Why The University Of Mary Washington Is So Underrated

I am a Freshman at Mary Wash and many of my friends from high school who are now seniors applying to colleges have asked me questions about my choice of school. Below are my top 8 reasons (i was literally too lazy to get to 10 I'm sry) why I adore UMW for those of you who may be thinking of applying here!

1. Soft Grunge Meets Nerd

UMW is special because of the type of people who go here- this is a school for students who are serious about their studies and their friends. My first week on campus I met these two junior girls who had a house off campus and pretty much seemed like the nicest and coolest girls ever. They decided to drive us downtown to get ice cream (from famous Carl's) our first weekend in college so we would get a feel for the school. My high school was very competitive and cliquey, so you can only imagine how shocked I was that JUNIORS in college cared so much about the new students. The students here strive for everyone to be involved- I have only been here for about 8 weeks, but I feel as if I have a solid, comfortable foundation here in this school thanks to all the groups I am apart of.

2. Small Classes, Small School, Better Education

I know I was one of the kids who used to think this, but going to a "big named" school doesn't mean instant success. UMW is small, but many professors teach at big named schools so you are getting the same education only at a smaller school. My music professor teaches at Yale as well as UVA, so I am getting the exact same education, BUT with smaller class sizes and the professor actually knows my name and how hard I work in/out of class. My biggest class this semester is about 32 students; my smallest class is 14 students. If you want to go to a school where you get attention from your professors and form relationships with them, THIS IS YOUR SCHOOL.

3. Livin' in the 'Burg

A couple streets down from campus is a cute old town called Fredericksburg. I promise you it's the cutest, little historical town you'll ever see. A big reason I wanted to attend Mary Wash was because of the town it is surrounded by. I wanted to feel involved in the community outside of the school itself, and Fredericksburg is the perfect place. Everything is Fredericksburg is old architecture which makes the town beautiful (there is a house down the street that is being sold for 1.2 million dollars). For all you history buffs out there, Fredericksburg is best known for 'The Battle of Fredericksburg' which was an early battle of the Civil War and stands as one of the greatest Confederate victories. With that being said, UMW is one of the few schools in the country that has a Historic Preservation major. For those of you who are preppy and girly, there are at least 6 monogram stores downtown as well as Monkees, which is basically a Lilly Pulitzer and Kate Spade heaven. There are always concerts downtown on Friday nights for those like me who love to be in the music scene. Even though campus is small, many students will go downtown and sit in cute coffee shops together and work.

4. Focused On What Really Matters..

I like to joke around and say that Mary Washington is like the little sister to William and Mary because it feels like the same school, but with different perks. Academics are hard here- this is true. The school is very focused on education and student involvement. All the clubs here are very open to everyone. Unlike at other schools where getting involved is tricky, things here are easy to jump into because you don't get judged or looked at differently than others. On a different note, I have had many people ask me about the party scene here. People will tell you there are no parties here...(look at my snapchat and you will see otherwise..). If you want a school where there are parties and drinking EVERY day of the week then good for you, go to JMU. We have parties, but students here actually care about how they do academically so stuff mainly happens on weekends. if partying and alcohol is your #1 priority then don't come here because you WILL flunk out.

5. Devil Goat Day

One of my FAVORITE Mary Wash traditions is Devil Goat day! One of the oldest traditions at UMW is the celebration of “Devil-Goat Day.” Are you a Devil? Or a Goat? Students whose year of graduation is even are designated Goats. Students with odd graduation years are the “Devils.” Traditionally, on the Thursday before the last day of classes in the spring, students gather in Ball Circle for a carnival celebration and class competitions to win prizes and gain bragging rights. Everyone around campus wears devil/goat attire, so i'm getting really pumped to celebrate for my first time this spring.

6. Picture Perfect everyday

If you close your eyes and picture the perfectly classic, and timeless campus, you will be at UMW. I guess Mary Wash is mostly known for its stunning campus, but its true. The campus is filled with beautiful neoclassical buildings- each with different character. The picture above, (taken by yours truly) is a residence hall known as Ball Hall. When I first went into Ball Hall I think my heart stopped...All I was thinking was "THIS IS LITERALLY WHAT THE KARDASHIAN'S HOME LOOKS LIKE!!!" (It does, okay). All the buildings here are very old, but full of tradition and memories. UMW just opened a new building that is attached to the library, which we call the Convergence Center. It just got built and literally its the coolest building EVER. There are rooms of large flat screen TV's which students hang out and play video games in and such, and then there are rooms that are just macs....EVERYWHERE. Thousands of macs, which for a tech geek like me, is my dream.

7. Bench Sitting

Straight from urban dictionary..

Bench Sitting: (n.) Leisure activity unique to University of Mary Washington students where one or more students observe the activities and/or listen to the conversations of others while sitting on a campus walk bench. Bench sitting can also be used to observe UMW squirrels or cute guys around campus.

thats all i gotta say about that..

8. Perfect College Town

Just watch this....