University of VA and Charlottesville...

A few weeks ago, Busi my roommate asked me if I wanted to go down to Charlottesville for Univ. of VA's "Reunions" weekend on October 16.  Once I heard the date, I immediately thought, "Oh, I better not."  October 16 falls the day after October 15, a huge tax deadline.  I assumed that work would be crazy for me leading up to the deadline and that I would need that Saturday to catch up on sleep, to take care of unexciting things like laundry & grocery-shopping, and to just be a unscheduled bum.  Not to mention the fact that I knew I was starting my rotation in the downtown DC office that next Monday, October 18.  But as it turns out, my assignments were complete by Wednesday October 13, so I took Thurs & Fri off and hopped in the car with Busi earlier morning Saturday for a day trip to Charlottesville. 

Busi and Logan, another roommate, are both UVA alum so naturally I hear about the school and Charlottesville all the time.  I'm always curious to learn about other people's college experiences since my own was so unique.  I can't directly relate to most people's... Harding's football team never made ESPN.  We didn't have rival schools (ACU & Oklahoma Christian do NOT count!).  I don't know how to mix a cocktail.  I never sat in a class of more than 80 students.  None of our alum have gone on to be Heads of State  Etc.  Etc.  I appreciate Harding (see blog post "A Tribute to Harding"), but the curiosity for the world outside of it is definitely there.   

Student rooms on The Range





Our day in Charlottesville was certainly eventful.  I'm glad that I got to experience so much of the town.  Charlottesville just has this hip vibe about it, and now I feel like I "get" why people who went to UVA talk about it like they do.  First thing we did when we drove into town was to head towards UVA's campus.  We parked the car and toured around for a bit.  Lots of buzz around campus since it was homecoming weekend.  I saw Busi's old room on the "Range" and saw where Edgar Allan Poe and Woodrow Wilson once lived.  Students were everywhere... they all look so young! 

 

Inside the Comm School



We walked through the undergrad business school- "Comm [commerce] school."  I've seen lists where the school is rated the #1 undergraduate business program in the country. The interior of the building was both state-of-the-art with its interactive flat screen maps and very traditional with crown molding, hardwood floors, and woven rugs. While we were walking around, Busi shed some insight into the curricular structure each of its students is subject to.  Sounds intense.

  

For lunch, we grabbed dumplings at the downtown Charlottesville mall with Busi's friend B.K then had ice cream at Arch's, a Charlottesville establishment, where we sat on the patio and roasted in the midday sun.  After B.K. left us, Busi gave me an extended tour of UVA's campus.  I saw several statues of Thomas Jefferson, the beloved founder of the school.  I heard about all kinds of UVA traditions... secret societies... fascinating.





After walking around for a bit more, Busi and I met up with her friend Deborah at a big tailgate (I knew 1 person out of 100) before we headed to the UVA vs. North Carolina football game.  We found seats sat in the front of the student section, right next to the percussion section of the band.  Busi had brought an extra T-shirt for me, so I blended into the sea of orange and blue.  I learned the cheers and did my best to play it all off. UVA students are called the "wahoos," or "hoos" for short.  Now I can say I know what a wahoo is! 

 

Me & Busi in Scott Stadium, UVA vs. NC





After the game, we headed to the top floor of the library, apparently a common meet up point.  As we were waiting for Deborah, I sat and watched all the students there in the library on a Saturday night, absorbed in the workload of their courses.  I remember back to those days as a student, marking time in task completion rather than making the distinction between weekdays & weekends.  I got a little nostalgic.  We waited there in the library for Deborah then headed over to a UVA Young Alumni Reunion party.  For this year, former students are considered "young alumni" if they graduated in years 2007-2010.  I was once again plopped in the middle of hundreds of unfamiliar faces, but I'm sure that with my UVA shirt on, I didn't look too terribly out of place.  The party was FUN.  Well done, UVA.  Good food, good DJ, great atmosphere.  I met a few of Busi's friends, got out on the dance floor, and eventually even got pulled into a picture at the photo booth (go here to check it out... we're photo #60).  

I'll end this one with the chant that is yelled whenever UVA scores a touchdown... 

WAHOOWA, WAHOOWA

UNI-V, VIR-GIN-I-A

HOO-RAH-RAY, HOO-RAH-RAY

RAY! RAY! U-V-A!

Yeah, it took a bit for me to follow that one.



Me on the beautiful UVA campus