Here are just some of the few experiences students at UNCG have on a regular basis that makes it such a wonderful place to go to school. Whether you're an undergrad or a graduate student, you can probably relate to most of these on an almost spiritual level. Go Spartans!
1. The diversity everyone talks about? It's real.
I know everyone talks about this all of the time, but it's true! The student body is so diverse. You're sure to find your group of people you fit into. It's such a nice feeling to have such a large population of people to make friends with. There is also so many different people with different opinions and experiences around you, so you tend to learn a new way of thinking about things just about every day.
2. Going to the Friendly Center is probably the highlight of your week.
The Friendly Center is a shopping center about 10 minutes away from UNC Greensboro and it is my favorite place to go off campus. It has a lot of different stores from Victoria Secret to Moe's Mexican Restaurant. They also have a pet store where they allow you to play with the animals. It's a fun place to eat, hang out, shop and meet up with friends.
3. On second thought, maybe Fried Chicken Wednesday is the highlight of your week.
Every single Wednesday there is fried chicken served in the cafeteria around 12:00. Let's just say, it's a big hit and it's gone within an hour or two.
4. Walking under the clock tower is forbidden.
Legend has it on campus, if you (an undergraduate) walk under the clock tower near the EUC, you will not graduate on time. Whenever I see anyone walk under the clock tower, it's a professor or someone visiting. Students are often seen doing just about whatever they can to avoid walking underneath of it.
5. Putting an apple on Minerva's statue is crucial when taking exams.
Legend has it that if you put an apple on Minerva (the school's former mascot) before you take an exam or test, you'll get a better grade on the test because leaving Minerva an apple is good luck. On any given day, you can see 5+ apples on the statue, or even in her hand!
6. There is always something going on on campus. You will probably never be bored.
Every weekend an email gets sent out with events going on on campus for the weekend. There are always flyers posted everywhere. There is always something going on! Campus never gets boring.
7. Your closet is probably 98% UNCG apparel.
UNCG gives out a lot of free t-shirts at their events, so you're likely to have quite a few of them by the time you're halfway through your first semester.
8. Losing your Spartancard is one of the most annoying things...ever.
Your Spartancard gets you into your building, allows you to get your mail, gets you into the caf, etc. Losing your Spartancard not only means that you have to pay for a new one, but you're kind of SOL when you want to do just about anything.
9. Your residence hall is probably either extremely loud, or extremely quiet. There is no in between.
This is pretty self-explanatory. Depending on where you live on campus, either everyone is loud until 1am or there is absolutely no noise and you feel the need to tip-toe around when going to the bathroom or the laundry room.
10. The professors, faculty and staff genuinely care.
Unlike some places, the professors, faculty and staff at UNCG actually care and want you to do well. They encourage you to come to office hours. They answer your questions thoughtfully. They answer your emails in a timely fashion. They make themselves easy to approach. There are so many resources they can point you towards and so many ways they help you succeed as a student as long as you're willing to put the work in. I'm lucky to be able to go to an institution with staff like UNCG has.
