Washington and Lee University Top Questions

Popular groups? Not sure except for fraternities and sororities. Intramurals sports always attracts a big crowd. What groups was I involved with. Let’s see I was a co-founder of PAACE, Pan-Asian American Cultural Exchange, but left after a year. Some of these groups are private get-together who asks the school for money so they can entertain themselves, which really defeats the purpose of the club’s title “Cultural Exchange”. Also, the other co-founders were leading this group in an direction that was exclusively for Asians and their close friends, which I found disagreeable. And finally what ticked me off the most was the president and vice-president of the club seemed to be bickering about whether it should be for Asians or Asian Americans. I suppose this is something that might happen in any newly founded club. I think there is a new leadership within the group that is directing PAACE in a more community orientated direction which is a good thing. The other group I was highly involved with was the boxing club. We made and sold t-shirts through a local t-shirt making company. Got together, exercised, and we hit each other every now and then. When someone got pretty good we’d muster up the courage to spar with the guys at Virginia Military Institute (VMI). Lots of fun. I think the boxing club was one of the most diverse club groups at W&L. We had boys, girls, undergraduates, law students, employees of the school, and people of all regions international and domestic. Despite all this involvement with the boxing club I still had to fulfill the requirement of taking 5 P.E. courses. I’m not sure what the reasoning behind that policy is… I’ve asked the administration before but they either look at me like I don’t know what I’m talking about or they say “tradition”. Yes, students in the dorms leave their rooms unlocked and sometimes open. It’s a very open but inclusive community, as long as you fit in. Athletic events seem very popular. Although I hear that most of the athletic groups in W&L are not that competitive within their respective rankings, except for tennis. I think. But all in all strong support for the athletic events can be seen as these events gives people something to talk about. Guest Speakers at W&L is probably one of the best aspects of W&L. There are some very interesting people that come to give lectures. Some speakers dumb down a topic for most people to understand which helps creates awareness while others talk about various issues that are really interesting, but at time they slyly inject their personal opinions which is inevitable I suppose. I thought that most politically involved speakers are either Republicans or from non-profit organizations. The arts at W&L left a lot be desired, in my opinion, but that is probably I’m comparing it to schools such as Parsons, RSDI, or SACI, so my opinion might be a bit biased on this one. Nevertheless, W&L has recently constructed a new building dedicated to the advancement of the arts and should have a better and improved arts department. Dating? What’s that? I’ve had a very solitary experience at W&L but that probably more due to the lack of enthusiasm on my part. This question should be referred to someone else. I guess I had two close friends since my freshman year. Other friends I’ve had during my freshman year stopped being close friends once we’ve found our niche at W&L. It seems to me that the people you live with become the friends you have. Join a fraternity, or a sorority. The other friends I had are those who I lived with or had shared a common interest. Trying to sleep, the town closes after 7 PM. Buying Stopin hotdogs(it’s a local gas station, and the only place in Lexington VA that is open 247). Studying while wishing I was somewhere else. Traditions and Events. Mock-Con happens once every four years. Apparently it’s a pretty prestigious event. They also have an Annual Prom thing… forgot what it’s called… Join a fraternity or sorority and they have their own annual things that they do. Watching new pledges get harassed. Um… Something with the W&L chapel, Robert E. Lee is buried there along with this horse. Can you tell I wasn’t that involved… People party Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Sunday is normally “do all the work you’ve neglected all week” day. How important are fraternities and sororities? Well, if you briefly look over what I’ve written, you’ll notice fraternities and sororities already mentioned there and how it might affect your life. Based upon that, I would say that joining a fraternity or sorority is a major aspect of life at W&L. What did I do last weekend… seeing how I got this mail after I graduated, I’ve been studying Korean. What can I do on a Saturday night that doesn’t involve drinking… studying? Oh, you mean for fun? I don’t know, watch a movie? W&L is Lexington. The real question is where is off campus? There is very little interaction between the students and the locals. The town is small, one bar has a lot of students from both VMI or W&L while the other bar has a lot of locals. The two groups don’t mix well. The town of Lexington has a few of nice and expensive restaurants but they normally cater to the professors or parents of students which is naturally staffed by the locals. From what I understand most, if not all, of the minimum wage jobs are staffed by the locals. Most of the fraternities are “off-campus” but are under the jurisdiction of W&L property. So again the question is where is off campus? I didn’t have a car so getting out of Lexington took quite an effort sometimes. Shopping for food and supplies was a hassle most of the times.

Greek life is huge here-probably bigger than it should be for a school so small. If you're awake 2am on a Tuesday, you're drunk dancing at the frat houses. Or eating Dominos. Alumni weekend, homecoming, and fancy dress are the three MAJOR events on campus. Do not miss them. You can party almost any day of the week if you wanted to. I have never locked my door during the day, there really is no need. Athletics surprisingly is a big deal here and are supported. Maybe not for the entire extent of the game, but sporting events are a social event.

Parties are great, and there are a decent amount of sober activities on campus as well.

There's fraternity parties. A lot of them. But fraternity parties usually range from cocktail social affairs to keg stands in the country.... with a nifty bus that takes you to and from. Some of my other independent friends go to the midnight movie.... which is not an alcoholic affair, but parties do not stop at 12 am. Groups also form, eventually.

Greek life is social life. I don't know what I'd spend all my time doing if I wasn't in a sorority. Which frat or srat you're in is important...it sort of determines who you hang out with and what you do when you go out.

Most people feel as if the social life revolves solely around Greek organizations, which do play a dominant role, but there are many other options for people. Many famous speakers come to campus and there is always something to do for people who don't want to party, but the majority of the students will spend a Friday or Saturday night at a fraternity party.

Greek organizations are the most prominent on campus. They are responsible for the majority of social and philanthropic events. I am a member of Kathekon, which is a student group that interacts with Alumni and also promotes the speaking tradition at W&L. In the fall we host a cook-out for the freshmen and during the winter we organize SPEAK day. W&L's speaking tradition is an important aspect of our community. The purpose is to promote a tight-knit community in which everyone is friendly and polite. W&L is also a very safe school. Students often leave their dorm rooms open or their computers in the commons, etc. There is a strong honor code here that allows students to trust each other. W&L has something of a reputation for being a party school, but never before have I experienced a more accurate example of "Work Hard, Play Hard."

greek life is first and foremost. everyone does it, and if not, no one's really sure who you are or what you do with your time. everyone knows everyone at W&L; it's so small that you're going to know everyone's gossip, and they're going to know yours.

Fraternities and Sororities definitely control the social scene.

I only lock my door when I leave for breaks. I study a lot, and go to the library frequently. I almost always go out every Friday and Saturday night, which includes a party of some sort, and drinking is almost always involved. There is a bizarre dating scene; due to the gender relations issues, it's more of a "hook-up" scene, which leads to embarrassing situations and tensions between guys and girls. That said, I've been on a few dates here with a couple different guys, and I had a great time. It all depends on what you're looking for.