Vanderbilt University Top Questions

There are Greek Life members - a lot of them! There are athletes, sometimes a part of Greek life also (more common with girls than guys). Christians are all over the place, and they love to create clubs and groups (not meant to isolate non-Christians but inadvertenly contradicting their central message). There are a million clubs to join, and there are a few students who may or may not be a member of all of them. I have not found a club or group worth talking about yet; I have been a student here for three years. Students like to go to athletic events, but mostly so that they can pre-game the event and leave early once their buzz wears off to drink some more. You are lucky if you find someone worth dating that is interested in a serious relationship. These people exist, but they seem to be hiding. I met my closest friends through Squirrel Camp, and I made more friends through people those friends introduced me to. If I'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I could be out partying, up late studying, or just unable to fall asleep. Dressing up for football games is one tradition at Vandy. Hazing is another tradition, but only the boys really know what goes on. People can be found partying every single night of the week. Sunday nights are rare, but not unheard of. If you don't have work (or even if you do) you are tempted by several groups of people to go out. Greek Like is very important, but only to those who are a part of it. Last weekend, I stayed up until 7am on Thursday drinking with a friend, stayed in Friday with a friend, stayed in Saturday with another friend and caught up on work on Sunday. On a Saturday night, if you do not want to drink, find the Christian kids and they will tell you what's going on in sober world. Off-campus, the bars are all great, the concert venues are great, the restauarants are great - nashville is just great! Students DO leave their doors open, but it is not recommended. It's not that it's likely that someone will steal anything, but it happens. There are surveillance cameras.

Greek life is very popular on campus. Frat parties make up the main social life, and half of the girls are in sororities. I have left my door open in all of my dorms fairly regularly. Athletic events are incredibly popular - in spite of our losing tradition. At 2am on a Tuesday, I could either be studying or going out. Either is highly possible.

Biggest groups: Greek life, Alternative Spring Break, religious life (CRU, RUF, Hillel...), Vanderbilt Student Government (though it's pretty lame), Vandy Fanatics (HUGE sports fans association) Dorm doors freshmen year are always left open, so there's always someone to hang out with--this disappears after freshmen year, so make sure you have good friends to live with and a solid network of other rooms to go over to in place! There's plenty to do, partying or otherwise. People party Thursday nights off campus (downtown bars, with the cool ones changing each year), Friday and Saturday nights at fraternity parties and throughout the week at informal frat gatherings, either at their on-campus houses or unofficial off-campus houses. Outside of partying, there are lots of cultural events and speakers, some really outstanding and some pretty bad. They're pretty well-publicized, but Vandy students tend to be apathetic so it's no telling if you'll be able to rouse friends to go with you or not. The Rec Center is another place people spend a lot of time, working out or playing intramurals, and students usually "run the loop" or the perimeter of campus. There are places just off campus where you'll see students all the time. On 21st Avenue are boutiques, cafes and the hugely popular Pancake Pantry, and on Elliston, just north of campus, are vintage shops, restaurants, a tanning salon... and just west of campus is a giant park and many more restaurants. A lot of local restaurants are "on the Card," which means your student ID can be swiped there, using your meal plan money to eat. Popular places are Bread & Co, a very expensive sandwich/salad cafe were Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban like to eat, Provence Cafe, a similar place on campus in one of the libraries, pizza joints and Chili's, right across from the giant upperclass apartment-style dorms and Greek Row, so a popular place for margaritas and fried mozzarella, etc.

Vanderbilt is a party school, plain and simple. There are lot of parties on friday and saturday and most people are going to them at least some of the time. Otherwise students at vanderbilt will watch movies or talk with their friends. There are great clubs at vanderbilt for almost anything you might be interested in. If there is no club, then you can always create one. There are great guest apeakers on campus but a lot of people who want to go cannot because schedules are often very tight.

Greek life followed by community service followed by religious groups are the most popular on campus. The fourth is club sports. I'm primarily involved with my fraternity which is unique because it is a mix of northern and southerners. Athletic events are popular (men's basketball, football, and baseball in that order for attendance). I don't know who goes to guest speakers and girls like theater. Dating is for GDI's, frats and sororities are all about hooking up. I met my closest friends in greek life. If you're awake at 2 am on Tuesday you're either studying on adderall for a test, drinking on 21st avenue, or getting high. In the fall tailgating and rush are huge, in the spring day drinking and Rites of Spring (three day music fest) are awesome. Fraternities and sororities dominate everything from social life to student government. Last weekend I went to frat and sorority parties. On saturday you could get high. Off campus I go to bars, house parties, and decent food (compared with on campus).

There isnt really a dating scene. There are three ways of getting into a relationship. 1. You get really drunk and hook up with someone downtown or at a frat and maybe get lucky that they are attractive and nice. 2. you become friends with someone because you live on the floor above them or down the hall and then get drunk and hook up and start dating 3. a girl goes to the same frat all the time and becomes friends with the guys and then starts dating one, or usually many, of them (this is not a good idea, despite what girls may think guys do talk and you can be labeled the frat slut)

atheltic events are pretty popular but guest speakers and theater not so much. dating is hard because the guys here are different from home and alot less agressive which could be a good thing. my closest friends either swim with me or are on my hall. im all about convenience and how often i see people has a lot to do with who i hang out with. greek life is pretty important. i like to go to concerts and walk around down town and see all the hidden parts of nashville.

Football games create particular excitement on campus. Students take dates to the game, girls wear sundresses, and boys wear ties. Tailgating festivities begin early in the morning. Fraternities blast music on their porches, and hand out free beer to anyone who comes. Most evening activities involve drinking—either directly or indirectly, as they are primarily at fraternities and bars. It is rare to meet someone who doesn't drink. Vandy’s dating scene is a bit schizophrenic. Freshman and sophomore year consist of racking up on the random hookups…but suddenly junior year, it seems as though everyone is in a relationship. Rites of Spring is a weekend-long music festival on Vandy’s lawns. The event inspires all-day tailgating on fraternity porches, and a much needed break from academic stress. Fraternity formals go all out. Most formals take place in Florida, and include nice hotels, fancy restaurants, and of course partying at the beach. --Exactly what you would expect from a Vandy kids.

The most popular groups on campus are sororities and fraternities. I am in a sorority. Students do not leave their doors open. Athletic events are common. I met my closest friends by joining a sorority. Rites of Spring is a huge tradition in the spring semeseter. People party around 3 nights a week. I eat or shop off campus.

Greek life is the most popular. I'm involved with AKPsi the professional business fraternity. It has been a great experience to combine academics with social activities and meet some new people. A lot of students leave their dorms open; it's a huge pet peeve of mine because I know a lot of people have gotten stuff stolen. Athletic events are really popular - particularly football, basketball and baseball. I don't really know much about gues speakers and the theater but I know that they do a good job of adveritising for those events through email. Vandy people date, but it is rare. Most people get drunk on the weekends and hookup. I met my closet friends freshman year in my dorm and through my sorority. If i'm awake, i'm probably studying or coming back from the bar. Homecoming is a tradition. Rites of spring is a good one. Most people party more than me. I try to go out on the weekends though. Fraternities are really important to certain people. Last weekend I went out of town to visit a friend, but I know that my friends went to our sorority formal. Me and my best friend stay in a lot and watch nip/tuck and call people. I babysit, go out to dinner, shop, etc...