Even though the spring weather keeps students guessing about what to wear everyday, they can take solace in knowing the frequent warm days signal the approach of the school year's end. Some students are dreading the finals and thesis papers that await them, while others dread having to put on a business suit and play grown up. And the least worrisome and relaxed students at the University, those first-years who actually eat at O-Hill, look around their miniscule rooms and wonder how their first year of college went by so quickly.
As they see the prospective students walking around Grounds, trying to decide whether the University is right for them (what are they thinking?), the first years reminiscence about how they felt before they arrived and contemplate how much their perspective has changed since then.
Bryan Leach, a first-year College student, said he came to the University based on the school's academic reputation.
"I thought of U.Va as being a very prestigious school that is very hard to get into," Leach said. "I didn't think much of the social life before I came here, so I didn't know what to expect."
However, some first years had heard an earful about the social aspects of the University before arriving.
"Before I had even come here, I had heard that it was a major party school and that there were a lot of snobby people, but at the same time its academics were very good," first-year Engineering student Hannah Williams said.
When she looks at the University retrospectively however, she said sees the truth and the falsity in that initial characterization.
"I still think U.Va is a party school, but I think the party aspect of it was overemphasized by the people I talked to before I came here," she said. "And I definitely don't find the people snobby."
Other first years said that while the University might look like a typical Southern school with a huge Greek life from afar, after closer inspection they realized it has much more to offer socially.
Diane McGibbon, a first-year College student, said she has found the University to be very diverse.
"People always said that the Greek life at U.Va was very big," she said. "Now I feel that Greek life could dominate your life if you want it to, but there are also many other alternatives."
After being here for almost a year, Williams agreed that the University's Greek life is just the right amount.
"I had heard that it was very big, but that it wasn't out of control," she said. "And now that I have been here for a while I agree with that. You can definitely see the Greek presence, but it's not so dominating that I feel like I need to be in a sorority to have friends."
Greek life was initially a foreign concept to many of the students who arrived at the University this past August, but over time some said they got to find out what it's all about.
"I knew the school had a Greek system, but because Greek life is not huge in New York schools where I am from, I didn't know much about it," Leach said. "Obviously that's changed over the course of this last year."
Another aspect of the University that some first years had been informed about before coming here is the prevalence of polo shirts, khakis and baseball caps.
"I heard that it was quite preppy before I came," McGibbon said. "Now, I think there are preppy people, but then there are a lot of people who have their own styles."
On the other hand, the culture of flipped-up collars came as a surprise to Leach.
"I had no idea how preppy this school was," he said. "Before I came here I could have counted on two hands the number of times I had seen a person wearing 'the polo shirt.' Now wherever I look I see pinks, pastels and plaids with the little polo man on it. But obviously you get adjusted to it. I actually have purchased my own button down polo shirt over winter break."
In addition to the polos and Rainbow flip flops, first-year students have also heard about and witnessed another presence treading throughout Grounds -- the runners.
Many students said they hadn't thought that the University would be as athletically involved as it is.
"I had expected many people to be athletic, but not to the extent that most of the school contributes in IM sports and runs a lot," McGibbon said. "Like it is 5 a.m. and there is snow on the ground and there are people running."
According to many students, one of the most important athletic events of the school year is the football season in the fall, and its reputation extends beyond C'ville.
"I had heard that U.Va had the most loyal and rowdy fan base compared to all the other schools," Williams said. "And I think it's exactly that way. It's really cool that everybody is so united."
Leach said he had never been a big college football fan before becoming a Wahoo, but now his perception has changed.
"I knew there was a lot of tradition at U.Va, but I didn't realize that the [football] games were one of them," Leach said. "I had never been to more than a few college football games before, but because it's such an integral part of the U.Va experience, my friends and I have attended every single home game in the fall."
A short walk from the heart of University football --Scott Stadium -- are another source of many first-year expectations: New and Old Dorms on Alderman and McCormick Roads respectively.
"I wanted to be in the Old Dorms because I heard they are more social, but New Dorms are just as good," McGibbon said. "But maybe that's because I live in one of the New Dorms that is set up in hall style."
Leach had also received the same kind of information before he came.
"I requested to be in the Old Dorms like every other first-year because I was told that it was the place to be," he said. "It's a large area that lends itself to meeting so many people."
Apart from the parties, the clothes and the cool sleeping arrangements, there is one other factor that is thought about by first years before logging onto ISIS for the first time -- schoolwork.
Leach's perception of the amount of time allocated to studying was enormous at first.
"I knew [Virginia academics] had a really good reputation, so I thought it would take up all my time," he said. "But it turned out work isn't much harder than it is in high school, but it's a lot more and easier to procrastinate."
Williams also pointed out the level of competitiveness.
"I had heard it was competitive, but not cut-throat like it is at other schools," she said. "And I definitely found out that it's that way. People don't try to sabotage your work here."
Whether it was seeing one of Matt Schaub's passes in person, walking down Rugby Road at 11 p.m. on a Friday or reading one of Larry Sabato's books in the Old Dorms quad that attracted the first years, they are here and loving it.
"I wasn't expecting frat boys in pink polo shirts," Muir said. "But U.Va has turned out to be everything I hoped for"
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