Hey-
So the freshmen dorms are booked and I'm set to live in The Towers in the fall. I've talked to a couple of people who have said that the best way to get off on the right foot meeting a lot of people (I'm a pretty social person) is to live in the freshmen dorms. None of these people have lived in The Towers so they point out they can't speak from personal experience, so I figured I'd ask around here and see if anyone has first-hand experience. Will it be difficult to make as many friends and meet people living in The Towers freshman year? Bear in mind, I am from NYC and definitely have no problem hanging out with other "coasties", although I don't want to ONLY make friends from the coasts - I'd love to hang out with people from different backgrounds, as well. Anyone have advice/know anything? I have absolutely no idea what I'm getting into and dreading the idea that I'll feel socially isolated, so really any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!
PS - I've never used any of these message boards before and don't know if I get notified about responses, so if it's possible, it would be better to private message me because I'm guessing that goes straight to my E-mail..
The Towers used to be a very well known private dorm with food service etc. It has changed hands a few timies and now is just an apartment building. Location is great for urban lving. I don't know who lives there today--it certainly was Coastie Central back in the day. The Lucky has become the private dorm of choice now as it is new with better amenities. Owner of that used to own Towers.
UVA with over 30% of its undergrads in frats and sororities you can be assured you too will be sliced and diced into a well structured hierarchy. Welcome back to high school.
Oh, and don't expect to easily join one of UVA's popular "secret societies" if you are a minority or female.
Coastie central? Out of state applicants, take note -- the prejudice still exists
Please don't post things you know nothing about. Are you part of UW Madison's student body? Are you even part of the UW Madison community? Do you live in Madison? Wisconsin? Midwest?
As a student, I've never met anyone with a prejudice against those from out of state -- jokingly called coasties. No one asks you if you're from Wisconsin or not when they meet you. No one even know unless you want to tell them; OOS students have the exact same experience as Wisconsinites who attend UW Madison. My roommate my freshman year was from the east coast, and we became good friends. Why wouldn't we--only nova would naturally think otherwise. I shouldn't even have to justify your accusation; it's absurd and irrelevant to campus life.
There still seems to be a larger proportion of OOS students living in private dorms like the new Lucky, but no one cares--it simply seems that more OOS choose the private dorm amenities.
It's a very laid back campus. novaparent is bringing up a moot point with no authority. Out of curiosity, nova, do you even visit the campus frequently?
Anyways, OP, I've never lived in the Towers; I chose the dorms instead. I can definitely say that the dorms are a great way to meet new people. I've heard that the rooms in the Towers are a bit more secluded--they're not quite as much like a dorm as an apartment complex for upperclassmen (I think--secondhand info). Still, there's no need to fret. UW Madison is huge, you're bound to meet many people. Just be outgoing in the first couple weeks and you will definitely be fine.
Are you locked in with a lease/contract, or could you possibly reconsider Lucky? IMO it's more of a private dorm for freshmen/soph, and you'll probably meet more people in your situation, i.e. new to the school.
Last edited by justtotalk; 06-26-2010 at 12:58 AM.
I am a "Coastie" who lived in the Towers this year. I can honestly say I had the best freshman year I think possible.
Now though, the Towers has become more of an apartment while the Statesider is staying a freshman dorm. Honestly, you should try to move to the Statesider because you will be with all freshman and it has a more "open" feel (common rooms, can pregame there at night and all chill after you go out) while the Towers is more of a "hotel" style with all closed doors.
I met all my friends in these dorms and because of how chill the RA's are with everything you are able to really have fun in the dorms and not worry about getting cracked down on. It really is your own apartment. You will not feel socially isolated unless you isolate yourself. The great thing is, alot of your friends will be in the Towers or just across the street at Statesider assuming you choose these kids to be in your social group.
Both dorms are great regardless. You're going to LOVE the Towers and its location/amenities, etc. Party hard, On Wisconsin
^^^My source of information is personal experience living in Madison for 20 years and being a UW student for 3.
What is your source for this supposed friction?
Nova, please do tell us how much personal experience you have with being a UW Madison student, or a Madison resident.
I wouldn't pretend to know the intricacies of the UVA student body since I don't. Certainly you're not pretending to understand the UW Madison student body when you don't?
There are many posters on this board with lots of opinions who are not now and never have been either UW students or Madison residents. You don't need to be either to see plenty of evidence that there's some friction between coasties and sconnies. After all, there are repeated threads about the friction on this board; the topic also has been reported on again and again in the media and the student newspaper; and it's also mentioned on independent college admissions sites like Princeton Review ("There is a prevalent rivalry between [Wisconsin] students (sconnies) and the coasties who are generally wealthier and from the East or West Coast." "People from the Midwest think people from the coasts are stuck up. People from the coasts think people from the Midwest are hicks." )
Where there's smoke there's fire.
Last edited by novaparent; 06-28-2010 at 02:01 PM.
What is your source to document that many posters on this board are not nor have they ever been UW Madison residents or students? Unless, perhaps you are referring to yourself and your twin, JiffsMom.
People from NOVA think people from southern Virginia are hicks too and I'm very sure that thinking follows to UVa. Common pharase abotu rival Virginia Tech is "all dirt roads lead to Blacksburg". It's not a big deal there nor in Madison. People everywhere are somewhat envious of those with more wealth and in the Midwest being somewhat flashy with wealth is a no-no.
There are many posters on this board with lots of opinions who are not now and never have been either UW students or Madison residents.
Almost all such posters are incoming students or potential students/parents interested in getting to know the campus.
They ask the questions because they want to learn about the campus. They don't answer questions with outdated second and third-hand information and pretend to understand a campus they've never been a part of.
Hell, even if you aren't part of UW Madison or Madison community, you at least must be a Wisconsin resident simply curious about what's going on at the college her tax money supports? You'd have to be a raving lunatic to post on a college's message board if you:
A) have no interest in attending the college and
B) have never been a part of the college's community and
C) are not funding the college's initiatives
don't you think?
But I'm sure you're not crazy. So, please, tell us why you're here. I'd love to understand where you're coming from and actually welcome you into the community.
Last edited by justtotalk; 06-28-2010 at 03:54 PM.
