<p>I haven't visited yet and I am planning on going to the admitted student day on the 17th. :)
Just out of curiosity, how big is the campus? I've looked up some pictures of campus on google and it's really pretty but it looks quite small and more like a prep school. Are there lots of places to eat and things to do in campus?</p>
<p>For reference:
If you look at the campus map, <a href=“http://www.wm.edu/about/documents/wmmap.pdf[/url]”>http://www.wm.edu/about/documents/wmmap.pdf</a>, it takes between 15 and 20 minutes to walk from Ludwell, the apartment complex in the lower left, to Confusion Corner, the point where campus seems to come together on the middle right at the intersection of Jamestown and Richmond roads. That is about a mile.</p>
<p>I wondered the exact same thing as you when I was making my decision. As someone who likes to explore every nook and cranny of wherever I am, I have not been disappointed. After two years (including a summer with plenty of free time), I have still not managed to explore everywhere on campus, much less all of the College Woods (with, I believe, contain over 4 miles of hiking trails just west of Lake Matoaka - check out google earth/maps), Lake Matoaka itself, and Colonial Williamsburg (another large area full of scenic back streets, large and small gardens, historic buildings, and the like) which are not included on the map.</p>
<p>As for dining, there are two all you can eat cafeterias. One is in the Sadler Center, and there is a much larger one to the west known as the Caf. In addition, the Marketplace has a variety of fast food-esque and sandwich places, and there are other options like the Mews in Swem Library, the Dodge Room in Phi Beta Kappa Hall, the Student Exchange and Quiznoes in the Sadler Center, and the really nice Cafe in Miller Hall, among the numerous off campus eateries (of which there are many - Merchant’s Square, adjacent to campus to the east, is a couple blocks full of dozens of places to eat. Wawa and the Delis (The Green Leaf, Paul’s Delly, and the College Deli), all adjacent to campus, are popular too.</p>
<p>As for other activities, Lake Matoaka has free kayaking and canoeing when its warm, IM and club sports are popular, many groups bring in big name speakers in a variety of topics from academic disciplines to the director of the Peace Corps, attending sports games (we’ve had a great run in Football and Basketball this year - some of the best seasons we’ve had in half a century) numerous social events are hosted by Greek organizations like the ever popular Campus Golf, the theater department is always putting on plays, Colonial Williamsburg has dozens of events like Grand Illumination (a huge fireworks display), movie screenings happen constantly, groups like to put on late night scavenger hunts and mass “rances” (dancing and jogging), and then there is AMP.</p>
<p>Alma Mater Productions is a student organization who brings in top name comedians every couple of weeks (all of the ones I can remember coming have been on Comedy Central), weekly bands from around the country play on the terrace on Friday afternoons (this past week’s was from Louisiana, but more local ones play too), and there are big concerts held at the Matoaka Amphitheater at least once a semester too. They put on movie screenings of new releases for those who don’t want to wander off campus and they bring pop culture speakers to campus (the producers and actors of the Boondock Saints, if you know what that is, and the creator of Scrubs are two that come to mind), among many other things. One event of particular note this semester was the first annual dance party in the library - DJ, dance floor, food, and everything.</p>
<p>Kimball Theater in Merchant’s Square holds many nationally recognized film and art festivals. New Town and High Street (accessible on the free-to-students Williamsburg buses) provide many student friendly businesses and even more dining options (one of the joys of living in a tourist town is that you never run out of places to eat when entertaining visiting family and friends). Yorktown is just 15 minutes by car, and it has a great beach and tourist district. They host lots of events, including free mass dancing classes and live bands. Jamestown beach is 5-10 minutes south, and is a great place to relax and is always popular with students. There is a great farmer’s market on Saturday mornings in Merchant’s Square with lots of amazing local farmers - definitely check them out.</p>
<p>Also, its Virginia, so there are plenty of battlefields and parks you can visit too. Virginia Beach and Norfolk are 45 minutes to the east, and Richmond is 45 minutes west.</p>
<p>And this isn’t even mentioning the party scene. One third of students go Greek, and they are always inclusive of the entire community in their Thursday/Friday/Saturday shenanigans, if that is what you like. Many other organizations also organize parties.</p>
<p>I wish I could go into more detail, but it would take forever, and this post is already long enough. Among other groups that put on hundreds of presentations and activities are numerous culture groups (which always have great food), religious organizations, ensembles, acapella groups (every Wednesday night at 10 at the Wren Portico is a presentation, among other times), improv theater, academic themed clubs (the philosophy club’s discussions with professors are always great), themed housing, academic departments (the Law School and International Relations bring in amazing speakers), RHA has a popular midnight breakfast every year, Ballroom dancing and Salsa clubs, individual professors (some are great at BBQ), and dozens of other organizations. You’ll get a taste for a few of these if you go to the fair on admitted students day.</p>
<p>Whats great about all of this is that most of these events (especially the on campus ones) are free or just have a nominal fee for students.</p>
<p>I hope this helps; good luck making your decision!</p>
<p>I’m also failed to mention the dozens of service organizations. From Students Helping Honduras who are literally building a town in Honduras for a displaced community to tutors at local schools, the volunteering spirit at W&M is unparalleled. One cool project is an organization who is organizing a house build - on campus. Students volunteer to help out for a couple hours between classes at the construction site in the middle of a campus field. Once completed, the home will be loaded on a truck and moved a few miles down the road to an elderly lady’s plot where she is currently living without running water or electricity, I have been told. One statistic I think I remember correctly is that students volunteer almost 400,000 hours of community service every year. For a school with 6000 undergrads (and only 2000 grads and professional students [law, business]), that is huge.</p>
<p>I also failed to mention the Daily Grind - a nice coffee shop right in the middle of campus. A great place to hangout and chat with all of your friends as they inevitably walk by.</p>
<p>Here to Help gave a pretty good response… don’t think I have anything to add right now, haha.</p>
<p>The part of campus where you will be most of the time is fairly small and contained. This means no 30 minute walks to class, and you can generally get from any building to any building in the 10 minutes, though Morton to Wren/Ewell/Tucker cuts it very close. Ludwell Apartments to Ewell is a 15 minute walk.</p>
<p>Get outside, join some clubs, and I promise you won’t be short on things to do.</p>
<p>Wow, thank you so much for replying. The replies gave me a really good idea of what W&M is like.
Your replies show how much you love the school 
I can’t wait to be a part of W&M.</p>
<p>W&M is a small school by the numbers but the opportunities are endless and the campus is far from small with new business and education facilities, a lake and amphitheatre, and the College Woods.</p>