ALUMNI love this place. They're itching to come back here whenever they can, and when you meet alumni outside of Charlottesville, they're always eager to talk about this school, the years that they spent here, and how it has or hasn't changed since they graduated.
THIS IS the hardest university in America. Or the easiest. Or somewhere in between. It all depends on you. Enrolling at this University means you've opened a door, a door that can lead to places and experiences you've not yet imagined.
VIVID. That's how I would describe my first year at the University. Each memory is so clear and poignant that listening to a certain song or thinking of a certain moment takes me right back.
I STILL remember the first time I called Bonnycastle "home." It was only three weeks into my first year, and I passed a friend on the street.
I CAN'T believe I'm writing this column. Let me rephrase that: I can't believe I only have one year left at the University.
I REMEMBER watching parents teach other kids how to swim. Some parents stuck to the "sink-or-swim" philosophy.
SMART IS one thing; knowledgeable is entirely different. A smart person can, for instance, write a strong, intelligent essay on a topic he knows a lot about.
WE'RE NOT as lucky as sea turtles. Humans aren't born with the instincts to head straight for the ocean and immediately begin paddling.
THERE are thousands of them. They live in government-supported institutions, without caring guardians, each day growing more mentally detached or medically unstable.
THEY USED to be looking for "a few good men." Today, they're just looking for a few warm bodies.
JAMES DALE was a Boy Scout, an Eagle Scout, a Scout leader and a recipient of an award that only 3 percent of Scouts receive.
HIGH SCHOOL has never been so appealing, it seems. More and more students are choosing to stay in high school longer than they have to, taking what's called a "post-graduate year." This trend demands that we take a closer look at how we prepare students for college, and why an increasing number of students resort to a fifth year. Post-graduate programs, which allow high school graduates to take a fifth year of high school before going to college, have been in place at a few schools -- mostly private New England prep schools -- for several decades.
WHEN I tell people I'm interning for my Senator this summer, I generally get two responses. First, they say that it's a great opportunity and that I must have worked very hard to get it.
IT'S ALMOST upon us. Twice a year, in our summer mail-out issue and then once again in the Orientation Issue, The Cavalier Daily Opinion page offers numerous columns providing advice to those naïve first-years who might not yet understand the many traditions and peculiarities of "The University." Included among these are "Eat a Gusburger" or "Don't sign up for 8 a.m.
G.I. JOE's famous line was "Knowing is half the battle." G.I. Joe never had to battle for the safety of college students, but the phrase still applies.
YOUR COURSE schedule shouldn't make you yawn. Many students are often less than enthusiastic about their courses.
THINK BACK to the days when your older sibling was left in charge for five minutes by your parents.
MY FIRST-GRADE math class often had a 60-second timer clicking at the front of the classroom. I was typically bent over my desk, quickly filling out a sheet of addition problems.
FOUR YEARS ago I arrived at this University with no idea of what I was going to do. As I graduate now, I still have no clue what I am doing.
TRADITIONALLY, the graduation edition of The Cavalier Daily has held two types of opinion columns.
