James Madison University Top Questions

One of the student lounges. I think those guys you hear are talking about video games.

Video I took of the campus lounge. It's a good place to hang out.

parties are free, open, and friendly, ive met my friends in classes and at work and at parties

My dorm expersince has nto been the best. In my dorm on my hall none of us really talk to each other. But in other dorms, i have found the exact opposite. There are many organizations to get involved. PARTYING happens often as possible. its the main way to be social.

Harrisonburg is pretty much a college town, but still has plenty of things to do any night of the week. Most of those fun things to do are also either within walking distance of campus or within a short bus ride. There are several apartment complexes of various rent-rates that catered exclusively to students. Every week, there's at least two or three different things going on within campus. We get speakers at least once or twice a month for different organizations. We have two major concerts each year (one Winter and one Spring) where our school brings in major bands or singers that are choosen by the students themselves. We've had Desmond Tutu, Tim Kaine, Sue Johanson speak at JMU. Professors bring in people to speak during classes. We have concerts put on by student bands and by the School of Music seperately at least monthly. Students get into athletic events for free just by showing their JACards at the door. People meet each other through their dorms, through classes, clubs, other groups, through other friends. Pizza delivery runs until 2-3am each night, you can actually have cookies and milk delivered to your dorm at any hour, Jimmy Jones is 24/7. There is always a party somewhere each night of the week. We've actually been rated one of the top 5 party schools in the nation by Playboy. It is possible to also have fun without drinking. There's a ski/snowboarding resort only a half hour down the road, a paintball range closer than that, movie theaters, bowling lanes, downtown Harrisonburg, endless possibilities for fun within JMU and Harrisonburg. JMU will also throw parties on campus or host events that run into the early morning hours that include food.

Most popular would be the sorority/fraternity organizations. Im not really involved with a social group besides my own friends. Yes, students leave their dorms open. Athletic events are very popular especially basketball and football. Guest speakers are fairly popular with theater being the least popular. The dating scene is very complicated with friends and romantic partners often intermixing. If I'm awake at 2am on Tuesday I'm at the Pub. Traditions that happen each year are parents weekend/homecoming. people party every weekend and for those who are 21 at least two times a week. fraternities and sororities are only perceived as being important. Last weekend I went to a birthday party and a bar. Saturday night = theater, sporting events, movies, hiking/camping. Hang out with friends off campus.

Football is a very popular athletic event but the students don't seem to come out for many other sports. Especially sports like swimming and track. I met my closest friends through some mutual friends. I've known most of them since I was a freshman and we've built such great relationships. We love to party but we also love to do other things like camping trips, movie night or lunch every m/w at dhall. Oh dhall! People tend to party Tuesday, Thursday and Friday-Saturday sometimes Sunday during football season. The pub is the tuesday night tradition probably after Happy Hour at Dave's. Thursday is Highlawn and weekends are for house parties. Bars aren't the hoppin thing on the weekend around here. I think JMU does a good job of trying to plan events for students that don't involve partying or drinking. I was involved in the Program Board and we tried to hold some of our events on the weekend so that students who did not want to drink could have an alternative. They also educate the students on responsible drinking.

FRats and sororities are not that important I still have a great social life with my friends without being in one.

Greek life is big here along with SGA, CHOICES and many others. Students do leave their doors open becuase they try to socialize and make friends, especially at first. Basketball is not very popular becuase we really arn't that good, but football games definatley get packed. The dating scene is horrible here, since there is almost a 2 to 1 ratio of girls to guys, it is very hard to find someone. I met my closest friends through my dorm and their friends. If I am awake at 2am I am either stalking facebook or studying. People party thursday, friday and sat. usually. Greek life isn't that important but its definatley evident that many are involed. Last weekend I went to visit my best friend at WVU.

JMU has a great social life. People at JMU love to party, and they party often. The big party nights are Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Tuesdays and Thursdays for bars. Sororities and fraternities are decent on campus - you don't have to be in one to have a great social life/group, but you do tend to see a lot of people wearing their letters around campus. There are clubs for EVERY type of group you can think of and most love getting new memebers (and don't have any requirements). Sports, especially football, are huge around campus and provide the most fun times. Tailgates before football games begin hours before and are just a slew of purple and gold students drinking hours and hours before the game begins .. if they even make it there. While basketball and other sports aren't as popular, they're also a lot of fun to go to and attend.