<p>Fire away!</p>
<p>We’re happy to help!</p>
<p>*We’re happy to help! *</p>
<p>hey, so what do you guys do for fun? how free time do you have a day? by that I mean how much non-class, non-study time do you have? what majors are you looking into and what do you think of them? what do you think of the human biology major? and finally, where else did you apply and do you ever wish you had gone somewhere else? sorry its a lot but I figured you guys can handle it. thank you</p>
<p>so what do you guys do for fun?
I party, play sports, chillax, internet surf, watch TV, play video games, and go to garage sales.</p>
<p>how much free time do you have a day?
Sundays to Wednesday nights I’m generally pretty busy. I get about 8 hours of sleep and have a few hours of free time. On Thursdays to Saturday I attend lectures, eat, sleep, and go out!</p>
<p>what majors are you looking into and what do you think of them?
*<em>MechE- seems like a lot of focused work. Somewhat interesting, solving problems is cool, but a lot of units in a narrow area (by which I mean technical science and physical engineering).
*</em>Symbolic Systems- seems like a sweet interdisciplinary mix of compsci, psychology, philosophy, and linguistics. Might not be techy enough for me, though.
**political science- really interesting classes which make you think. Work revolves around reading, writing, and talking, whereas engineering disciplines are more pset based.
Note that I’m just a freshman. For mechE I’ve taken/taking 3.5 classes here so far. For SS none. And for polisci 1.5. They all seem cool. There are times when I wish I was in more techy classes and times when I wish I was in all fuzzy classes. Both have there ups and downs. </p>
<p>what do you think of the human biology major?
don’t know enough about it to comment</p>
<p>where else did you apply?
like 9 other schools. </p>
<p>and do you ever wish you had gone somewhere else?
Never. I’ve thought about what life would be like at other places, and I’m generally pleased with my hypothesizing :)</p>
<p>What’s one thing you dislike about Stanford?
What did you take your first quarter?
How’s the dining hall food?
If you have 14 meals a week, did you go over your dining dollars?
Do you have a work study job? Do many people?</p>
<p>thanks for the response! if anyone else would like to share their opinions as well, that would be awesome!</p>
<p>hey, so what do you guys do for fun?
Toooons and tons of things. Everyone is involved in different activities, most of which are just for fun. Non school things I do for fun: hang out in my dorm lounge, nap (a big one)…Somehow I occasionally end up watching TV/a random movie with my roommate.
On the weekends, there are normally parties and shows and things to go to.</p>
<p>by that I mean how much non-class, non-study time do you have?
It depends on how many units you take. Last quarter I took 16 and had loads and loads of free time. This quarter I’m in 19 and my free time is a lot rarer - this week I’ve had virtually NO free time. 
but this is midterm week so it’s expected. </p>
<p>They say to expect to spend the amount of units your in times two on classwork (as in, I’m in 19 units, so I should expect to spend 38 hours working outside of class), though this is definitely not necessarily true. Different courses are different loads; my stats class is 5 units but I maybe spend an hour a week (on the most) at it and I have an A.</p>
<p>what majors are you looking into and what do you think of them?
Right now I’m majoring in Psychology and minoring in Modern Languages.
I like them, but as a freshman your major really doesn’t matter. You are taking your required classes (IHUM, PWR, GERs…) and maybe one class in your major.</p>
<p>what do you think of the human biology major?
It’s a popular one. You’ll spend the first one or two quarters in chemistry before diving into biology, or so I gather.
Though I’m not really a techie so I don’t know much.</p>
<p>and finally, where else did you apply and do you ever wish you had gone somewhere else?
Where I applied - Stanford, Duke, Princeton, Rice, UT Austin
Where I got in - UT Austin, Rice, Stanford, Duke (waitlist)</p>
<p>I’m so so so happy at Stanford…I have never wished that I had picked somewhere else. I can’t imagine anything different.</p>
<p>What’s one thing you dislike about Stanford?
Honestly, not too much.
It rains some in the winter…</p>
<p>What did you take your first quarter?
IHUM (Laws and Orders), Economics 1A, Spanish 3, Introduction to French Conversation, Wind Ensemble (16 units)</p>
<p>This quarter - IHUM (Human History), Statistics, Spanish 11C, PWR (Rhetoric of Consciousness).</p>
<p>How’s the dining hall food?
Ehhh some days it’s better than others. My dining hall goes a little overboard trying to be ethnic…it’s hit and miss. But there is always something edible.</p>
<p>If you have 14 meals a week, did you go over your dining dollars?
Never. I probably average around twelve meals a week, and I’m not even close to going over on the dining dollars. I get oranges at dinnertime for my breakfast the next morning so I’m never close to going over on meals either.</p>
<p>Do you have a work study job? Do many people?
I qualify for work study but I don’t have a job this quarter. I believe a fair number of people qualify for work study but I don’t know too many people who have a job right now. I’m looking for one for next quarter though.</p>
<p>great responses guys, thank you</p>
<p>What’s one thing you dislike about Stanford?
uh, right now the fact I’m still awake haha. Seriously though, some of the students here are really pre-professional. It annoys me. </p>
<p>What did you take your first quarter?
I don’t want people here to find my CC identity haha. In other words I was and am in some really small classes. PM me if you still want to know though. </p>
<p>How’s the dining hall food?
alright. like the other guy said, it’s off and on. Saturdays it generally sucks, but Sundays are awesome. There are lots of options, and if worst comes to worst I can just fall back on bananas, tofu, yogurt, and a chicken sandwich. </p>
<p>If you have 14 meals a week, did you go over your dining dollars?
Like cardinal dollars? I didn’t, but then again I switched to 14 a few weeks into the quarter. I think I’m on pace to be fine. </p>
<p>Do you have a work study job? Do many people?
No. I don’t know. I see a few of my classmates working around campus. But no one in my hall works, which is weird because like half of us are broke.</p>
<p>What’s one thing you dislike about Stanford?
The constant workload. But I guess any good university would have that…</p>
<p>What did you take your first quarter?
A CS class, IHUM, a language class and an athletic class…took a light workload to get adjusted…</p>
<p>How’s the dining hall food?
In the beginning it’s alright but after your first quarter everyone loves to hate it. The food (at least in Stern) is very predictable. Then again you can always go to the other dining halls…</p>
<p>If you have 14 meals a week, did you go over your dining dollars?
Depends on your sleep schedule. I never have breakfast so I never run out.</p>
<p>Do you have a work study job? Do many people?
I don’t but my roommate does. Some people I know have jobs outside campus in Palo Alto and some work for Stanford. Most don’t work, at least not this year…</p>
<p>Thanks for the awesome responses!</p>
<p>What’s the likelihood I’ll get put in an all-freshman dorm if I want one?
What are your rooms like? I have an extremely difficult time finding pictures.
How is the theft (especially bikes and laptops) on campus?</p>
<p>Thanks for this, guys. Very helpful. :)</p>
<p>How are the health-food/vegetarian options in the dining halls?
How many units do people usually take each quarter? The website says 15 is standard, but I keep hearing people call that “light.”
Do the athletic recruits fraternize with the “regular” students?</p>
<p>i’ll just repeat what everyone else said and give a big thanks to you all :)</p>
<p>okay so some of my questions are kind of dumb</p>
<ul>
<li>are the gyms usually crowded? are there jogging trails on campus?</li>
<li>are there a lot of hipster-ish/“artsy” students like there are at brown/nyu/a lot of those east coast schools/etc, or are those types of students in the minority? OR is there just a little bit of everyone at stanski? (lol @ this question)</li>
<li>are there a lot of biking accidents? ahahaha sooo worried i’m going to crash into everyone</li>
<li>how much/how often do froshkies party? are you kind of looked down upon/seen as “uncool” if you’re a non-drinker, haha?</li>
<li>what’s the lgbtq (specifically gay/bi) dating scene like?</li>
</ul>
<p>What’s the likelihood I’ll get put in an all-freshman dorm if I want one?
I don’t know. Probably fairly high, although some people do get put in 4-class. </p>
<p>What are your rooms like? I have an extremely difficult time finding pictures.
generally pretty nice. Most freshman rooms are one-room for two people (squarish shape). Some are one larger room for 3 people (rectangular shaped). Some are three rooms for 4 people. And some are two rooms for two people. </p>
<p>How is the theft (especially bikes and laptops) on campus?
bikes and bike-lights get stolen. Probably shouldn’t be much of a problem if you’re careful. Never heard of a laptop getting stolen yet.</p>
<p>How are the health-food/vegetarian options in the dining halls?
There’s salad and a handful of solid vegetarian options every meal. </p>
<p>How many units do people usually take each quarter? The website says 15 is standard, but I keep hearing people call that “light.”
I’d say 16-17 is about the norm for freshman. In later years, a lot of the classes seem to be 3-4 units, so that may contribute to it. You can choose 16 units freshman year that will be 30+ hours of work a week, but you can also easily choose 16 units that will be <15 hours of work a week. The classes most freshman are in probably lean more toward the latter I’m guessing. </p>
<p>Do the athletes fraternize with the “regular” students?<br>
yes</p>
<p>are the gyms usually crowded? are there jogging trails on campus?
haven’t been to the gym much, but it was crowded friday before dinner. I assume that’s the most popular time to work out though. There are jogging trails around campus. </p>
<p>are there a lot of hipster-ish/“artsy” students like there are at brown/nyu/a lot of those east coast schools/etc, or are those types of students in the minority? OR is there just a little bit of everyone at stanski? (lol @ this question)
A little bit of everyone. If you want to find the hipster-ish/artsy students, check out Synergy, Columbae, and EBF. </p>
<p>are there a lot of biking accidents? ahahaha sooo worried i’m going to crash into everyone
At Stanford, there are those who have crashed, and those who will crash. So yeah, you’ll get in an accident at some point (I consider myself a pretty careful biker and I’ve gotten into two). If you want to stay safe, avoid biking at 11 & 12, in the rain, at the corners of the quad, in the dark without a light, fast, without a helmet, or around the engineering areas (too many inexperienced riders and overly-confident riders). </p>
<p>how much/how often do froshkies party? are you kind of looked down upon/seen as “uncool” if you’re a non-drinker, haha?
I wouldn’t say you’re looked down upon if you’re a non-drinker (I look up to those people, provided they’re not jerks about it), but if you like to sit alone in your room on the weekend and scowl at your drunk dorm-mates, you may be looked down upon. There is some peer pressure to drink, but if you’re adamant about it people will generally stop. As far as partying goes, there is a wide-spectrum of people, and there will generally be someone who does the same things as you on the weekends. I definitely think Stanford strikes a good mix of party/non-party and accepting those who choose the other option. </p>
<p>what’s the lgbtq (specifically gay/bi) dating scene like?
um I don’t know. There was at least one gay couple (and now maybe two) in my dorm so far, though. And I’ve seen gay couples at parties.</p>
<p>ooh. Do you know anything about the astrophysics/astronomy & physics program at Stanford & what can you tell me about it if you do?</p>
<p>thanks, senior!</p>
<p>I’m not a student anymore (graduated last spring), but here goes anyway:</p>
<p>Hey, so what do you guys do for fun?
In my case, music and lots of it. Wind Ensemble, LSJUMB, the orchestra sometimes, and the occasional smaller ad hoc ensemble.</p>
<p>How much free time do you have a day?
Depends on how you define “free time”. If you mean “time to spend doing things I don’t have to do”, then lots and lots. If you mean “unstructured, unscheduled time”, then not very much. I don’t know how typical I was, though; I was involved in a lot of activities.</p>
<p>What majors are you looking into and what do you think of them?
I considered math and physics, and was originally going to double major. Around the middle of sophomore year, it became clear that I was enjoying math a lot more, and that I would be much better off making my career there. I also realized that I wouldn’t be able to take any random fun courses if I double majored. So I finished with an honors degree in math and a physics minor.</p>
<p>Where else did you apply and do you ever wish you had gone somewhere else?
Minnesota and Wisconsin. Never looked back–going to Stanford is probably the best decision I’ve made in my life so far, and that’s not intended as hyperbole.</p>
<p>What’s one thing you dislike about Stanford?
The university administration sometimes seems to care more about its rich alumni than its students. Granted, being in the Band, you tend to see a little more of this than the average student. But if you want an example, ask John Arrillaga where the showers are in the gym he donated.</p>
<p>What did you take your first quarter?
IHUM (Visions of Mortality, which I don’t think exists anymore), Math 51H, Physics 61</p>
<p>How’s the dining hall food?
Not bad at all. The only downside is that it can get repetitive, especially at the big ones (like Wilbur and Stern). I lived in Wilbur as a freshman and started to get tired of the dining hall around the beginning of spring quarter. Lived there again as a junior, and it happened within a month or two. As a senior, I ate mostly at Ricker, and never got tired of it.</p>
<p>If you have 14 meals a week, did you go over your dining dollars?
Last year, I had 14 a week, ate breakfast roughly twice a week, and was never in danger of running out of meals. I don’t think I was very close to running out of points, either.</p>
<p>Do you have a work study job? Do many people?
No, and I don’t know.</p>
<p>What’s the likelihood I’ll get put in an all-freshman dorm if I want one?
Pretty good, I think. They’ve rearranged housing to create more all-frosh dorms.</p>
<p>What are your rooms like? I have an extremely difficult time finding pictures.
I like the dorm rooms. They’re bigger and significantly nicer than what I’ve seen at other schools.</p>
<p>How is the theft (especially bikes and laptops) on campus?
If you lock your bike, you’ll be fine. If you don’t lock it, it will get stolen. If you lock your dorm room, your laptop will be fine. If you don’t, you run the risk of it getting stolen, but I don’t know that it’s that big of a risk.</p>
<p>How many units do people usually take each quarter? The website says 15 is standard, but I keep hearing people call that “light.”
15 is standard, but that often goes higher with activity classes and such. I was at 20 almost every quarter, because I’d sign up for as many classes as I wanted to take, then fill the rest with units for activities (which I’d do anyway, but didn’t have to sign up for). Units, by the way, are not a great way to measure courseload. It’s better to measure by number of classes and how hard they are. Three is just a little light, four is normal, five is quite heavy.</p>
<p>Do the athletic recruits fraternize with the “regular” students?
Freshman year, I lived in a dorm with three swimmers, two football players, a volleyball player, a baseball player, and maybe others that I can’t remember. They didn’t have a huge amount of free time to socialize, but we still got to know them fairly well, and they were definitely part of the dorm’s community.</p>
<p>Are there a lot of biking accidents?
I think I managed to get into only two in four years, neither remotely serious; I don’t know if this is typical or not. Biking safely helps. </p>
<p>How much/how often do froshkies party? are you kind of looked down upon/seen as “uncool” if you’re a non-drinker, haha?
There are people who drink and people who don’t drink. In my experience, it was mostly live-and-let-live between those two groups. I did see a bit of peer pressure to move from the second group to the first, but in retrospect, it seems like it was mostly directed at the people seen as likely to eventually do so anyway.</p>
<p>Do you know anything about the astrophysics/astronomy & physics program at Stanford & what can you tell me about it if you do?
Like I said, I used to be a physics major. The one thing I really disliked about it was that there’s almost no freedom in course selection–the major is “take all the courses on this list, and one or two electives”. Teaching can be hit-or-miss; it’s a good idea to find an older student who can tell you which professors to seek out and which to avoid. (I can tell you about a few via PM.) About astro specifically, I finished out my minor with astrophysics and cosmology. Both, I thought, were great courses, although the first was with a not-so-great teacher. Don’t know much about the astro program as a whole, though.</p>
<p>Is is absolutely necessary to have a bike? and if so what type do you recommend?
Are the professors easily accessible and willing to help?
Whats the largest size class you have ever been in and what course was it?
Is it difficult to get into undergrad research as a Freshman?
Which dorms (for a freshman) are the best?
Do you participate in any sports?
Do you know anything about the Chemistry program at Stanford and if so how is it?
How many times a year do you go back home (if you don’t live in California)?</p>
<p>How many times a year do you go back home if you do live in California?</p>