Okay so first off, along with the rest of the Class of 2022, I’m still pretty new to campus. I’ve only lived in my new home in Gilbert Hall for a few months, but I’ve loved every minute. So I knew when I decided to come here that Rochester was unique, but since moving in I’ve learned a lot about the many… how do I put this… quirks that make me love this school even more. Here are just a few.
1. We nickname literally everything
If you’ve been on a campus tour, you’ve probably visited or seen Wilson Commons, Douglass Dining Hall, and Susan B. Anthony Residence Halls. You may have even been graced by the presence of one of the many groundhogs around campus. Well, none of those things are called by their actual names at the University. Wilson Commons is Wilco, Douglass is Dougie, Susan B. Anthony is Sue B, Danforth Dining is Dfo, and the list goes on. A common daily question you might hear on campus is: Dfo or Dougie? Maybe most famously we call the groundhogs that live on campus groundbois… but don’t ask why because I have no idea.
2. Our school spirit is… unique
So we’re not the type of school where you find every student lined up to get into sporting events on weekends. We’re a Division III school in the NCAA, so when a student comes to the University of Rochester, they’re largely here because of our academics. But, that’s not to say we don’t have school spirit. Because while our football games may be free to attend, our a cappella concerts are so popular they charge admission. Everyone here is really proud to go here, and you definitely wouldn’t be able to walk around campus without seeing students wearing University of Rochester swag. But is our spirit typical of most colleges? Nope. But we’re okay with that.
3. Students study all the time
We take academics pretty seriously here at Rochester. That’s not to say we don’t know how to have fun… weekends over on the Frat Quad can be pretty memorable. But chances are if you try to find a Rochester student on a weekday, they’re either in class, at a club meeting, or studying (we eat and sleep in the little spare time left over). With study spaces located all throughout campus, there’s tons of options for students looking for a place to get work done. Classes aren’t easy here and it takes a lot of hard work and effort to succeed. But the good thing is that we have a ton of resources available to ensure students do well academically. And we’re excited about our classes.
4. We’re a community
While most top-tier research universities are huge, the University of Rochester has maintained a collegiate atmosphere with a medium-sized campus. With just under 6,000 undergraduate students, Rochester has the fifth-smallest student body in the Association of American Universities, a consortium of 62 leading research universities in North America. Because of this, we have a close-knit community that is genuinely welcoming and supportive of every student that comes to our campus by the Genesee. The Rochester community is unlike any other.