They are coming. Summer's grueling humidity and menacing clouds do not even deter them from their purpose. You have seen them. They tote campus maps and boundless curiosity; they click their cameras before the white glare of the Rotunda steps. They flood Starbucks and Mincer's and gather in gaggles around the posted menu of The Virginian.
Oh, the summer tourists are coming.
In many cases they are already here. As students walk the brick paths of the Academical Village, they can catch snippets of tourists talking:"And thisthis is the Round-tundra. It's called that because it's round, and because Tom Jefferson liked the Artic."These folk are usually the cross-country travelers, stopping by to explore T.J.'s old stomping grounds, carrying anything from spelunking lights to overloaded fanny packs.
Then there are the alumni, beaming with a certain quality that must come with graduation. They love to remind students that "in my day, we didn't have any of these fancy buses running around, no siree, yep, we walked to class from our houses, uphill both ways."Sometimes they meander down Rugby to see if the old rotting couch still sags in the front of their old frat house. And, of course, it does.
Finally, there are the prospectives. As a University Summer Guide I have had the opportunity to observe "typical" prospective behavior.Often they go peacefully about their visit, eager to learn more about the white columns and smooth lines of the Jeffersonian Grounds. Prepare yourselves for a barrage of questions:"Excuse me, where is the arena?Where can we get good coffee?Can you tell me about the Slavic languages major?"
And my favorite question of all:"Do you like it here?" It is these prospective students who flatter us the most and remind us how great the University community truly is. Perhaps you've watched the roaming families squint at their maps and have been transported back to your own college search--the applications, the essays, the visits, but, most of all, the visits.
Almost every student on a University tour is on a grandiose college tour encompassing multiple schools.They come here for strict research purposes. They think they are looking for the right faculty/student ratio, the right department, or the right size. They think the statistics will add up and that a "pros" and "cons" list will make a decision for them.
They are deceived.
In reality, these students search for a feeling in the gut that cannot aptly be described. Comfort, home, and belonging come close. Like when you find shoes that fit just right, hugging your arches snugly.
Rising third-year Curry student and guide, Allison Gillen says, "When people ask me why I came here, I usually say the 5-year masters degree program at the Curry School attracted me. In reality, it's a feeling you get here that you can't put your finger on."
They look for that feeling here, among the brick buildings and Newcomb waffle fries, and most notably, among the students and faculty of the University.
Prospectives often ask Admission Dean Shawn Felton about the students here, hoping for a quick and helpful generalization. Unfortunately, there isn't one. "Students at the University are energetic, self-directed, focused," Felton said. "They take advantage of opportunities; in fact, the only limitations in a place like this have to do with a student's imagination and how passionate they are. The experience is, in a word, flexible."
My fellow tour guides and I have our own summer goal:convey to the average visitor what that University experience means to us, as current students.
I have to admit, it's frustrating at times to describe how exciting and drama-filled the first-year dorms are, or how the Castle should be added to the United Nations world heritage site along with the Lawn. How do you really prepare a high school student for the self-motivation college academics absolutely requires?How do you convince a high school junior that Little John's looks dramatically different at night, comparable to "The Max" in terms of popularity?
Another guide, rising second-year Engineering student, Dan Laufer says, "If someone asks me about specifics, like the football team stats, I can talk about that easily. But if they ask about the entire college experience, I can't put it into words."
But we certainly do try. Tours are our ninety-minute chance to sum up the University experience. The college experience.
Laufer says that tours are always exciting.
"Each time before a tour, I feel like I'm about to give a performance. Two shows daily."
Gillen agrees.
"I love it when they ask questions. It shows they really are interested, plus I get to talk more about the University."Of course, sometimes the questions are prompted by the parent's elbow nudges:"You had a question here, Junior, didn't you?"
On the other hand, admissions tours often have a few stragglers who have no interest in applying to the university. A few weeks ago I gave a tour to an architectural history professor from South Carolina. My colleagues escorted a few British astronomers around the quad, and dutifully dropped them off at the bars for the tour's finish. The sheer number of visitors we receive other than prospectives is true testimony to the wealth of history and personality that this place has to offer. University students should take a moment to consider that some vacationers consider their classroom buildings a destination.
So, I asked myself, "Do I already forget anxiously pacing by the mailbox April of my senior year, waiting to see where my college experience would unfold?" My answer simple: No.
Rather, the prospectives that visit, parents on each arm, peering admirably into Edgar Allan Poe's room or actually taking notes on Arts and Sciences requirements, afford a rare glimpse into my previous self. Wandering, breathing reminders of that good ol' platitude:seize the day.
"This place isn't slowing down at all," says Dean Felton. "It's hard to keep up sometimes with the students! As an alum, I love to see it. This university is always moving forward."
In conclusion I've decided, as a member of that surging community, it's time to remember what I swore never to forget, back in the time when I thought the Tavern would actually be the student hangout and New Cabell was pronounced "new ka-BELL." It's time to take advantage of these last few years of quasi-adulthood, before I get to the real thing.
So if you're a visitor to this University, thanks for offering a bit of inspiration, a bit of amusement. And if you're already part of this community, well, if someone asks you where the Round-tundra is, try to keep a smile on your face as you answer.
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