Vote: What’s the best thing about W&M?
You can’t pick everything as your favorite
Everyone at William and Mary knows we’re the best. We have a beautiful campus, interesting people, and world renowned academics. The big question, however, is what part of campus is the best?
The appearance of campus
For any history buff, the antiquated brick buildings on campus are the most beautiful site. The trees turn to beautiful shades of crimson and orange in fall, and few can deny the stunning charm of the Crim Dell bridge.
But maybe you hated high school history class, and want to get as far away from it as possible. You dread the old-timey brick pathways, preferring the sleek and modern ISC. To some, the way our campus looks is less than ideal – maybe even enough to call it the worst part of W&M.
The Honor Code
It’s nice to be able to save a table at Sadler without worrying that your bag will be gone when you get back. Even so, some students think of the Honor Code as silly because we take so seriously. It could be your favorite part of W&M for the respect it encourages, or your least favorite because it seems to have too much emphasis placed on it.
The food
The general consensus among William & Mary students is that the food in our dining halls is lacking. Most students are eager to get off the school’s meal plan as upperclassmen so they can eat out more.
Of course to other students, this isn’t the case. Maybe you truly love eating on campus, even if you only have Marketplace fries for every meal. There’s no denying Swemromas makes excellent coffee, and we have plenty of touristy restaurants nearby. You might even love the food here more than home!
The climate
Our students come from all over the U.S., and even all over the world. That means we’re all used to very different climates. There’s no denying that Williamsburg tends to be consistently hot and humid, but this can be a pro or con of W&M depending on where you’re from.
People used to the cold often love the milder winters, but there are many others who want more snow and less humidity, making the climate one of the most debatable aspects of the college.
Our academics
The rigorous courses are a key feature of W&M. We’re notorious for our academic focus, which doesn’t fail to get our graduates into excellent jobs. But while you’re a student here, the late nights writing essays and constantly overcrowded study spaces in Swem can grow exhausting.
The sports
Being so heavily focused on academics, sports aren’t huge among the Tribe. It’s not to say they don’t exist – people still go out to see the football games on Saturdays and many students are involved in various sports across campus. Many more students join intramural teams to stay active.
If you’re the type who loves to stay inside with a good book, you may appreciate the fact that William & Mary students don’t place so much emphasis on athletics. But if you’re a sports fanatic who wants to go to every game, you might crave a school with like-minded students.
Our clubs and organizations
No matter what your interested in, there’s a club on campus for you. We have everything from the popular Cheese Shop Club, to community service opportunities, to a Quidditch team. There’s an endless number of organizations to join on campus, which can be both exciting and overbearing.
Having so many involvement opportunities could be the best thing about the college to you if you love keeping busy – but it can also be the worst, if you want to have the time to relax and hang out with your friends, who are constantly running from event to event.
The campus community
We take One Tribe, One Family seriously here. Our students care for each other and the entire campus unlike at any other school. You can count on the people here to help you in good times and bad – something that makes W&M unique and is often boasted as an amazing quality of the college.
To just about everyone, the sense of community and belonging is a favorite aspect of the college, but there are some students who might prefer a larger, less tight student body that could be found at a bigger school.