanied with the ability to be a social butterfly. With a campus over 50 thousand strong some high schoolers think that they'll fall between the cracks and never get noticed, but this is not the case. Teachers are always willing to speak with students and small discussion groups offer the ability to make new friends and allow for personal relationships. When I came to the university I was excited at being a face in the crowd. I came from a small town of 3,000 where everyone wanted to know everything about everyone. It was nice to have some privacy and control over what other people heard about me.
I spend most of my time on campus at the rec center. I am on the women's rugby team so physical fitness is very important to me. I usually lift weights or work on the elypticals, but recently a friend of mine got me into some rock climbing. There is a bouldering wall in the bottom level of the rec center and my roommate and I often go there after class and hang out on the big bean bag chairs and do some climbing to unwind.
There is a lot of controversy over the new football stadium that is going up. Its no secret the U has had some problems with its football team and a lot of students feel that a loosing record and poor personal choices are being rewarded with a gift of a new stadium for the players. In reality the stadium is a gift for the students to create more of a community on campus. Even with a losing record the football team still contributes more gross funds than any other sport on campus and a football stadium is a very good investment for the college. In the future it will increase the university's income, and hopefully promote a winning season or two.
Harper
Size is great. Programs within the school allow for the small school feel. Diversity is a big bonus. GREAT city to live in. So many different things to do on the weekends, and even during the week.
Owen
The best thing about the UMN, is that it is a bargain compared to schools in Michigan since I have reciprocity. I like that it is a large school, so there is always something going on and new people to meet. However, I get personalized attention from being in the College of Biological Sciences which only has about 300 students per class. People still haven't thought of anything cleverer than "Cold enough for you?" when I tell them I go here.
I live on campus. Outside of class, I'm in my or a friend's dorm or at the American Student Cultural Center in Coffman. I'm living in Lavender House, the GLTBA living and learning community, which is really fun! I love learning from and hanging out with people different from myself.
The adminstration is pretty good, especially compared to Oakland University. I took a summer class there last year and everything was nuts compared to here. One-Stop, here at the U makes everything convenient. On the rare occasion they cannot help you, they can at least tell you exactly where to go, or fax it for you.
Everyone complains about it being cold, but if you like snow, this is definitely the place. The campus is really beautiful in the spring and fall. Lots of people hang out on the Mall and people watching is always fun.
Bethany
The U is a great place for academics, meeting people, and to have a great time. For many students like myself coming from a small town can make adjusting to the cities difficult, but it will most likely happen. Give it time, and be open-minded. There is tons of stuff always going on around campus, take advantage of them (many are free, or very low-price). The first couple weeks of school are going to be the least stresful involving homework, use this time to explore. I love Coffman Memorial and the Northrop Mall. Both of these areas are great for studying but also double for recreation. Every weekend there is tons of things to do in Coffman, such as Gophers After Dark activities, which is a gret oppurtunity for those that would like to avoid the partying atmosphere. I also love going to the Gopher games, a great way to get involved with our school spirit is to purchase season football tickets. It is great to see so many people coming together to cheer for our beloved gophers!