University of Wisconsin-Madison Top Questions

You have an entire city at your disposal. The city is campus and it's amazing how integrated they are. You can do anything, and most of it is free.

There are countless organizations on campus. You can join anything from the equestrian team to dance to book clubs. I am a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. We do a lot of local volunteering and fundraising for events. Athletic events are very popular on campus. On the day of a sporting event, people are walking around everywhere in their Badger gear. Dorms are great for socializing during your first year. Students usually keep their doors open and the house fellows organize events for each floor, so it is easy to meet other students.

Sports are very big but also there is a student organization for just about any and everything.

I honestly can't even decide which student organizations and groups are most popular because there are so many different ones available, and so many different types of students that each one is important to many people. With this said, there are a few well- known organizations, but everything is truly interest oriented, and there is something for everyone. A prevalent organization on campus is called Hoofers, which is and outdoor oriented group that takes trips or outings that are focused on outdoor activities. Different branches of this group include the outing club, skiing and snowboarding club, equestrian club, scubadiving club and so on. This is just one example of the way that students organize groups based on interests, and how it can spread to so many different people. Also, even though it is not a group or anything, football games generate a lot of school pride and festivity that many students take part in to support the school and friends. I am a season ticket holder for football, and I wouldn't think of missing such a fun, exciting game during the season. Games generate so much school spirit and a sort of unique feeling that unifies the students in supporting the university. UW Madison is notoriously known for being somewhat of a party school as well, and while it can be very fun, not everyone does it, and there really are so many things to do that you don't always need to feel pressured to go out to a party. In fact, since so many students are so studious, it is understood when school comes first and you can't go out with friends. Otherwise, it really comes down to who you surround yourself with, and you can easily be accepted for doing whatever you like on the weekends because there are so many possibilities and so many different people to share them with. There is also frequent movies playing at the school unions, and a bunch of concerts on campus, so you can easily find something to keep you busy when you're not studying. Also the city around campus holds even more opportunities, and every student gets a free bus pass so it is easy to travel out to a mall or surrounding areas if you look at the bus schedule.

The most popular groups on campus are the political groups- College Democrats and College Republicans, but outdoor groups such as Hoofers also have pretty big membership. Football is the major sport here, and student season tickets sell out in minutes. Basketball and hockey are very popular too, but if a student is going to get season tickets for only one sport, they're going to get it for football. Game days are when the campus really comes alive- there's parties everywhere, lots of music, tailgating, etc. On the academic side, the Distinguished Lecture Series is really popular, and those events often sell out as well. On the weekends, I would say about 75{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the campus goes out an parties, but most don't do it every weekend, and it's not always a wild event. If you don't want to drink, the university always has a lot of events going on, there's movies playing the in the unions, bowling, pool, and dorm events and outings.

Due to UW-Madison's size, students can find virtually any activity or group. Groups range from fantasy sports leagues to music groups to community service teams. Sports teams, clubs, and intramural leagues are also very popular. I myself am involved in both intramural volleyball and soccer, as well as music and church service groups. Because of all these options, it is easy to find things to do on weekends instead of just partying. Places such as the Orpheum Theatre and the Overture Center offer shows and concerts, ranging from local music groups to famous bands. If the weather is nice, the Memorial Union Terrace is also a great option for fun, friends, and music. Weekends in the fall will likely be a little more wild than normal, due to football games. I met most of my friends in the dorms my freshmen and sophomore years. I also met friends in classes and through St. Paul's Church. I considered joining a sorority, but opted not to. There are many options for frats and sororities, but the whole scene is not outlandish. There isn't a typical "frat row" that you see at many other colleges, but rather the frats are more interspersed and on the whole very welcoming to students outside the frat. If you get tired of campus life, there are also options off campus. Busses can take you the West Town or East Town malls, Target, nightclubs, and music bars.

Wisconsin, I feel, really spoils us as a student body when it comes to activity outside of study. There's just SO much to do. Sporting events, for me, are number one. The badgers are pretty much good at every sport. That makes going to games fun and exciting. The girls at UW are GORGEOUS. It's almost unfair. There is a strong dating scene here. Even Freshmen who get paired up early are happy about it because Madison is a dating-friendly city. Greek life is NOT that important, but it's something that I enjoy. Give it a shot if you want, and if you don't, you'll probably have a friend who will. Once they're in, you can go to their parties. This IS, as much as I hate to say it, a party school. People party. A lot. In the beginning it was almost disturbing. Welcome Week is the week after move in and before classes formally begin. Needless to say this week is the birthplace and manifestation of regretful decision-making, but it also was a lot of fun. There are things to do that don't involve drinking. I don't know how popular they are because of my living situation. On that note, and in ALL caps: IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO PARTY, PLEASE DO NOT LIVE IN THE SOUTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD. I cannot stress that enough. Lakeshore and southeast are your living options for public dorms. Lakeshore is quieter and tends to be more academic whereas southeast is overbearingly social at times.

Student government is big at UW-Madison, as well as public interest group WISPIRG. These groups also encourage volunteer work through themselves as well as other, smaller groups. For any professional career, there are a handful of student organizations dedicated to educating you and connecting you to adults in those fields. I was able to find a small pre-law group called the Legal Studies Association and really make it my own, becoming the organization's President my Junior year. This has cemented my interest in the law, and I think that without having sifted through the wealth of student organizations on campus I would still be pondering what I wanted to do with my life. You can party as much or little as you would like to after your freshman year. The first year, however, is filled with energy as students look to make a new circle of friends, and often this is accompanied by going out to parties in large groups. Friday and Saturday night the dorms will be alive until 2-3 AM, so if this is not your scene I would recommend you look into some of the alternative dorms on campus (Chadbourne, Barnard, etc.).

At my school, there are hundreds of active student organizations and an even larger amount of student interests that circle around campus. That being said, two of the largest organizations around UW-Madison are Wisconsin Union Directorate Committees and our large greek system. The Wisconsin Union Directorate is composed of committees such as Art, Music, Film, Society and Politics, Global Connections, Alternative Breaks, and Publications. Through these committees, students can explore these fields and help set up events at our unions for the student body to enjoy. Our greek system is also very big at campus. Rushing for a sorority or fraternity at the beginning of your semester at UW-Madison could be a very reward experience for you if you are interested in such a thing. UW-Madison is known for being a party school, but during the week, students work hard to get good grades and excel. If you ask any one at our school, they know that we work hard and party hard. However, if that is not something that you are interested in, do not worry. There is something for everyone on our campus. It's hard to find a moment of boring, free time at this campus.

I think oftentimes incoming students look to a school's Greek system to gauge what the social scene is generally like. At the University of Wisconsin, the Greek system exists but does not dominate the social scene. I was part of a fraternity, and while I appreciate the social, academic, and philanthropic avenues which my fraternity provided me, I also realize that there is a large social life in Madison outside of the Greek world. Many of the advantages of Greek involvement can be found in non-Greek contexts. For instance, students can take part in social and community activism through the Associated Students of Madison (a body of student government) or one of the two major student newspapers. Because the university is so large, students are intent on finding smaller communities in which to immerse themselves. While attending the university is enough to solidify one's identity as a Badger, extracurricular involvement is important in finding a more intimate, meaningful context. In other words, students find their way into the university through extracurricular activities which fit their interests and personalities. At the same time, these extracurricular activities allow them to expand their horizons and take on risks that are educational. Students find employment in the unions, the school cafeterias,the University of Wisconsin Foundation, and the libraries, which allows them to financially support themselves while providing fundamental services for their peers. Other students join business organizations to form networks and find like-minded peers. Students who excel in a certain language or who simply wish to experience a totally new culture study abroad.. I went to London during my Junior year, which was definitely one of my most rewarding, valuable college experiences. These activities are all lively, enriching ways for students to develop and grow.