Life As A Second Year

Happy New Year readers! My name is Jasmine Lee and I am a second-year in the College here to talk to you about the busy and eventful spring semester. Second-year, second semester can be a busy time on grounds for students. All around me, second years (including myself!) are declaring and applying to major programs. Some majors such as politics just require a declaration with some prerequisites completed while others like the Commerce or Curry schools require an application.

Just a sampling of books for the major options available.

Being in Charlottesville around this time requires be ready for any and all types of weather. It can go from days like this…

It’s hard not to admire the Rotunda on the way to classes, even in the snow. Photo courtesy of Erin Cronley.

To days like this…

There is always time to pose with Thomas Jefferson.

In just a matter of days! Weather changes like this are always welcome with students though because there is always something to do on grounds and in Charlottesville.

One exciting part about being a second year is having a car or more friends around the university with mobility. This means that there are more opportunities for sightseeing many of the historic and popular landmarks Charlottesville is so proud to have. Of course this includes Thomas Jefferson’s famous Monticello, which is just a small drive from grounds, but also James Monroe’s home, Ash-Lawn, Carter Mountain to apple pick, and hiking trails like Humpback, just to name a few.

Monticello on a clear January day.

Of course, even for newly mobile second-years, not all of the favorite spots require a car. Visiting the Rotunda or the UVA Art Museum are always welcome activities that give students a greater appreciation and love for UVA. 

Club sports are a great way to continue to develop your athletic abilities.  Students can compete at a higher level than intramural sports.  However, club sports are not as demanding as the stress and time-consuming commitment that goes with varsity sports.  In summary, club sports are the perfect balance.

Club Golf President Christian Dolan

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Personally, I play on the Club Golf Team and it has been nothing but a great experience.  As a First Year I joined the team during the fall tryouts.  Immediately the older members of the team made all of us feel very welcome.  Becoming a part of a group that shared common interests and passions as me was most important as I was just beginning to get my grips on the University and I now had a support group behind me.

 Birdwood Golf Course

http://www.boarsheadinn.com/_images/_design/headers/golfcourseov2.jpg

Last semester, the team practiced every Friday at Birdwood Golf Course, when conditions allowed.  Once a week is not too demanding and is very manageable with any schedule, certainly one of the great things about club sports.  Throughout the season there were two tournaments where the team traveled to compete with other colleges in the region.  The team did extraordinarily well and qualified for the national competition where they placed third overall.  In general, I would say that club sports, like Club Golf, are perfect for anyone who wants to compete with other colleges but not at the intense levels of varsity. 

Undecided Major? No Problem.

     Many students come to college with a clear-cut picture of what they are going to major in. I thought that I was one of those students.  I had really enjoyed AP Physics in high school and I thought that I would be a Physics major at UVA and pursue a physics or medical career afterward. 

 

Physics Building at UVA

     After a few science classes my first semester, I realized that the sciences were no longer my passion. A major is an integral part of your college career. It determines what classes you will take, what your daily life will focus on, and what your future career will be. Realizing that the sciences were not for me, I had to find a new major.

     How was I going to find my niche? Would Art History, Economics, or Anthropology be my passion? UVA has a very wide breadth of classes and departments. For every interest, there is a course.  Finding a new major seemed daunting at first. I searched Lou’s List for new and interesting classes. For those of you unfamiliar with Lou’s List, it is a website created by Professor Bloomfield of the Physics department which hosts previous and current class offerings.  I also asked my first year RA and other upperclassmen for course recommendations.  There is also a number of resources available to students who are uncertain of their majors or careers, including University Career Services. I ended up taking a number of interesting courses and eventually I found my passion and majors. 

                                      Lou’s List- Useful Website with Course Schedules

I am now a double major in Foreign Affairs and Linguistics.  Majoring in Foreign Affairs means that I spend the bulk of my time in Nau Hall.  The major in Linguistics is interdisciplinary, which means my classes are spread out all over Grounds.  These majors are both heavily reading and essay-based, a far cry different from the lab reports and equations of Physics. Foreign Affairs appealed to me because of its focus on how states interact and, more importantly, why events occur the way they do. A major in Linguistics was a great fit for me because of my love of language. 

Nau Hall Photo Source: http://www.virginia.edu/webmap/popPages/201-NauHall.html

 

 Some books for International Relations classes

     Being undecided actually proved to be one of the greatest experiences of my college career. I took diverse classes that I never would have taken if I had maintained the same major plan as the one I came to college with. Because of my undecided status, I was able to have a wide background basis of knowledge for future classes. For example, when my Foreign Affairs course was discussing Psychology as it applies to international relations, I had the knowledge from a Psychology course to bring to the table. Initially being undecided actually turned out to be an asset in the long run. I became privy to the knowledge of Philosophy, Art, Economics and Anthropology, among other subjects. In my opinion, the point of college is to broaden your mind on the whole and to discover who and what you want be. Taking a variety of courses not only gave me the benefit of a wide range of knowledge, but it also allowed me to find my true calling. I was able to push my boundaries and expand my own horizons. Moreover, UVA students have until the end of their second year to declare their first major, so there is no rush! Don’t be afraid to take a course in something you know nothing about; you may just find your niche. So if you come to UVA with nothing more than a notebook and a thirst for knowledge, don’t fret. You, too, will find your way.

UVA Lingo

Hey you!  Do you want to be a real UVA student?  Well, unfortunately I can’t be of much assistance with that, but I can definitely show you how to talk like one!  Sarah Seale here, a third year media studies major and your one and only source to the lingo you’ll hear around the grounds of Mr. Jefferson’s university.  You may already know that we wahoos say “grounds” instead of “campus” and “third year” instead of “junior” (traditions established by TJ himself), but those are only the beginning.  Before we proceed, I must confess that I can’t help but read this in my head with Kristen Bell’s voice.  This is my first real blog post and I have already convinced myself that I am Gossip Girl.  Step aside, Humphrey.  Let’s get started!

The Lawn: the huge grassy area in front of the Rotunda, which is the iconic building designed by Thomas Jefferson.  The student body gathers here for awesome events like Rotunda Sing in August, Lighting of the Lawn in December, and, of course, graduation.  It is also home to 54 esteemed fourth years (“lawnies”) each year.  Have a picnic when it’s nice outside, which in Charlottesville could even be December 5^th!  Virginia weather can never seem to make up its mind.  Also, streaking the lawn is one of the many things you are supposed to do before you graduate.  Make sure to keep track of your clothes!

Picnic on the lawn!

Rugby Road: a frat house-filled street known for partying.  It’s a popular place to roam on weekend nights, if that’s your thing!

The AFC: a really nice gym complete with a pool and the largest hot tub on the east coast, conveniently located for first years near their dorms.  Speaking of which…

Old Dorms and New Dorms: Most of the first year dorms possess one of these two labels – “old dorms” on McCormick Road and “new dorms” on Alderman Road, categorized by when they were built.  Old dorms are, well… old, but they have a classically collegiate quad and are very close to classes.  If you’re fortunate enough to live in a brand new dorm, you’ll have the luxuries of elevators, lounges, and fancy big-screen TVs.  Lucky ducks.  Other dorm options for first years include the Gooch/Dillard area and residential colleges like Brown, Hereford, and the International Residential College (IRC).

Balz-Dobie lounge.  Source: virginia.edu

      The Pav: a food court-style dining area that offers Chick-fil-A, burritos, smoothies, and more!  It’s a nice alternative to the three main dining halls – O Hill, Newcomb, and Runk.

JPJ: John Paul Jones arena, home to our men’s and women’s basketball games as well as big concerts and shows.  Taylor Swift performed there this September!                                          

The Corner: the stretch of restaurants and stores along University Avenue, located only a couple minutes’ walk from grounds.  It includes local favorites like Bodo’s, for tasty and cheap bagels, and Littlejohn’s, the 24/7 deli, as well as chains like Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts.  Pro-tip for pizza place Mellow Mushroom – super fun trivia on Wednesday nights doesn’t start until around 9, but make sure you get there far ahead of time to get a table!  Additionally, the streets near the Corner are popular choices for off-grounds housing once students enter their second year.

      

       The Corner!  Source: charlottesvillewelcomebook.com

Club Clem: the unfortunate situation of studying in Clemons Library, open 24 hours during the week.  Go at your own risk!

Beta Bridge: the bridge across from the Beta fraternity house on Rugby that has been painted over and over and over again.  Paint it to advertise for an event or just to wish a friend happy birthday!

The Good Old Song:  a song and chant traditionally sung at sporting and other university-wide events, where everyone puts their arms around each other and sways.  Don’t worry – it’s not weird even if you find yourself next to strangers. You’ll definitely get confused when you sing it for the first time at Convocation (Uni-V Virginia?  What the what?), but you’ll be a pro by the first couple home football games.

And there you go!  There is much more lingo for you to learn, but I hope this list provided you with a good starting point in sounding like a true cavalier.  Wahoowa!

XOXO, 

Sarah

Food at UVA

When trying to make a college decision, most high school seniors put little to no thought into the kinds of food available to them during the school year.  Although it shouldn’t be among the main deciding factors, it will definitely be a relevant concern once you’re actually at school.  Some schools are known to have great food, and to be honest, UVA is not one of them; the food in the dining halls are of typical college quality.  However, there are many different options offered to students.  There are three dining halls: Observatory Hill (O’Hill), Runk, and Newcomb, and all are relatively spread out and easily accessible from all parts of Grounds.  Each has a well equipped salad bar, sandwich station, pizza, vegan options, gluten free options, stir-fry, desserts, etc., demonstrating the wide variety of food available.  However, when you get tired of these typical foods, which you will, there are other alternatives.  With the meal plans comes an option for a meal exchange, in which a meal swipe can be used for certain foods at certain times of the day.  These can be used at places such as the Castle, Crossroads, or the Pavilion for Chick-fil-a, Sbarro, Pao’s, and more.  For food not included on meal exchange, such as sushi and burritos from the Pavilion or other menu options from Sbarro or Chick-fil-a, Plus Dollars included in the meal plan on your student ID can be used as money.  These options will satisfy your On-Grounds eating needs.

Sushi from Sakura on The Corner

                If these are not enough, there are many different restaurants off grounds.  On the Corner, right near the UVA Chapel, there are many restaurants such as The Virginian, Boylan Heights, Lemongrass, Sushi Love, and more that provide a variety of different kinds of cuisines.  If you aren’t looking for a sit-down meal, you can also head down to the Corner for quick burgers from a local favorite, The White Spot, a slice of pizza from Christian’s or Mellow Mushroom, sandwiches from Little John’s, or frozen yogurt from Arch’s or Berry Berry.  There are also more options at Barrack’s Shopping Center near John Paul Jones Arena, which is accessible by the Northline bus route.  The options here include Panera, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Chipotle, Buffalo Wild Wings, and more. 

U-Pick 2 from Panera Bread at Barrack's

                Many places also deliver to the UVA campus, some at very late hours of the night.  There are many Chinese takeout places and pizza places close to campus, as well as an upcoming chain called Campus Cookies that will deliver desserts!  So far this semester, I’ve had pizza and wings past 12am, warm cookies within 20 minutes, and even sushi and various Chinese dishes delivered right outside my dorm building.  Don’t underestimate the times that while up late studying you suddenly get a craving for Chinese or pizza; they even deliver to the library!  This provides a lot of flexibility and convenience for all UVA students.

                The average quality food in the dining halls is well balanced by all the other options available to students.  Meal exchange is especially great because it does not cost extra money out of pocket, which is important because you will all become broke college students soon enough!