CCU Campus Life- Qs

College Majors Musical Theater Major
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<p>I’d love to learn more about CCU campus life–</p>

<p>How are the dorms? Recommended dorm(s) for freshmen? Do upperclassmen stay in on-campus housing or move off campus?</p>

<p>How’s the food? Good dining options around campus?</p>

<p>Weekends-- What’s it like around campus? Do kids leave or stay?</p>

<p>Lots of clubs/organizations to get involved in? What are the more popular ones?</p>

<p>Any additional info would be great. Would love to hear from some current MT students!. (I know AlexaMT will likely chime in here! *wink!)</p>

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<p>Hey I don’t know anything much like AlexaMT would but I will chime in with what we found today. :slight_smile: We got to see dorms today and there are several options. There are some that are recommended for Freshman but they have lots of options (washer and dryers can be used at no charge. Freshman and Sophomores are required to live on campus but again, but there are options that are much like “apartment living” which gives much more flexibility to the students. </p>

<p>We ate at CINO grill and it was good…had a few options there. Easy to use and I know there are a couple of other locations around campus. They are building a new student union place that is going to have a movie theater and a bowling alley.</p>

<p>Don’t know where if you live in Florida (my daughter was born in FL) and it has a very “from the coast” feel to it that I think you would like. The campus is new and fresh feeling and the students seem to be very active. Definitely can get the “college experience” there. </p>

<p>From the feeling I get it isn’t a “commuter campus” like UCF or Wright State. D was able to spend 2 hours with a couple of current freshmen and got the “student” tour of campus. </p>

<p>This campus has a very warm and outgoing feeling. The kids we met in the MT department were eager to meet us and extremely friendly. They were focused but joked around with one another in a very comfortable way. </p>

<p>We loved our time on campus… Thanks @AlexaMT for setting everything up for us it was an AMAZING DAY!!!</p>

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<p>Thanks! My son auditioned on campus, so we’ve been there, but didn’t get the full tour, nor did he see the dorms. </p>

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<p>Hi y’all! @NAtlantaStudio‌ - so glad you and your D had a great day. I know everyone loved meeting you both. Here’s my two cents. :)</p>

<p>**How are the dorms? Recommended dorm(s) for freshmen? Do upperclassmen stay in on-campus housing or move off campus? - **</p>

<p>I think that the dorm situation at CCU is actually really nice. I’ve always bragged about it comparison to some other campuses I visited or summer camps I attended while in high school. The “worst” that can happen is you are in a triple room in one of the main buildings, Ingle or Eaglin. This is a room really made to fit 2 people, (with bunk beds) that three people stay in and share a bathroom with 3 other students. That sounds not so fun, but the rooms are really large enough to accommodate all three, they are nice enough quality, and it’s still not a public bathroom on a floor that you HAVE to walk to. Theatre kids are so busy they spend most of their time outside of their dorm anyway.</p>

<p>Now that I’ve said the WORST, I did not live there. I lived in the Woods, which are apartment style quads on campus. There are 6 of these buildings, and it is four bedrooms with one bathroom and a living room/kitchen area. So nice. I loved the woods. There is also University Place, which is where all sophomores live and some freshmen also sneak in there. These are even nicer apartment style houses- 4 bedrooms, each has it’s own bathroom, a large living room, kitchen, laundry room, and porch. Some freshmen are lucky enough to sneak into those, all sophomores live there- like I said. Only problem with UP is it is a little less than a mile from campus and the shuttle is not always on time. Many people take a long walk or have cars if they live in UP. The shuttle system is there but it’s truly not the most reliable, like any public transportation.</p>

<p>They are also building new student dorms, but I don’t think they will be open until class of 2019 or 2020.</p>

<p>How’s the food? Good dining options around campus?</p>

<p>The big dining hall by the dorms has been revamped since I was a freshmen so I don’t know much about it. I would still recommend CINO Grille. Love the salad bar, and the grab and go station. There’s also a burger place, a mexican place, and a Subway in there. Good options. I still eat there on my small commuter meal plan if we are in rush. We have a new Starbucks on campus (YES) and an Einstein Brothers Bagels that is also really good.</p>

<p>Weekends-- What’s it like around campus? Do kids leave or stay?</p>

<p>Bumping! Everyone stays. Lots of activities. Always something going on in the theatre department and definitely always something going on school-wide. It’s an extremely active and busy campus. Lots of school spirit and pride.</p>

<p>Lots of clubs/organizations to get involved in? What are the more popular ones?</p>

<p>We have a student theatre organization, Upstage, that a lot of BFAs are in. That’s where we do student theatre, cabarets, fundraisers, Relay for Life, etc.</p>

<p>**Any additional info would be great. Would love to hear from some current MT students! **</p>

<p>I’ll try and get some other students to bop onto here and answer any other questions/chime in! I know people get tired of hearing just from me. I am not the only BFA at CCU haha.</p>

<p>AMT</p>

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<p>Is the Theater Dept doing anything special for the Campus-wide Open House on April 12th?</p>

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<p>Not that I know of. The seniors and most of the faculty will just be getting back from showcase. That is closing night of Blood Wedding, however, so if people were going to visit it would definitely be possible to get them tickets for the show.</p>

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<p>Blood Wedding was a really good show! The kids did a great job (the young lady in the roll of mother was astounding!!!) If you have the opportunity to go I would!!</p>

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<p>Oh! We got to see the Senior Showcase today and WOW!!! You guys were amazing!! I loved how different each of you were. I know that you guys are going to do great in NYC!!! The showcase really does a great job highlighting what the team at Coastal is doing!! Congrats!!!</p>

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<p>We will be visiting the Monday after Easter. Looking forward to visiting CCU at last, and of course we will enjoy the warm weather!</p>

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<p>I’ll try not to repeat what’s been said…</p>

<p>My daughter is a junior MT who is currently studying at Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo,Italy. Physical Theatre BFAs spend 2 semesters there, but there is a one semester option for Acting and MT BFAs. We were able to visit and confirm that she is being challenged and growing both artistically and personally. We highly recommend taking advantage if your thespian has a nomadic spirit like ours does.</p>

<p>How are the dorms? Recommended dorm(s) for freshmen? Do upperclassmen stay in on-campus housing or move off campus?
~ My daughter also lived in The Woods her freshman year. From what I understand, many of the freshman triples in the traditional dorms and at UP only last for the first few weeks - things tend to shift around and most end up with doubles well before mid semester.<br>
~ We sent our daughter with a car her freshman year so we could use the car when we visited and save on car rentals. The parking pass has been under $100 for the year, so it only takes one visit to pay for itself.<br>
~ When my daughter lived at UP, she carpooled with other kids in the department since they were typically in most of the same classes. They would alternate driving each day and they would either meet up at the end of the day, find another ride, or catch the shuttle back to UP. The shuttles may have improved because they did not seem to be a problem for her. Either way, they have to allot a bit of time for the shuttle to make its way around UP and to campus or to park in the commuter lot and walk to class. The campus is compact enough that they get a nice walk but it’s not overwhelming.<br>
~ There is a plethora of off-campus housing options for juniors and seniors at various distances and price points.</p>

<p>How’s the food? Good dining options around campus?
~ There are main dining halls on main campus and at UP. At UP, kids often take their food to go and eat in their apartment. They can use a meal exchange at CINO Grille which is a nice change and is the closest option to the theatre building for that. They can use the money portion of their meal plan at other places on campus and at a few nearby places off campus. That also offers a nice change of pace.
~ Once they are living off campus, or even in UP, cooking for themselves, there are a variety of grocery options near campus and not far from campus in MB. There is also a commuter meal plan option which can be used at the dining halls or CINO Grille, etc. </p>

<p>Weekends-- What’s it like around campus? Do kids leave or stay?
~ Theatre kids stay. Whenever we’ve been there for shows, the entire campus is active - no weekend ghost town here… If, on rare occasion, they aren’t busy with other theatre stuff, they are onlyabout 10 miles from the BEACH! And it can be warm enough even in January to enjoy.</p>

<p>Lots of clubs/organizations to get involved in? What are the more popular ones?
~ Plenty theatre-wise and otherwise for everyone’s taste.</p>

<p>When you are visiting, don’t be shy about asking questions. </p>

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<p>Hi there! My daughter is just finishing up her Freshman year at CCU. She is a BFA Acting major. She was placed in University Place housing (not requested, it’s all that was left), the apartment complexes that are just off campus. There is one building that is a dedicated Freshman building with a RA and the whole deal. They are are only about a 15 minute walk from campus, and an easy bike ride. The issue becomes that they have to cross a busy road (there is a light), but there are sidewalks the whole way. The weather is generally not an issue, except rain, but if they have an umbrella and or a rain coat, (which is a really good idea) it’s all good. The shuttle system was improved tremendously this year, and my daughter has had no issues with it being late etc. She describes it as being very reliable. She’s not a huge fan of riding any bus, but it’s worked out for her without a problem, as she has no car on campus. I get many of my phone calls from her while she is waiting at the shuttle stop and riding the shuttle home so that works for me! That being said, UP is nice, but it’s still apartment living and a lot of responsibility for an 18 year old. She’s grown up by leaps and bounds this year though, having that experience, but I’ll admit that part of me wishes she had been in the Woods. (that was her request) Still, it all worked out. CCU is a beautiful campus, has an awesome gym/activity center and there’s always something being built and improved. I will agree about CINO grille and the salad bar etc. Lots of good choices, especially if your kid is trying to eat healthily. Groceries weren’t as easy for my daughter to figure out due to lack of a car, but she has since found friends with cars, and there is a bus that goes to WalMart where they can get the essentials. She has started to use the dining halls more this semester because she has a roommate that doesn’t do any dishes so it was easier just to stop using the kitchen in the apartment rather than deal with the angst of complaining about that mess. (another part of being a grown up)</p>

<p>My daughter is a member of Upstage, and she has several classmates who joined sororities. There’s as much or as little as you want to do, just depends on how involved you want to be. During orientation as well as the first few weeks of school, they do a lot of recruiting for the various groups and activities on campus. The BFA kids are pretty much immersed in what they are doing so it’s a stretch (though not impossible) to do much outside of that. I think that’s true of any BFA program, anywhere. It’s kind of a big deal. :slight_smile: The theater group quickly becomes a second family. It was amazing to watch it all unfold. </p>

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<p>@theatremom2013, thanks for the review. Quick question, did your daughter end up at UP because she committed and/or submitted her housing deposit later on in the process (like close to May 1st or even after?) Just trying to figure out my D’s chances of being placed there, as this is her last choice. Thanks!</p>

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<p>What is Upstage?</p>

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<p>Upstage is the student-run theatre organization. </p>

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<p>Ahhhh… D will love that!!</p>

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<p>Upstage is a terrific organization. They do everything from producing “second stage” shows to play readings to fundraising for the CCU food bank and participating in Relay For Life. This past year they produced a new show that one of the Acting majors wrote. I unfortunately didn’t get to see it but heard that it was fantastic. It was totally student produced.<br>
<a href=“http://grandstrand.happeningmag.com/coastal-carolina-theatre”>http://grandstrand.happeningmag.com/coastal-carolina-theatre&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>There is also an active chapter of Alpha Psi Omega at CCU.</p>

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<p>sydsim, yes, I believe that is the reason that she was placed in UP. She didn’t commit to CCU until late in April as she had to do one more college visit to another school where she was accepted. I don’t know for sure, but I think that is why. Also, after talking to my D, she said there’s a whole freshman section in UP. Several buildings (she guessed about 14) and a lot of apartments that are Freshmen only. Seems like there actually as many Freshmen over there as there are on campus. Some of the theater majors are indeed in the dorms on campus, but lots of them are at UP. </p>

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<p>@theatermom2013‌, thanks a lot. D committed in March, but just did her housing application a couple of weeks ago (and is still deciding on roommates), so I’m nervous about her being able to get into her first choice. I guess I thought that many freshmen would wait until the last minute to put their housing deposit down, and the priority deadline for that isn’t until June! Oy!</p>