So you’re finally here! While you may have seen some parts of campus on your tour or on Day for Admitted Students, there’s a lot of important parts of the College that you may not have seen yet. Take it from two (technically) upperclassmen, it’s worth exploring both on and off campus once you are free from the chaos of orientation.
First and foremost, make sure to go to Colonial Williamsburg to get free samples. You might have to wander through some horse poop, and you may cry, but you might have some wonderful moments with both friends or post a cute Aroma’s coffee date. If you aren’t terribly afraid of mycelia (as one of the authors may be), you can always try Mellow Mushroom, a recent addition to Colonial Williamsburg.
When wandering back to campus, make sure to stop by some of the very climbable trees in ancient campus. You may get judged by families who are also coming from Colonial Williamsburg, but it’s worth it as long as you don’t fall. As you head back onto main campus, make sure to stop on the Sunken Garden. During the day, you can picnic and frisbee with friends, and once night falls, it is the perfect time to complete one third of the triathlon. Of course, you can go to the Crim Dell to continue completing the triathlon, or you can walk across with the love of your life (you’ll probably break up, or never find one to begin with). Our advice is to wait to walk across the Crim Dell until you’ve been married for 10 years and have eight children, but it’s still a risky decision.
Then you will come across the Sadler Center, formally known as Baddy Saddy. Come here for food, nothing else. Don’t get sucked into AMP activities, grab your food and make sure to look at the ground when entering/exiting to avoid all your “friends” tabling. Save your dining dollars for finals, trust us.
If you need to study, go to Swemaromas. Just be honest with yourself that you are going to socialize just as much as you are going to study. If you make it all the way to Matoaka, take advantage of the free canoes and kayaks. It’s also a lovely place to make out in order to avoid disturbing your roommate, unless you hate them. Speaking of roommates, you’ll either love them or you’ll hate them, so make sure you have other friends.
While campus is lovely, make sure to take advantage of friends who live off campus. From kitchens to laundry to parties, it’s always a plus to know someone who lives in a place that has no RA. If you’re looking to adventure a bit further away from campus, take some time to venture to College Creek or Jamestown — but let’s be real — you might have to go a little further to find something of actual substance. Maybe try corralling some friends with cars to take you to the actual beach. Also, the College of William and Mary has sports teams, but we know you aren’t going to go to their games. Go Tribe.
Enjoy campus, or don’t, but we’re glad you are here!
Email Gavin Aquin at gaaquin@email.wm.edu and Anna Boustany at aeboustany@email.wm.edu.