| Full-time undergraduate program |
Quality of life at W&L is fantastic, which is why the alumni are
generally so loyal. The freshman housing is pretty typical, a
collection of red brick buildings (4, specifically) clustered around a
quad. Single rooms are easy to get if you want to pay a bit more. The
rooms aren't luxurious and can be a cramped, particularly in the oldest
dorm, but do posess a certain charm. Sophomores can choose to live in
upscale Greek housing, a traditional dormitory, or apartment-style
housing on campus. Juniors and seniors live off-campus in the historic
downtown or out in the country, in privately-owned houses whose leases
are often passed down to fraternity or sorority sisters or just to
younger friends. Houses passed down this way often have traditional
names, such that they can be identified, i.e., "party at Windfall
tonight."
Dining was for a long time limited to a pretty but not particularly
gourmet dining hall, a cafe with a student wait-staff, and a "co-op," or
snack bar. In 2003, however, W&L finished construction on a giant
student center said to have more diverse and better food options. The
Greek houses also have their own meal plans and individual cooks.
The campus is simply beautiful. The Colonnade, or connected row of red-
brick schoolbuildings with white columns in front, runs along the top of
a wide hill facing first Lee Chapel, where General Robert E. Lee is
interred, and then the street leading to campus from out of town.
Behind the Colonnade lies a plaza surrounded by newer brick buildings,
including the art building, the business school, the science building,
the library (unfortunately built in the 70's and not commensurate with
the rest of the campus's beauty) and the newly renovated and very high-
tech (but only on the inside) journalism school. The art building,
which is perhaps the least accomplished in terms of facilities, is
scheduled for renovation next. The rest of the facilities are
absolutely first-rate. The old buildings along the Colonnade are
ancient and drafty, but used mianly for discliplines entirely
independent from modern technology, and their idiosyncrasy adds to their
charm. The newer buildings around the plaza have all the newest
technology. There is also an excellent gymnasium (with a brand new work-
out center) and performing arts center.
The town of Lexington is very quaint and attractive, with narrow hilly
streets filled with antique shops, jewelry shops, and touristy knick-
knack shops, in addition to the banks, bars and restaurants used by
students. Professors often live in a very well-appointed residential
district walkable from campus. Just outisde of the historic downtown
area, students can find large grocery stories, fast-food and chain
restaurants, gas stations and a Wal-Mart. Beyond that you'll find only
truck stops and countryside. Students often live 10-15 minutes away in
rickety farmhouses that are clustered together, and warm-weather
activities include tubing down the Maury River, tanning on giant rocks
at Goshen Pass and hiking through the surrounding Shenendoah Valley.
Safety is not an issue. Students are very faithful to the school's
honor code, taking tests unsupervised and leaving belongings willy-nilly
on dorm furniture, in the cafeteria, outside on benches or wherever it
drops. Students very often don't lock their doors, on or off-campus,
and feel safe, male or female, walking through the streets at night.
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