The wonderful school that I attend is Radford University. Radford University is located in Radford, Virginia, a low-key, relaxed little town in the mountains of southwestern VA. With all of the interactive clubs, delicious dining halls, and state-of-the-art classrooms, the first question I am always asked is "how are the parties there?" I, along with many other students that attend this university, are tired of it. Next time you run into one of us, consider asking us about any one of these topics, and we will gladly answer.
Our academic programs.
Here at Radford, we have many excellent programs and majors that there is something for everyone. Although I am not involved in the nursing program, we have one of the top ranking nursing programs in the nation. According to NursingSchoolsAlmanac.com, our School of Nursing is in the top 4 percentile of all of the public universities considered. Moving on from nursing, but remaining in the medical field, our athletic training program is ridiculously competitive. My best friend is an AT major, and she rarely has time to do anything outside of her school work. On the rare occasion that she does pry herself away from her books, she spends it socializing with her friends and grabbing wings at our local wing joint, Sharkey's. I wish I could brag on all of the amazing programs that we have here, but ain't nobody got time for that.
Our faculty.
I don't mean to sound like a cookie-cutter school promoter, but trust me, if you have no idea where you want to go or what you want to do, one of our many academic advisors will assist you in finding where the best place for you is. Once you have found what it is you want to pursue, you will begin exploring classes within your major. The teachers, which may I add that many of our professors also teach at our neighboring school, Virginia Tech, are extremely helpful. With the average class size being between 18-22 students, you have plenty of opportunities to meet one-on-one with your teacher. There are many professors that I had my first semester of my freshman year that still talk to me when we pass each other on campus. Our professors respond to e-mails within the hour you send them; they understand that you have plenty of other classes and don't overwhelm you with work, and finally, they treat you like the adult you are. Our faculty at RU really help to make your time here fun and enjoyable.
Our clubs.
During my first semester at Radford University, I was enrolled in UNIV 100, which was basically a one credit transition class to make the change from home to college easier. This class forced me to go to the club fair for a grade. You had to go, find three clubs you were interested in, pick up a flyer, and bring it back to class as proof that you went. Our biggest lawn area, Heth Lawn, was full of tables, Greek letters, dogs, and of course, students. Clubs ranging from Men's club soccer to the American Sign Language club and everything in between. If I hadn't gone to that fair, I would have never found the acapella group I am so deeply involved in. The 160 clubs and organizations that Radford has to offer are so broad that there is truly a club out there for everyone.
Our location.
As I mentioned before, we are located in the mountains of southwestern Virginia. We are about 20 minutes away from Virginia Tech, within walking distance of the New River, around 30 minutes away from Claytor Lake, and surrounded by countless hiking trails. We have a very small movie theater on Main Street about .3 miles from campus. So really, there is never a day where there isn't anything to do. Also, being placed where we are, we typically have mild summers and really cold winters. So, when spring and summer roll around, it is never too hot to do any of the outdoor activities, and all of the ski resorts and hills around us make for an eventful winter! I personally love where RU is located because it is such a small area, we are never more than 15 minutes away from anything we could need.
So please, do all of us here at Radford University and stop asking us about the "wild ragers" we have. Nearly every college campus has parties, social events where we can unwind, "darties," or kickbacks. Call it what you'd like, but they've all got them. We have worked hard to get into not just this university, but our own specific major. Please do not degrade our education and only ask us about our parties. Ask us the questions you would ask any other college student attending any other university.
