As you conduct college research, you may typically look through academics and extracurriculars—what classes can you take? What student orgs can you join? During this research process, you may be making notes on what stands out to you both to help narrow down your school list and to find talking points when writing your supplemental essays or prepping for an interview. One of the factors that students might not immediately consider that makes a school unique is campus traditions.
If you’ve got your eye on the University of Virginia, you might be excited about the Distinguished Majors Program or the five-year dual degree program that lets students graduate with a bachelor’s degree and a Master’s in Teaching. Alongside such extensive academic offerings, the university is also known for its unique traditions and campus features. Let’s take a look at a few.
The Lawn
You may be familiar with the UVA Rotunda, which is located on the iconic Lawn. The Lawn is at the center of campus life and the most popular spot for students to study, relax, and play games with friends. Students also have a chance to live in one of the elusive and prestigious rooms on the Lawn, dubbing them a “Lawnie.”
According to the UVA website, “Each room is furnished with a lofted bed with ladder above a daybed with cover, a secretary desk with chair, a hutch containing a refrigerator with freezer and a microwave, a built-in closet and sink closet, and a rocking chair. All rooms have air-conditioning and a fireplace. While no kitchen or study lounges are available, students can find whatever is needed just a few steps from their doors.”
Only 54 seniors have the opportunity to become a Lawnie, and they cannot study abroad during either of their semesters living on the Lawn. Students enrolled in the aforementioned joint College of Arts & Sciences/Curry School Master of Teaching program may apply in either their fourth or fifth year, but not both. Interested candidates need to complete a separate application alongside filling out the usual housing form and students are selected based on academic and service merit.
The Lawn is not just home to the Lawnies—academic deans, accomplished professors, and the Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer also live in the ten Pavilions on the Lawn. The Lawn also serves as a hub for events such as Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn each Halloween. Students as well as kids and families from the local community gather to collect (donated) candy from about 70 student organizations and the 54 rooms on the Lawn.
The Lighting of the Lawn is another tradition on this part of the Grounds, which began after the 9/11 attacks, bringing together UVA students, faculty and community members residing in Charlottesville to commemorate and commiserate. Over the years the event has evolved into a festive evening—now held in December—complete with a cappella music and holiday spirits, culminating in a display of lights across UVA’s Academical Village.
Other community-wide events that take place on the Lawn include Rotunda Sing, Convocation, and Final Exercises—UVA’s official ceremony for graduating students.
Secret Societies
If you’ve toured UVA, you may be surprised to spot various letters and signs that adorn the steps and sidewalks leading up to it. These are not random graffiti, but seals of UVA’s numerous clubs and societies. That’s right, UVA is home to numerous secret societies whose names—Purple Shadows, Eli Banana, and T.I.L.K.A., to name a few—are as mysterious as their membership. New recruits for these societies are “tapped” to join by current members based on demonstrated interest, academic success, or service-oriented engagement; most society activities are focused on service and UVA spirit. Some of these societies are honorary, some are social, and all of the societies have philanthropic values attached to them.
According to The Charlottesville Guide, “Members are drawn from across the student body, with leadership in some facet of student life—student governance, academics, athletics, even hell-raising—being the prerequisite requirement. The allure is undeniable, the desire for membership unquenchable.”
Other Campus Traditions
While not a tradition per se, a common cultural practice is the use of referring to students by their class year. Instead of the usual freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior designations, UVA students are known as first-year, second-year, third-year, and fourth-year students. This is a nod to Thomas Jefferson’s belief that learning is a lifelong journey and should therefore continue long past one’s “senior” status.
Another tradition attributed to Thomas Jefferson is the use of the term “Grounds” to refer to campus. For generations, faculty, and alumni have continued the tradition of using this word.
“The Good Old Song,” is the University of Virginia’s school anthem. Written by Edward A. Craighill in 1895, this song has become a traditional part of football games as students, faculty, and alumni link arms and sway, singing after each UVA score and at the conclusion of the game.
The Ring Ceremony is another annual event, hosted during Family Weekend each fall. Open to all Third Year students and their families, the event features the awarding of Intermediate Honors to qualifying students. At the end of the event, all present Third Year students put on their UVA class rings, which feature the goddess Minerva from the official University Seal. While they are enrolled, students wear their rings with Minerva facing inward; upon conclusion of Final Exercises, the ring is worn with Minerva facing outward to the world.
If you pay a visit to Grounds or become a UVA student in the future yourself, you’ll immerse yourself in campus culture and become fluent in campus lingo and traditions firsthand. For now, why not dive in and learn more about the history of UVA’s secret societies or meet the Lawnies from this past year. Happy research!
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