Work and Play Hard at AU!

Introduction
I transferred to AU from Goucher College in Baltimore. At Goucher you never saw people on the quad and everyone was very very cliquey. AU is a stark contrast. I chose the school because I am interested in Graphic Design and we have an amazing, small Graphic Design program. It's one of the best you can find in the country that isn't in an art school. I also chose AU because of its location in DC. It's essentially an oasis. You can get to anything you want in the city, while still having the feel of a community and enclosed enviornment.

Campus Life and Social Life
Being that I am not in a sorority or a sports team, I don't have a group to automatically hang out with on the weekends. Still, that hasn't stopped me from having a good time. I hang out with members of various sports teams and people who are in frats and sororities and have no problem fitting in and finding something to do. I would recommend joining a frat/sorority or a sports team just because it simplifies your social life, but for those of us who aren't in one, there's always tons to do...we're in DC!!! Academics
I came from a very rigorous private prep school and was shocked at how easy college work was at Goucher. Here at AU there's much more of a variety. My art classes are extrememly challenging but amazing. The School of Communications has a list of faculty and staff with unbelievable credentials. My classes have all been very interesting and a mixed bag in terms of how challenging they are. It all evens out to be a heavy but manageable work load. Be prepared to be surrounded by students who are very active and driven but not obnoxiously so. We all work hard and get great internships, but also know how to have fun!

Student Body
Like any school we have your typical sorority girls and frat boys, so if that's what you're looking for, you can find it easily. We also have really socially aware liberal types that always have a table set up on the quad raising money for some cause or protesting something, but there are also conservatives. There are tons of international students, and you can't help but hear at least one or two, usually more, different languages walking around the quad. Also, we do have a lot of homosexuals, Jewish people and every other form of diversity that you can find, but that's what makes it so great! All of this makes for really interesting and diverse classes.

Then there are just tons of normal kids that can't be classified into a group and mingle with everyone. The school isn't very cliquey and everyone is always extremely involved. I think our one unifying aspect is that everyone is involved in something and is passionate about something. I've never seen so many active people at once!

Also, the people who say there are no attractive girls at AU are crazy!

In Closing...
It's not hard to fit in at AU, and there is always something to do. You do need to take some initiative though. If you want to sit in your room and do nothing all day, you can. No one will stop you. But you will be one of the only ones because everyone else is out having a good time and working hard. If you're looking to do something important and meaningful with your life, have a great time, and meet some really cool people, then AU's a great place. It's also fabulous if you want to experience an amazing city while still having a strong sense of a campus and community. I recommend it to most people!

It's impossible to feel out of place here, which is a lot to say seeing as I'm a transfer student who came mid-year!