It's that time of year again for college students nationwide ... making the return (or arrival) to their universities.
For seniors, it's going to class one last time and making one last mark on their college career before going off into the real world. For sophomores and juniors, it's reuniting with familiar faces and meeting new ones all while working towards a major. For freshmen, it's the beginning of a new chapter of their lives: one that they've spent days, even weeks in advance packing and preparing for. Many are leaving loved ones behind to travel hundreds of miles to get their school year started. For all, it's a shift from the complete liberty of the summer to the educational system, a move that some may enjoy more than others.
Bucknell University is by no means an exception to the rule, but there are still many things about this place that make freshmen and seniors alike anticipate their arrival to the campus. Here is a list of 15 things that make young adults nationwide anticipate the scream "'Ray Bucknell!" These 15 things may not necessarily be in order of most exciting, but they all hold a special place in the heart of a true Bucknellian.
15. The Andrew Carnegie Building
Currently under construction, the Carnegie Building is the latest in Bucknell's many renovation projects. Aiming to return the building to its classic 1920s appearance, Bucknell has put plenty of effort into making this project conclude as fast as possible. Walking on the main road of campus, South Seventh Street, the construction project is immediately a distinguishable feature. If the project, which costs $7 million, lives up to the resulting beauty of Academic West, then students present and future will be more than happy to add another building to their academic endeavors.
14. The Nostalgia of Seeing Student Tours
Have you ever gone on a campus tour? Chances are that if you have, you've either seen plenty of students roaming the campus while you were visiting, had a student tour guide, or both. At some point during these tours, you begin to imagine yourself in the current students' position - a place where you are the one walking to your next class and seeing prospective students walking around the university. For me, whenever I see these tours while walking to class, I then put myself back in the other position, as the student getting to know the university. It's always a nostalgic feeling.
13. Bostwick Dining Hall
This is the place for you if you enjoy eating as much food as you can handle for most of the day. Food is pretty cheap for its dollar here as well, and students are able to add money to their own account. Freshmen in particular have it great, as they have unlimited access to the cafeteria. Every student has the chance to take a break from the regular food and go to Downtown Lewisburg for a shake-up in food options.
12. Orientation (and Color Games)
Some people come to orientation and hate the five days of what seems to be non-stop events and activities. Personally, the orientation assistants I had woke me up to Kanye West and Disney music at seven in the morning. Nevertheless, Orientation does a great job of keeping everyone on track for the beginning of the school year and giving new students a basic run-down of what to expect for the next four years of their lives. It also gives new students the chance to meet their fellow classmates and meet some of the school's upperclassmen. On top of that, students participate in the Color Games, where freshmen and upperclassmen orientation assistants alike become drenched in paint!
11. Move-In Weekend
For freshmen, this falls under orientation, but even for upperclassmen, move-in day is a long anticipated moment. It's the day where you say your final goodbyes to those you spent the summer with, pack up your stuff, and move into a new house. For sophomores, it's moving from the freshmen halls of Vedder, McDonnell, Swartz, and Smith to the sophomore houses, and for the seniors, it's living the good life in senior housing or off-campus housing. Nonetheless, everyone awaits the day they get to return to Bucknell life.
10. Kenneth Langone Athletics and Recreation Center
Addressed as the KLARC from here on in, this is the go-to spot for those looking for a good workout or wanting to play a specific sport. From a swimming pool to a weight room to a basketball gym (not including the actual pavilion for sports events) to a track with basketball, soccer, and volleyball courts, the KLARC has anything and everything when it comes to indoor sports. The best part? It's free to all Bucknellians.
9.Downtown Lewisburg
One of the things that makes a university great is the things outside of the main campus. Lewisburg, Pennsylvania is a close-knit and quiet community where everybody you meet will greet you with a smile, and sometimes even strike up a conversation with you. It is almost impossible to walk out of the downtown area without a smile on your face. From the cleverly named Pizza Phi to the Campus Theater to the Greek Isles salon, downtown has something for almost everyone.
8. Campus Shuttle
Not many schools have their own shuttle service to take students around the campus. Bucknell's shuttle service runs every hour, and makes stops at locations such as the downtown bookstore, as well as Walmart and Weis Markets.
7. The Parties
Though hardly the main reason students come to college, it's impossible to deny the stats: Bucknell is the the number four party school in the nation, and it doesn't come without good reason. Greek life is a MAJOR thing here, and many students find themselves joining fraternities and sororities by their sophomore or junior year. You will seldom find a night without any parties going on here, and they are a great way to meet new people and have a good time.
6. Barnes & Noble at Bucknell
Not many universities can lay claim to their own Barnes & Noble branch, but Bucknell can. With a wide array of books, avid readers will never find themselves out of things to read. On top of that, the store supplies Bucknellians with all of their required textbooks. Add that to the Starbucks and the Bucknell attire spread around the store, students are guaranteed to walk out looking like true Bisons.
5. The Quiet City
Lewisburg is definitely a stark contrast from the loud noises of the nation's major cities. Whether you come from New York City, Philadelphia, Newark, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, or any of the nation's other big cities, Lewisburg will certainly feel a lot different. While it can be argued that with a quiet city comes a lack of things to do, that may be what's needed for students to focus on college. And there's always the shuttle to take you to the airports and major transportation stations if you need to get away.
4. Academics
Bucknell has the distinction of being in the Top 30 in the nation for its academics. As one of the country's top liberal arts colleges, Bucknell has a plethora of classes to fancy your interests and help you when it comes to choosing a major. From a digital drawing class where students use iPads to come up with their own unique creations, to computer science where students can learn or further their knowledge about computer language and coding, Bucknell has a lot to offer in terms of academics.
3. A Small Campus
Some people may argue that a small campus is a bad thing because of the lack of buildings and facilities available for students to use. However, Bucknell provides plenty of facilities to use, including the Elaine Langone Center (for mail and student dining), the KLARC, the Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium (for athletics), and Academic West, Vaughn Lit, and Rooke Science (just a few of the school's many educational facilities). Size can be deceiving, and the way Bucknell has been created, the school seems much bigger than it is. You will seldom ever walk more than 10 minutes to cross the campus.
2. The Fellow Bucknellians
Nothing can substitute the people you meet at Bucknell. Whether it be through your classes, your walk to those classes, or in your free time, you're guaranteed to see a new face every once in a while - something that makes this school refreshing.
1. The College Life
At the end of the day, Bucknell is still a college. It's always nice to have your own free time and have all your actions dictated by your decisions. Save for homework, whatever time you have is completely up to you how you want to spend it. Whether it be sleeping, going to the gym, or heading downtown, you are the only person that can tell you what you're going to do next. Much like the goal of the university, you are the one who determines your future.
