This week, Randy Bickers, a representative of Charlottesville's Housing Department, came to speak to us about the various public housing neighborhoods there are in the surrounding area. The stats he gave us were absolutely astounding, and it made me realize how much I take for granted the things I have in my life. Nothing is guarenteed, and I believe people need to be much more grateful for the things they have. Some of the individuals living in the housing projects are out of work, and when they are working they are very much underemployed. We should give back when we have the opportunity, and with the various volunteering opportunities the community has to offer, it shouldn't be too hard to find something that's your niche. I encourage everyone to get out and volunteer. Your efforts will and do make a difference.

-Alexis

Congratulations to the boy's varsity basketball team on their first win of the season! Way to set the pace. Hopefully, the Cavaliers sports teams can keep up their successes; the men's football team plays their last home game tomorrow at 3:30 pm! Make sure you're there.

-Alexis

Word to the wise: be careful. There have been numerous robberies around campus in the late hours of the night and early hours of the morning. It's not safe to walk alone, especially if you are a female and are intoxicated. Ladies be smart, and walk in groups. Try not to take short cuts; walk in well-lit and well-populated areas. And don't be afraid to call a taxi.

Please stay safe!

-Alexis

In Touch with the Past

My most recent Charlottesville discovery occurred just yesterday at UVa’s Special Collections Library. My art history discussion group went on a field trip of sorts to examine 13^th and 14^th century Early Christian manuscripts, and I was surprised to learn about the broad range of literary and historical texts that the University possesses. Our class studied Christian prayer books with lambskin pages and golf leaf drawings. I couldn’t believe I was touching something so old and precious! Medieval works are only one group of works in the system. The Special Collections Library houses a collection of William Faulkner’s works, many of Thomas Jefferson’s letters and architectural sketches, and the largest collection of American literature in the world! A docent explained to our class that because UVa is a public institution, the collections are available to students and the public. The ancient texts and documents are kept in a climate-controlled room below the quad in front of the Special Collections and Alderman libraries. Do people know what they’re walking over as they walk to buy their daily Greenberry’s?!? Not only is this a great addition to Charlottesville, but its not going anywhere! Check out the website and you’re sure to find pieces of the collection that interest you.

http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/small/

Courses Next Semester

I am fairly confident in saying that most first years would agree that picking courses during orientation was a rather stressful experience. We were given a 65 page packet with a bunch of abbreviations and numbers and codes and we given the complete responsibility of choosing just which courses we would take our first semester. Unfortunately, at least for me, this became very difficult when figuring out the time schedules, how some classes require discussions, all on top of which classes I really want to take. Well fortunately, the time to pick new classes is upon us, and this time it shouldn't be nearly as stressful.

Now that we have ample time to browse through the plethora of courses at UVa, know which classes our friends have recommended, and just have an overall better feel of how things work at UVa, regardless of our scheduling time, we should have a better chance to optimize our schedules. That, and we have a few other helpful resources that have been pointed out to me.

Lou's List- This is a comprehensive, easy to use (in my opinion much easier than SIS), guide full of the courses available at the University. You can see what classes are available at what time, in which building, how many spots are available, as well as a brief description of many of the courses. While it is technically "unofficial," it is broken down in a very organized manner, and makes it easy to find what classes you want.

theCourseForum- The Course Forum is another place that can be helpful for students looking for classes. Students can browse through these courses, read recommendations, and compare these classes to find which suit their needs. While I haven't really used the Course Forum as much as Lou's List, it is to my understanding that it can be very informational.

Finally, once we have found our ideal classes, it is time to put them on our enrollment requests on SIS. Hopefully these resources prove to be helpful, and we aren't brought back to the anxiety that was thrust upon us during orientation.

I Discovered Dumplings

Last weekend my suitemates and I headed over towards the infamous Dumpling restaurant, Marco and Luca, on the corner. They have raved about this place for weeks now I figured I should give into the temptation and try the dumplings out. First of all when you walk in the place it’s fairly small and not much of a sit-down restaurant, they have a couple tables but we decided to take them to go. What jumped out at me were the prices: three bucks for a box of dumplings; needless to say I was excited. So, I got a box to go and we headed over to Para Coffee (which, by the way, is an incredibly adorable coffee shop right up the street from Marco and Luca) and we began to eat. They were absolutely delicious! I feel in love instantly and wanted to go back for more. This probably isn’t the first time that you have heard of these amazing dumplings and maybe you’ve even tried them, but I felt the need to get the word out so everyone can enjoy. I already know what a dangerous monster I have created out of myself. I’m going again tomorrow…

Thanksgiving

This morning I received an e-mail from my mother. It said there are only nine days left until I go home for Thanksgiving. Thank goodness someone is counting, or else I would have forgotten. Normally I wouldn't have, as I haven't been home since school began in August. But now that it is just past halfway through my first semester, the drag is really starting to set in. Sure, no more midterms, but my professors still seem to think it is a good idea to give exams and papers, and those finals aren't too far away. While I am proud that I made it through the midterm season relatively unscathed, I am now stuck in a rut that doesn't seem to want to cut me loose. Too much work, too little sleep, repeat cycle. It is about time for an extended vacation (which is why I am leaving for a longer period than the allotted five-day weekend). Next semester I will definitely remember to take full advantage of each break, no matter how short it may be. Any break is a good break.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas?

If you have been downtown by the courthouse, you may have already noticed the snowflakes that have replaced the banners that hang from the lamp posts. They are large lit snowflakes, I don’t know about you, but that automatically makes me think of Christmas. Charlottesville is getting into the spirit rather early. I guess Charlottesville declare that winter is officially here because the snowflakes are up. Most people do not normally think of Christmas before Thanksgiving, I would love for it to be year round, but Charlottesville jumped into that for everyone. So whip out your winter jacket and those good ol’ Christmas carols because according to Charlottesville’s decorating choices, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Cavalier Education Program

While browsing through spring course listing for next semester, I came
across courses labeled INST, which are student taught Cavalier
education program courses.
Cav Ed are student led courses on various subjects which are taught as
CR/NR credit. According to the CavEd website, the purpose of having
student led courses is, "to give students the opportunity to take
charge of their academic experience – to allow them to share their
passion for and knowledge of subjects outside the traditional
curriculum."
This upcoming spring the following CavEd courses are being offered:

INST 1550-001: Inspiration, Muse, and Genesis

INST 1550-002: Advocacy & the Judicial System

INST 1550-003: Documentaries for Social Change

INST 1550-004: The Art Business

INST 1550-005: Indian Creation Myths

INST 1550-006: U.S. Health Care System

Taking a CavEd course does not count towards your major but does count
toward the amount of credit hours needed. Students are allowed to
include 18 non-college credit courses in the 120 total credits
required for a degree.
If you are interested visit-
http://www.uvastudentcouncil.com/student-services/initiatives/cavalier-educat...
for more information.
-VG

What’s Your Taste?

This Thursday from 5-7, UVa’s Alumni Association calls all alumni members from their homes and dorms to come out to Alumni Hall for FREE food.  UVa students can be a part of this membership for free during their time on grounds!  So why not become a member and go to this event on Thursday, you can even sign up free to become a member at the Taste of Charlottesville.  There will be food galore from L'etoile, The Melting Pot, Baja Bean, Wild Wings Café, The Virginian, The Biltmore, West Main, Three, Zazu's Fresh Grille, Trinity Irish Pub, Breadworks, Fry's Spring Station, The Backyard, and Take It Away.  That’s a lot of free, non-dining hall food, so take the opportunity while it’s here! 

Even better, well at least in my opinion, will be UPC’s S’mores & More on the O’Hill lawn that same night!  The recent weather makes free cider, s’mores, and hot cocoa sounds even better.  Plan it perfectly and you can make it from the Taste of Charlottesville from 5-7 to the O’Hill field for some s’mores from 8-10.  Looks like dining halls won’t be overcrowded this Thursday.  For more info, check out the facebook groups.  Picture: http://www.caplanmiller.com/blog/2010/07/05/gimme-smore-summertime/

-AB

Basketball Blowout

This Saturday, the Virginia basketball team had its exhibition game against Roanoke. Despite being picked to place 11^th in the preseason poll, the Virginia team quickly gained an impressive lead against Roanoke and maintained it throughout the entire game. Even without guard Sammy Zeglinski, the team was able to win a 82-50 victory. In my eyes, our most impressive player was our senior forward Mike Scott. With 16 points and seven rebounds, he had quite a presence under the basket and was recently named one of the co-captains along with seniors Mustapha Farrakhan and Will Sherrill. This game was definitely a chance to try out all parts of the team, with five freshmen on the court at some parts of the game. We have seven freshman on the team this year, and it seems they will play a very actively team for the future of our team. Though Roanoke may not have been that difficult an opponent, a victory is a victory. Way to start off the season!

Later Dinners

Starting today, O'Hill dining hall will be open an extra hour, until 9 pm, on Monday-Thursday. This change comes after much protest among students regarding the early closing hour that did not accommodate students returning from late discussion sections and club meetings. Though only the sandwich and stir fry stations will remain open, I have no complaints, because those two options are generally fail-proof dining choices. Coming from a high school that only pretended to listen to the requests of students, I was both surprised and impressed when I heard the University was appeasing students' requests. My expectation was that even though people were complaining, nothing would be done. I've decided to let this change motivate me to advocate for other realistic changes I see a need for within the University community, instead of whining unproductively. My schedule prevents me from returning to my room until 8 pm on Wednesdays, so I'm excited to enjoy my first Wednesday night dinner in O'Hill this week!

A Refreshing Weekend

Today is Monday and life is back to normal. We now are attending classes and eating the notorious dining hall food. However, this past weekend we were able to to get out of our daily routine of life and spend time with our families. Family weekend was such a refreshing weekend, for me at least. I had not seen my family since fall break like many students at the University. Spending time with my family was a great way to de-stress from the daunting midterms and to enjoy my time with people I love.  While spending time with my family, I was also able to explore Charlottesville more. I finally was able to go downtown and see what that scene was all about. The downtown mall is so cute and has a personality of its own. Since, I have been at UVA, I have not really explored Charlottesville all that much. To be quite honest, it is easy to forget that UVA lies within a city and that UVA is not its own town. With our own dining facilities, gyms and recreational events, there is no need to really wonder outside the skirts of UVA. However, it is a great way to get out of a monotonous routine and become more aware of the city we are newly apart of. Although the University of Virginia is surely a great place to spend one's time, the city of Charlottesville also has a lot to offer!

To find events going on in the Charlottesville area, check out:

http://www.cvillecalendar.com/calendar/calendar.aspx 

-Mina Asghari

Looking Towards 2012

            This past week wrapped up the 2010 midterm elections. While the Democrats held onto the Senate, Republicans made huge gains in the House and will take over in January. Also, Republicans had several key wins in governors’ races. The media has already begun talking about who will take on President Obama for the White House in 2012 so I thought it might be a good idea to highlight several of the potential candidates who people may not have heard of. I’ve included links to each person’s Wikipedia page for those who might want to know more.

 

Russ Feingold (D): While it is unlikely for President Obama to be challenged in the Democratic primaries, some have speculated that Feingold may look at a run in 2012 after comments he made during his concession speech last week. Feingold was a veteran Senator from Wisconsin prior to losing his seat in last week’s elections. He is an anti-war liberal, however the last time an incumbent lost his party’s nomination was 1968.

 

Mitch Daniels (R): Daniels is the second-term governor of Indiana. While not very charismatic, he has had success with Indiana’s state budget in tough economic times and worked in the Office of Budget Management under President Bush.

 

Tim Pawlenty (R): Pawlenty was governor of Minnesota for two terms. Dubbed a contender by the media, Pawlenty had similar success as Daniels with the budget and taxes.

 

Other potential candidates for the GOP nomination include Hayley Barbour, Chris Christie, and Newt Gingrich.

November?

This week marks the start of signing up for classes for Spring 2011. Sixteen days until everyone starts abandoning Charlottesville for Thanksgiving break. And once we return from turkey week, only around two more weeks of classes and finals until we head away from Grounds for the Holiday season. Where in the world has first semester gone? I feel like I am just settling into my class schedule and maintaining my work load, but only in time to start a new round of classes. In the midst of finishing up midterms and projects, we have to start planning out our schedule that will commence two and a half months from now. If I even want to be considered for an internship this summer or study abroad 3^rd year, I basically need to be turning in my applications now. Oh, and let us not forget, I must declare my major at the end of this school year. What the heck am I suppose to be focusing on? I feel as if I am stuck in this never-ending whirlwind of obligations and expectations, and that I do not have a chance to enjoy the best four years of my life! And forget about being sick, there’s no time to factor in my first cold of the season, which is inevitable and impossible to avoid. Everything needs to slow down or preferably just stop while I take a minute to breath, and actually think clearly about what I want to do with my life. Good thing I did not forget about day light savings time. Knowing I was gaining an extra hour of sleep calmed me down a tad. Anyways, I don’t know about you guys, but I think I am having a mid-college crisis.

Hurt and Perriello Post-Midterm Election

For Robert Hurt, it is time to get a brief rest after a hard-fought campaign. After winning Tuesday’s midterm congressional election, Hurt has about two months to get ready to be sworn in as Virginia’s representative for the 5^th district. And what is Hurt planning to do once he gets sworn in? Pretty much what we’ve been hearing: cut government spending and repeal the health care law, among other things. Hurt even says he will work in a “bipartisan fashion” to accomplish as much as he can, however he was quick to add that he will not be willing to compromise on some issues, such as government spending. Hurt and the Republican Party will certainly have their work cut out for them, but let’s stay optimistic that the two parties will work together on some issues to help us out of this economic slump.

So while Hurt is wrapping up his post-election victory parties and preparing to be sworn in, where is Tom Perriello? And more importantly, what comes next for him? Well for now, Perriello will serve out his two remaining months as a Rep. and help prepare Hurt for his transition into office. After that, Perriello says he is unsure, although he will definitely do something community service oriented. He also says he hasn’t ruled out running for office again some time in the future.

So for the time being, both politicians deserve a rest after a hard-fought campaign and a stressful midterm election - an election that drew the highest voter turnout in Virginia, with 55.3% of registered 5^th district voters casting a ballot. Good luck to Perriello and congratulations to Hurt!

http://www2.dailyprogress.com/news/2010/nov/06/what-will-hurt-actually-be-able-accomplish-ar-636237/

http://www2.dailyprogress.com/news/2010/nov/04/whats-next-perriello-ar-632897/

Stress-Relief in 44 minutes, guaranteed!

While walking to the gym the other morning in a pair of shorts, I noticed that my legs became numb and my nose turned bright red. I checked the temperature and was shocked to discover it was 37 degrees! I guess this is normal for November? After about a week of adjusting to the cold, I’m starting to get more and more into the winter spirit which lead me to my next decision: I want to go skiing! (And I’ll wear ski pants and a jacket of course). I can feel my workload starting to pile up and am beginning to start thinking about finals, but within all of this chaos there must come sanity! Or at least some form of stress-relief! After talking to some friends and doing a little research, I have made an amazing discovery. The Wintergreen Ski Resort is a mere 44 minutes away from Charlottesville! This resort has discounted prices for students and not only offers great skiing but also tubing and a zip line. I can’t think of a better or more invigorating way to forget about the burdens of a calculus test than literally zipping down a mountain. So to the students, professors, and Charlottesvillians out there that are feeling more or less frazzled about the work and commitments to come this winter, pack up your long johns, dig out your snow-boots, and shake off the stress at Wintergreen! I can’t wait!

http://www.wintergreenresort.com/default.aspx

Elections and Voting

Turning 18 is a huge stepping stone, we gain a lot of rights that we
do not take advantage of. Voting is one of those rights, as well as
free speech. This past week was the election between Robert Hurt and
Tom Periello and it was my real first experience where I was eligible
to vote, but yet I didn't vote. I attended the rally and it was a true
experience, and it was like a VTech vs. UVa game. The Periello
supporters were lined up in unison for the rally, and on the other
side were the Hurt supporters holding signs and yelling with passion
their opposition to Periello's political views. At some point to brave
men circled around the Perielo supporters with a sign that read
"Periello is a Socialist." Besides my involvement with the Obama
Campaign administration I never knew politics was this infantile. But
casting my judgments aside, I was impressed by the number of people who
attended in support, especially students. And as I returned to campus
and throughout the week witnessed several students campaigning on
behalf of both sides. They even posted outside of Alderman library to
offer information about the elections and carpool for individuals who
wanted to vote but didn't have transportation. I was truly inspired,
it made me understand that voting is a right that some people do not
have and I do, and I encourage everyone to vote. And while the
elections are over, being informed is important and necessary because
if your reading this you are most likely with in the United States and
more so living in Charlottesville.
My assumption is that the election is a clear win for Tom Periello, but we will see how it turns out.

Thanks for reading.

Family Weekend is Almost Here!

Although this is not the case for me, this weekend may perhaps be the first time many first-years have seen their parents since move-in day on the 21st of August. While some might not be willing to admit it, I'm sure many Wahoos (myself included) are greatly looking forward to reuniting with their parents and showing them how much more comfortable we are with things around here than we first were way back in August.

Now, along with catching up with our families, I'm sure many of us are looking forward to stocking up on groceries, being able to utilize a car, and enjoy a nice non-dining-hall dinner at some restaurant nearby. However, I think it's important to know that there is a ton of other important events going on around grounds to check out.

Some things that might be cool to go to with your parents could be:

The Virginia Film Festival http://www.virginiafilmfestival.org/

The Off-Grounds Housing Fair- learn about opportunities to live off-grounds second year and perhaps even pick your living arrangement Friday from 11-4 in the Newcomb South Meeting Room

Dome Room Dinners- enter a lottery and be chosen to eat in the Dome Room of the Rotunda for dinner!

UVa Families Breakfast and Social- Old Cabell Hall lobby for a continental breakfast to meet other UVa students and parents, Saturday at 8 am

President's Address to Students and Parents- Hear President Sullivan speak in the Old Cabell Hall Auditorium, followed by a question and answer session Saturday at 9:30 am

Semester at Sea Information Session- Learn all about UVa's Semester at Sea study abroad program in the Newcomb Hall Commonwealth Room on Saturday at 1

This is only a fraction of the events that are going on! For a full list of scheduled events for family weekend, click here. Enjoy your weekend with your families!

Don't Get Sick!

This week has proved to be the beginning of a cold autumn and winter. For us UVA students that means cold walks to class and no mommy and daddy to care for our sniffles. I myself have started to feel the sickness coming and would much rather it not to interfere with my studies. Even though it is my first year at UVA I already know that being sick at college is very unpleasant. I don’t have my comfy cozy home environment with my mom there to make me soup and drive me to the doctors. Instead I have to deal with the overheated dorm rooms with thin walls so going to sleep early is impossible because everyone else still awake and I have to walk to the Student Health Center to find out what is wrong with me. Ahhh…Growing up is so pleasant isn’t it? Well, I have one suggestion that everyone should take into consideration: get your flu shot! Today there will be immunizations set up in the Newcomb ballroom for 10am to 8pm for $25. If you don’t do it for yourself do it for your roommate who also would prefer for you to not get sick and contaminate them.

Rain is not always a good thing.....

Since it is supposed to rain tomorrow, I thought I should address this. I don’t know about you, but I am trying my best to adjust to being a student that has to walk to her classes in the rain. Take it from me… know the bus system… and know them well! I thought I was very resourceful by taking the bus to class one rainy day. Needless to say, it was not the best decision in the world. I took the wrong bus! I had to walk all the way to the A-School from central grounds so I hoped on a bus that clearly said that it was going to Rugby. Well, it first went to the Stadium, then JPA, then the corner, then 14th, then Grady, then some place I have never seen before (and I am a native Charlottesvillian). By the end of my very long and stressful bus ride, I substituted a ten minute walk with a forty minute bus ride.

I encourage you to visit the University Transit site to not make the same mistake I did (or visit the bookstore like me a just buy an umbrella):
http://www.virginia.edu/parking/uts/routes/index.html

Andy Warhol Anyone?

If you are getting tired of the copious amounts of reading that keep piling up and how increasingly monotonous the weeks seem to be, its time to put your artistic skills to use! Set a side a little time this week for some arts and crafts fun. UVA Sustainability is hosting a Recycled Art Contest on the South Lawn November 15. Anyone is welcome to submit art projects of all shapes and sizes by November 8 to Erin Webb at edw5b@virginia.edu. But the catch is everything must be made out of recycled products. I know you have about 5 plastic water bottles piling up on your desk along with a number of other random odds and ends you are too lazy to take to the recycle bins outside your dorms. Get creative and make a masterpiece that could be on display. Students on grounds will be judging the work, and winners will receive gift cards from a number of vendors and restaurants on the Corner! Every participant gets a free t-shirt to add to your collection of t-shirts you have received while here at UVA. (You are probably up to 7 or 8 now I am guessing.) To summarize: Procrastinate on your work, promote environmentally friendly practices, make some art, get a t-shirt, and possibly win some gift cards. What’s not to love? There is also a Facebook event titled “Recycled Art Contest!”

-Sydney

Where's the Other Side?

On my way to class today I couldn’t help but be reminded of Election Day for the U.S. Congress.  Numerous Tom Perriello campaigners holding signs and passing out flyers were in every direction.  At one pm today, only a quarter of the registered voters had actually voted (“22,773 of 69,235 registered voters”).  Sad but true.  Hopefully more people have voted absentee like I have.  The question is, who’s the competition and where has he been?  Robert Hurt seems to have shied from fairly democratic Charlottesville to me…Even the Charlottesville Pavilion stood as a political ground for Parriello on Friday, October 29^th when President Obama rallied for Perriello.   

What do I think about the election?  I think that Perriello’s campaigners are working to gather a bunch of uninformed college kids.  I don’t think the Republican Party has made enough of a presence to keep the Charlottesville public from making uninformed decisions.  Now go inform yourself and vote before it is too late (7pm)! 

For more info visit: http://www2.dailyprogress.com/

Picture: http://www.wcmessenger.com/blogs/mess/?m=200811

 

-AB

Holidays around the Corner

It's only 2 days after Halloween, meaning the holiday season is
rapidly approaching.
Many events around the Charlottesville area, including UVa, are about
to take place to embrace the holidays.

Virginia Film Festival-
Around grounds and as well as downtown, various films will be shown
November 4th-7th. Famous stars such as  Morgan Freeman, Robert Duvall,
Vanessa Redgrave, Ann-Margret, Nicolas Cage, and Sigourney Weaver have
shown up in previous years. visit http://www.virginiafilmfestival.org/
for more information

The Jefferson Thanksgiving Ball and Holiday Show
taking place November 20th at the Omni in downtown Charlottesville.
There will be live music and dancing and well as actors dressed as the
three Presidents- Jefferson, Madison,and Monroe.
visit-http://www.visitcharlottesville.org/includes/events/index.cfm?action=displayDetail&eventid=40
for more information

Fall Dance Concert
The Department of Drama presents their Fall Dance Concert on November
11th-13th at 8pm Featuring faculty, student and guest artist
choreographers and dancers at Helms Theater.
visit- http://www.virginia.edu/drama/currentseason.htm for more information

Last Home Football Game!
Of Course!
November 13th vs the Maryland Terps.

Artisan's Bazar
November 17th, 9am, Newcomb Ballroom
Local artisans will be selling their crafts, perfect for holiday gifts.

Thanksgiving Pie classes
November 17th 4-6pm at the International Center
Learn how to make Thanksgiving pies. Registration is required: contact
Eric Champoux
intlctr@virginia.edu
434-924-7983
www.virginia.edu

Enjoy!
-VG

Diversity Career Day

Now that we got the halloween partying out of our systems, we can focus on more important events like Diversity Carer Day. Diversity Career Day is devoted to informing students from areas in Virginia and Washington D.C about jobs and internships that are available. Students have the chance to meet with over 150 businesses from different career paths. The event will occur on November 3 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the John Paul Jones Arena. This is great event to attend because it exposes one to some of the opportunities available in the job market. Students are able to ask questions to representatives from each company and get a better insight into their fields of interest. Make sure to dress business casual and have a resume at hand. More Information about the event can be found on http://www.career.virginia.edu/students/events/dcd.php.

Good luck job/internship searching! -Mina Asghari

Freezing Cold and Frustrated!

I’ll admit it—I haven’t taken a real shower since Thursday. Is that disgusting? Absolutely. I’ve had to resort to 30 second rinse offs and washing my hair in the sink because the hot water in my dorm has been out since Thursday afternoon, and it shows no signs of improving. Both my building and the buildings around us have been having hot water problems on and off for the last two weeks, but this is certainly the worst it’s been so far. Were it a temporary problem I knew the University was trying to fix, perhaps I’d be more understanding. However several maintenance reports have been filed with Housing, and to my knowledge no progress has been made. Furthermore, we have not been notified by anyone from the University as to the cause of the problem. An employee worked on the problem in the suite below me, and left because the water got luke-warm after running for an extended period of time, apparently proof that there was no problem at all. Perhaps my reaction seems spoiled and petty, but after three months of living in a building plagued with maintenance problems seemingly weekly (one of our sinks doesn’t drain, my door was programmed incorrectly and would let me in for a week, one of our showers doesn’t work well regardless of water temperature), I’m frustrated that this has persisted for so long. Yes, the building is being torn down next year. But I, and close to 200 other people, live here this year, so I wish that the upkeep of it was esteemed as highly as any other building. If it wasn’t in good enough condition to house students, the school shouldn’t have used it.

I Need to Get Out of Here!

I figured that with Thanksgiving coming up people might want to know about some of the different modes of transportation that exist to get you from C-ville to home or wherever you might be going. Obviously this isn’t an all-inclusive list since people will be going all over the country, all over the world even, but I feel like these are some options that people might not have thought of.

 

Facebook Group: Hoo’s Riding, Hoo’s Driving?: This is the online equivalent of a ride board for UVa students to help coordinate rides all over, but mainly within Virginia and the East Coast. A great way to save money and help the environment by carpooling.

 

Amtrak: Obviously the fastest way to get home is often by plane, but for many it can be expensive or inconvenient. So why not go by train? Amtrak goes all over the country and is often much less expensive than flying. It may take you a little longer to get home, but for a college student can be an economical option.

 

Greyhound: Another non-plane option is Greyhound bus, which also goes to many major cities. Maybe not the most attractive mode of transportation, but if you’re desperate it can’t hurt to look. Also if you’re going from DC to another major city on the East Coast (NYC, Philly, Boston, etc.) oftentimes there are bus companies that do those routes specifically, so make sure to look around. -MA