<p>Where do students go most often off campus? What are the locales? How far is the campus from the city? What is there to do???</p>
<p>The lack of participation on the University of Richmond threads is getting to be rather pathetic. The other two college threads that I have been watching are active and vibrant.</p>
<p>Can some UR students PLEASE help out 
?</p>
<p>LILawyer: I’m a parent of a potential incoming freshman. Information from an online chat indicated that kids have plenty to do. A local park at the James River is a popular spot on nice days to hang out. The Canal Walk area with restaurants/pubs, and shopping is 15-20 minutes away (though I have to admit, one of the upperclassman had never even heard of this area). She said she was “unaware of the area, maybe because it was so far away”. Personally, I don’t consider 15-20 minutes very far away. Richmond has theater, museums, and everything any other large city has to offer. Even if you/your student will not have a car, the shuttle and public transportation is rather good.</p>
<p>While I know my D and other kids are looking for a ton of things to keep them busy, I question how much time AND money they will have available to do some of these things. UR is an academically challenging school…lot’s of time studying. Also, I know that theater tickets in most cities are at least $50.00. Lot’s of wealth at UR, but also lot’s of kids attending there with FA.</p>
<p>ks, just to clarify on the Canal Walk issue, it may be that the student hadn’t heard of it because the canal walk is a little used canal without much on it. I think the area you’re referencing, which is near the canal walk, is Shockoe Slip and Shockoe Bottom. The slip and bottom both have a congregation of restaurants, shops and bars, and it is often a destination for upperclassmen on the weekends and the restaurants are popular destinations for family weekend. [Historic</a> Shockoe Slip - There is no better place to enjoy the riches of Richmond’s past and present.](<a href=“http://www.shockoeslip.org/]Historic”>http://www.shockoeslip.org/)</p>
<p>Carytown is another popular destination for shopping and brunches. It’s a series of locally owned boutiques and eateries. They have various festivals every year and have a great old theatre, the Byrd, which is a 2nd run theatre and tickets are only $2 or so. [Welcome</a> to Carytown](<a href=“http://www.carytown.org/]Welcome”>http://www.carytown.org/)</p>
<p>The Fan district is an 85 block area west of downtown that has a lot of great corner eateries and bars. It’s also home to a lot of the museums of Richmond and Monument Ave. is considered to be the prettiest avenue in the south. UR students don’t go here in droves, but it’s a great part of the city and is actually where UR used to be located in the 1800’s. [FDA</a> HomePage - Richmond, Virginia](<a href=“http://www.fandistrict.org/]FDA”>http://www.fandistrict.org/)</p>
<p>Pony Pasture is a set of rapids on the James with plenty of exposed rocks to lay out on. It’s a short jog from UR. [Pony</a> Pasture Rapids | Discover Richmond](<a href=“http://www.discoverrichmond.com/dis/sports/recreation/james_river/article/pony_pasture_rapids/1461/]Pony”>http://www.discoverrichmond.com/dis/sports/recreation/james_river/article/pony_pasture_rapids/1461/)</p>
<p>Short Pump town center ([Welcome</a> to Short Pump Town Center](<a href=“http://www.shortpumpmall.com/]Welcome”>http://www.shortpumpmall.com/)) and Stony Point ([Stony</a> Point Fashion Park](<a href=“http://www.shopstonypoint.com/]Stony”>http://www.shopstonypoint.com/)) are two popular malls close by. </p>
<p>Honestly though, during my years, I didn’t spend much time off campus. There was too much going on on campus. I went off to eat, go see a movie and rarely shop. It wasn’t until after UR that I found out what all the city really has to offer.</p>
<p>spiders05, thanks for the really informative links and great info. We are very excited about next year!</p>
<p>Ksabbo, you’ve said in three different threads that our student participation is “pathetic” and quite frankly it’s not necessary. I’ve tried to hold my tongue, but the fact that you quoted me in this thread and remarked negatively on my honest opinions, rather than appreciating my providing of the vital information you want, has pushed me too far. No one is going to want to contribute information if you’re demanding it in this unappreciative, negative way. It’s very off putting. We do have lives. And your attitude makes it seem like the students who actually HAVE answered your questions are not providing valid or satisfactory answers.</p>
<p>You’ll find a lot more of the information that you crave on the Class of 2013 facebook group, where current students actually have the responsibility of answering questions. A lot of people don’t even know that this website exists. And rather than demanding students come here, YOU could go to where the students already are, as this has already been pointed out to you.</p>
<p>I’m sorry to be so blunt, but continuing to complain about this isn’t going to help you.</p>
<p>kelliebm</p>
<p>Good for you. Students want to talk to students not helicopter parents who hover about and tell everyone how their children don’t drink and are overly concerned with the free flow of alcohol on the UR campus. Thank you and all the other students trying to answer questions.</p>
<p>(Three cheers for Kelliebm! She’s so right on about the not-so-nice remarks not getting replies…)</p>
<p>when I started this post I wanted to hear what the students who actually go to UR had to say…not really the parents of prospective students.lol. Thanks a lot guys you were really helpful. I just have one last question…what is there to do on campus? I’m going to visit but I’d just like to see what you guys have to say. Thanks!</p>
<p>Kelliebm: I am greatly appreciative for the answers and information provided. I know my message was rather strong and possibly provoking. It seemed to be the only way to get attention to a question that has been asked by many others in the online chat. Apparantly the abrasive way of asking the questions worked…though at the price of offending you and probably others. My intention was not to insult you, rather you were one who was kind enough to reply with some information. Also, I did not mean anything negative when quoting you, in fact, my response of “15-20 minutes away” not being very far was simply an opinion of the distance.</p>
<p>Sorry to have pushed you so far.</p>
<p>As for the other posters responses. I received 14 private messages thanking me for urging a response to unanswered questions. There have been a lot of questions answered very vaguely or not at all. I hate to be the one stirring up the fire, and I especially don’t want to hurt anybody. I should have been more sensitive.</p>
<p>Dear ksabbo, this decision is not yours to make no matter how much you want it to be. And even though you think you are so noble by prodding students to respond, let me say that not only are you ignoble, but you are annoying and naggy. Please leave posts like this to the students and try being a little more polite to these students making posts because they obviously know much more than you when it comes to UR no matter how much you may disagree. </p>
<p>Oh and btw, students find helicopter parents like you extremely annoying, verging on offensive. Leave college to the students!!!</p>
<p>and thanks to all students who have replied to my post</p>
<p>First time posting, Hope I don’t get eaten alive. I really am glad to see the information provided in this thread. I’ve been looking for some fun stuff to do in Richmond. This is great. Thanks.</p>
<p>This if for LILawyer. What’s going on on campus?</p>
<p>Lots of things 
This weekend (and next, if you’re visiting!) the theatre department/music department/Modlin Center/tons of students are putting on How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, which is where all of my time is going. One of the frats had a semi-formal tonight. There was another one last night, and there’s more next weekend. If my feet weren’t killing me and my roomie didn’t want to have a movie night, I’d be off to the apartments for a very low-key party. There’s a movie playing at the Pier all weekend, usually some sort of dance party on Friday or Sat. night as well. There’s a bring your own theme party at the lodges this weekend… I’ve heard that there’s a volleyball game at the intramural fields tomorrow afternoon. There was a baseball game earlier today. There are always bands over the weekend at The Cellar. Plus lots of impromptu things, and things that I haven’t heard about because I am so very far out of the loop, given my 10-hour daily occupation of the theater as of late.</p>
<p>No matter where you go to school, though, I think you’ll find that it doesn’t really matter what sort of programming is in place. You’ll make your own fun with your friends, whether that’s pulling together a dance party last minute or doing a movie marathon or piling into a car to head out to a club or bar (or the Waffle House…or Sheetz, which seems to be popular for late-night runs). All weekend, starting on Thurs, there’s parties at the apartments. Most weekends, the lodges are open. So there’s always a place to hang out, meet people, dance, drink if you want to, whatever. Don’t worry :)</p>
<p>I know that some students have said one needs a car to get around but doesn’t Richmond offer public transportation? Isn’t there a bus stop right at UR? I can not help but think that students that say they need a car are kids that done know how to take advantage of a city’s public transportation system. Is the system unreliable? Expensive? I would think that Richmond, being a fairly small city, has s system that would make the ride from UR and downtown not that bad of a ride. As a parent of other college students, I am against the idea of a car on campus. Part of the college experience, especially at a campus near a city with public trans, is to learn to get around. Is it that so many students, raised in the burbs, don’t know how to take advantage of the public transportation system or is the system just not reliable? Isn’t even the AMTRAK station fairly close to campus?</p>
<p>This is why I am getting tired of answering parents’ questions, rather than students’… </p>
<p>Your statement was very condescending. Yes, I have my car on campus. Yes, I think it’s something that is great to have if possible. And NO, I am not too incompetent to not know how to use public transportation. In fact, I have taken the bus. So that assumption is completely wrong, unfounded, and actually rather insulting. </p>
<p>But I decided to answer anyway just to explain. I think I said this before, but I’ll say it again. The bus route does not go anywhere students need to go. It does not go to the grocery store or to the mall or to the James River or to Carytown or Short Pump or anywhere else students can generally be found or need to be. The bus goes a little bit into the city, by VCU, but that’s it. And there is nothing really there that students need to get to.</p>
<p>UR provides free bus passes, so no, it’s not expensive. It’s just not useful.</p>
<p>And I’m not sure what your point about the Amtrak station is, but it’s about 15 minutes away from campus… so no, you can’t get there without a car either, or on the bus. But why would you need to go there anyway except to go home?</p>
<p>I know as parents you guys want information but instead of insulting the students who are providing it, maybe you should find a nicer way to request it.</p>
<p>URRichmond2010 thanks for the info. I’m so disappointed that I won’t be able to attend Realize Richmond but I hope to visit before May 1</p>
<p>I felt bad that I insulted you. Parents will always, not necessarily intentionally, ask questions that are going to come across as condescending. Reading my post again, it does have a condescending tone but it was not necessarily directed at UR students or was it a generational thing but a city raised father vs. suburban raised child—my child would love to take a car to college. Im sure that the line from UR is not the best as you said; I was just wondering if it takes you to any hubs in which transfers can be made to other lines that, say, take you to Carrytown or any of the other places you mentioned. Of course you are in the city and know what sections of town is accessible by foot once you get of the bus and what is safe or unsafe for a young college student to walk through. Never did I mean to insult you bur rereading what I wrote I can see that it can be taken as a backhanded insult. Truly sorry.</p>
<p>dgm, the GRTC is generally an ineffective transit system as a whole, and this is coming from someone who used to take the express bus to work. It has very few connections unless you get closer to downtown. The 16 is the route that goes by UR. <a href=“http://www.ridegrtc.com/FrontEnd/Download_Files/get_on_bus_downloads/Rt16.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ridegrtc.com/FrontEnd/Download_Files/get_on_bus_downloads/Rt16.pdf</a> It does go by the shops on Grove, which aren’t really destination places, has stops three blocks from Carytown (so Carytown, in my opinion, is accessible by bus) and heads by a couple museums and theatres on its way downtown, but as kellie stated, it doesn’t go to the places students would really want to go to. The only thing I could think of that students would want to use it for is to visit UR Downtown, or go to a show at the Landmark, but if that’s the case, make sure you see a matinee or you won’t be able to catch the bus back to campus.</p>
<p>What is the latest bus back?</p>
<p>One other plug for the bus, which I would also agree is a less than ideal transport for UR students. It goes right to Capital Square which is smack-dab in the middle of downtown Richmond. Students who want to do downtown internships have a very easy ride down to the General Assembly, state library, State Supreme Court etc. But other than Carytown, for social stuff, the bus is not an effective way to get around in the suburban sprawl that is Richmond, VA. The University does provide a shuttle service that goes to many of the popular spots that students want to go–Target, movie theatre, grocery stores, several of the malls, etc. But I guess I’m enough of a suburban person myself to understand that many of our students have been accustomed to a very high degree of independence in high school, and they want to go where they want to go, when they want to go there, so a personal vehicle is always the preferred approach for that. I’m not sure that our Student Affairs Division (who has functional responsibility for the shuttle) has figured out the best way to schedule it to make it really effective. But it isn’t for lack of effort on their part and they are always happy to receive student input.</p>