Over the course of my time here at UVa the past two years, I've learned a lot about many aspects of the school, academically, socially, and otherwise. There were many points I remember hearing from other students over the summer, at Days on the Lawn, and at Orientation that have luckily turned out to be true. However, there were also many questionable stories and legends I heard about the school that, to my later observations, were not quite accurate.
1. "Block Party is definitely the greatest night of your life."
Having skipped block party first year because I was too scared to go, and having hesitatingly attended second year, I can safely say that this event is just extremely crowded and disorderly. It can be fun if you're with a group of friends, walking around and observing the carnage, but be careful of the litter-strewn street and the crowded-beyond-belief sidewalks. There's nothing wrong with going out and having a good time, but I honestly think that this event in particular is not a hugely good time.
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2. "If you're not in Greek life, you're seriously missing out on social events."
This was something I mildly feared about the school going in, and though I have joined a sorority since arriving at UVa, I definitely found that the rich extracurricular climate here at UVa is a wonderful place to get involved socially. CIOs are always throwing parties or gatherings, or having fun events with free food. While Greek life is a fantastic opportunity to expand your social circle and learn about fascinating things that your brothers or sisters are involved in, it is certainly not the be-all, end-all of having a packed weekend calendar.
3. "Everyone dresses up for the football games."
"Guys in ties, girls in pearls" is only really a thing for the first game of the year. After that, wear whatever you want. No one will care or look at you weirdly either way. The temperatures at football games also vary wildly, from normally around 60ish degrees, down into the 40s sometimes, and occasionally as high as 85 or 90 degrees. Ties and pearls are not suited for all weather occasions, so there's no reason to adhere to the same dress code regardless of the weather.
4. "First Year Players is 'only for first years, right?'"
If I had a dollar for every time I've been asked this question at activities fairs or just by inquiring first year students, I'd definitely have at least twenty dollars. I do completely understand the confusion, as I had the same query when I first got to UVa. However, once and for all, only the cast and stage managers for each FYP show are strictly first years. The entire rest of the organization can be any grade, first through fourth year.
5. "New Dorms are objectively better than Old Dorms."
Having been a proud resident of the Page-Emmet dorm association my first year and gotten fully immersed in the Old Dorms life, I wouldn't have had it any other way. New Dorms may have air conditioning, but the smaller, more homey feel of Old Dorms halls is an extremely valuable, underrated plus. Besides the fact that Old Dorms has Castle, and New Dorms has Croads, which are for sure not on the same level.
6. "Runk is the Holy Grail of dining halls."
This one may arouse cries of opposition, but after eating at Runk before rehearsals on many different occasions, I honestly fail to see why it is so highly regarded. Is the food there good? Yes. Is it better than the food at Newcomb and O'Hill? On some days, probably. And I do admit that the Runk Brunch is good, as are the Plus Dollar steaks and salmon. But is its normal food leagues ahead of the other dining halls' offerings? I don't think so.
7. "Everyone comes in to UVa pre-something and intends to stay on that track."
Whether it's pre-Comm, pre-med, pre-Batten, pre-graduation, etc., it may seem like everyone you talk to first year is thinking about the next step of their education with a perfectly mapped plan of their undergraduate and graduate academic career. But truth be told, I know so many people who started out pre-med and pre-Comm and have happily moved on to other focuses of study. The most important thing to realize, especially during first year, is that no one actually knows what they're doing.
8. "The Echols Scholars are inherently smarter than the rest of the UVa population."
I am honestly not sure what goes in to selecting the first year class of Echols scholars every year, but from what I've gleaned, it seems to be a somewhat arbitrary selection process. There are many, many extremely accomplished and intelligent students here who, for some reason, weren't chosen for the Echols program. The program is a wonderful opportunity for the students who are selected for it, but not getting into Echols is absolutely not a statement about a student's potential academic opportunities or their general fit for the university.
9. "If you don't sign a lease for the following year in September or October of this year, all of the housing will be gone."
I always wonder why there is an extreme frenzy right around Fall break every year of students panicking about signing a lease as soon as possible to make sure they have a place to live the following year. Upperclassmen housing options, both on and off grounds, may be scattered and a bit disorganized, but there really are tons of apartment complexes, upperclassmen dorms, and houses available for rental each year. In addition, since housing situations often change even after leases are signed, the UVa student Facebook groups are constantly swimming in posts of students looking for another roommate. It's better to take your time and find people that you really want to live with for a whole year, rather than rush to sign a lease in an un-ideal situation.
10. "Getting a Lawn Room represents the ultimate culmination of a successful UVa career."
This sort of relates to the point I made about Echols scholars, and to be fair I don't know how Lawn Room selection works. I do know that it's one of those things that seems like a huge honor while you're at UVa, but after 4th year will be completely irrelevant to employers. There are so many learning experiences and paths to success at UVa which actually will translate to post-grad interview talking points that do not involve living your 4th year in a single room with no bathroom. Those who are not selected for Lawn Rooms have still contributed to UVa in many valuable ways, and the diversity of applications for Lawn Rooms is not wholly reflected in the virtues and experiences of students actually selected for them.
A true UVa experience always goes beyond these surface-level assumptions. UVa is so much more than the casual rumors and unfounded myths, and I am proud to attend a university with such rich academic and extracurricular opportunities. That last point is certainly not a myth.
