I am currently deciding whether or not to apply to Richmond RD and wanted to get an insiders opinion on something. I am interested in Richnond for business, but I am a bit concerned about social scene. I am friendly but more on the introverted side. I am not a partier and only drink a little bit in smaller settings. I’m not like a recluse, but the kind of person who prefers watching a movie or playing board games than partying. I would like to branch out a bit, though! I have heard varying things about the social life here. Do you think Richmond would be a fit for me?
I can identify with some of the ways you described yourself and I applied. I think even at a smaller school like Richmond there will be enough people to find your own group.
UR would definitely be a fit for you! We actually have a board game club that meets about once a week (several of my friends are in it), which might be of interest to you! I don’t drink and I have a decent amount of friends that also don’t really drink. I’ve never even been to a frat party, and I’m a senior.
@hhootle My DD is a freshman at UR and is very shy and introverted. I always worry about her making friends. She made some in her dorm orientation week and has 2 or 3 nice small circles of friends and 1 has increased in size a good bit. None of the girls drink or party. She hasn’t even seen much evidence of it in her dorm. The Greek parties are, I think, in the buildings at the very edge of campus so you would not ever walk by that area. I know she has had trouble finding out when things are happening. @guineagirl96 has really helped me and assured me there is a lot to do, my DD just has to be more proactive in finding out. She has no interest in Facebook and I think much of that must be posted there as she misses it. She and her friends go for walks, watch movies, stuff like that.
Its a wonderful school, a great education, small class size and just gorgeous. The only complaint my DD has is that you can’t walk anywhere, you need the shuttle bus and it doesn’t go to the museum or always run during the week where she wants to go, and the school is a bit small for her but none of those are the fault with the school itself, which she says is a wonderful education. They also give each kid up to $4K for research and have a fabulous study abroad program. Hope this helps!
My formerly introverted, somewhat geeky son has really found himself at UR. I can’t say enough about what this school has done for him socially. He’s not a huge partier but he’s found a way to be social that feels good to him. Even the Greek scene has worked for him as it’s low-key and flexibly participative. He goes to their parties sometimes but since it isn’t residential Greek it isn’t a huge commitment or divisive to campus life.
One thing that was essential for him was participation in UR’s pre-orientation “Roadmap” program. The program includes a mini-class that students select according to their interests, which allows them to connect with kids with of shared interests. My son’s closest friends are from this original group.
Academically he’s feeling challenged and has excellent access to his profs. First Year Seminar, a class that featured only 7 other students, really let him see the possibilities of connecting directly with faculty.
Campus is a live-action postcard. Truly gorgeous. I can’t believe he gets to live there. He’ll say that to me sometimes. “Holy crap you should have seen the snow on the lake this morning…”. My response is generally “take a left and get to the library”.
@cloudysmom, as someone who’s seen you post for the past year as we considered UR, I’m rooting for your daughter. I know how difficult the search and selection process is, and the degree to which students (and parents) fall for and commit emotionally to a school. Must be heartbreaking to be pulled in the other direction. I really don’t want to have to throw away all these t-shirts and hats I’m wearing. I mean, they have spiders on them.
Surprised to hear about the museum hassle. The school circulator shuttle has a stop in the museum district and the VMoFA is a four block walk from there. Maybe another museum?
@cloudysmom I am thinking that your daughter should consider a semester or full year abroad through UR?
My daughter did a semester in Dublin and traveled throughout Europe for months.
It was a challenging, fantastic experience and she could still return to her home school for senior year and graduation.
@OCDaddy Hi, I remember you - thank you! First, that is just wonderful about your son! I so hope that happens with my DD. I know it’s common to take a while to get adjusted and hope that is all it is. I wish she had done the Roadmap pre-orientation program, she had an event here she didn’t want to miss. Her roommate did it and made a lot of friends so she is never there and they never see each other. she is a geekly shy kid who keeps to herself. I’m proud of her for putting herself out there more, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t and she is learning that. She was very hopeful that her first yr seminar would help but she didn’t seem to get much out of it, the kids never talked or got to know each other. I really hope it will improve for her and she has the experience your son has. She is not a Greek kind of kid but a few friends encouraged her to try so she went to get a RUSH advisor but it was too late and she missed it. That is the sort of thing that keeps happening. I guess she just decided too late. She does appreciate being there and does like it, she was overjoyed at the fall color and the snow, neither of which we have in Charleston, SC!
I appreciate your nice post, and thank you for rooting for her! Some people here are so nice! And yes, the parents fall for and commit emotionally too. I read about parents buying the t-shirts too early, lol. She and I will still proudly wear ours no matter what happens! Honestly I think she is mixed up about the shuttle. I saw on the route it went near the museum too, VMoFA is where she wants to go. She wants to do museum studies and loves that place! Its a wonderful museum, we were all very impressed! Thanks again for your kind words!!!
@dragonmom Hi there - yes that was her original plan but she can only go for 2 semesters. She had hoped to do more, another semester. UR has a great program in Paris next spring that she is already meeting with advisors and trying to set up. Then she would also go somewhere her junior yr in the spring - preferably Edinburgh or London. You would think that would be enough but she has wanted to go to the UK and France for years, guess we should have started out there I don’t know. I think she should stay at UR and plan to go to grad school one of those places, do the study abroad at UR - and I think she will. We are just gathering info about transferring, its inexpensive to apply and so we will see. Not sure at all she will get in or the $ will work and she knows it will probably not happen but she at least wanted to try so sure. Glad your daughter had such a great experience - it sounds amazing! Wish I could have done that, would love to study in Dublin. DD went there last summer and really loved it.
Hi cloudysmom, we connected a little bit last year as your daughter was searching for other options when she didn’t get into W&M. My oldest D will graduate from W&M this year and my 2nd daughter is a sophomore at Richmond. I spoke with my D2 and she would like to connect with your D. They sound very similar. I also remember that you went to UMass and I am from MA. How can we connect privately?
@OCDaddy@dragonmom3@cloudysmom thank you so much for posting your kids exp at UR. This is definitely helping me with our D’s decisions (she was accepted EA). We know a few Spider alum (surprising there are 4 in our small hometown in LA - lower Alabama!) who cannot say enough about their exp at UR ‘back in the day’ … but a fresh updated perspective is nice! My D is also a little more reserved-not shy really but not out-going (she says she is socially selective), doesn’t drink (but doesn’t judge), loves board games, card games, Netflix and volunteers A LOT. Good to know there are all kinds of things to do on campus, but also great hind-sight to know she will have to put herself out there to find them! Keep the advice coming! Also @hhootle let us know how your RD works out!
Our eldest is a senior at Richmond. She found finding her people work but not impossible. She tried out some of the alternate organized activities but honestly they weren’t helpful in community building for her. She did find connection through her major department, campus job, writing for the paper and being part of a sophomore living community. If you aren’t into Greek life, you are going to have to work a bit harder but introverts aren’t alone on campus.
This thread is reassuring. My daughter will be starting at Richmond in the fall. She is definitely not into the party scene and can be a bit reserved so I really want her to find her social niche on campus. She does sing and perform in musical theater so I hope she can participate in these activities without majoring in them. She’s so excited to start.
I beat this drum pretty much continuously but convince her to sign up for the Roadmap pre-orientation. It did wonders for my introverted, socially intimidated, but now happily friend-rich and ready to return to campus kid. Scrolling up I see that I’ve already blathered on about same on this very thread, but just in case you missed it…Roadmap!
@megdrewmom You can definitely participate in music and theater at UR as a non-major. I was a music minor and a dance minor, and was pretty involved with theater, and was by far the most involved person in the music department, more than the actual majors. Voice lessons and music ensembles are open to anyone who auditions for them (studio placement for lessons, and choir placement for ensemble auditions- typically you can get lessons no problem if you’re in an ensemble and you’re guaranteed a place in one of the choirs). Theater production auditions are also open to anyone regardless of major/minor.
Thank you so much @guineagirl96 . That makes me feel much better; I think she will be very busy if she participates in all of those activities. She already reached out to the choir director about auditioning in the fall and wants to join an a capella group too. I appreciate your input!
@LMHLAW3 --my D has acceptances in both W&M and UR. According to your opinion which is preferable. Would love to chat privately if you don’t mind. thanks
