<p>The Univ. of the South has been recommended to me a number of times while I was looking around for schools I could transfer to in the south, with special emphasis on my being an English major. I'm international though (but currently spending my freshman year here in the US), so I was wondering how life is there outside of classes. I've always lived in urban or suburban areas so I'm not too familiar with how "rural" Sewanee is. Also, would its being affiliated with the Episcopal Church matter too much for a Catholic? Thanks.</p>
<p>Sewanee is very rural. There are a few businesses and restaurants in the "town", some more 10 miles away. There is no nearby WalMart or movie theaters. On the other hand, it is a beautiful area. </p>
<p>There is a Catholic student group on campus - refer to this website:
Religious</a> Organizations on Campus - Opportunities - Sewanee :: The University of the South</p>
<p>As a freshman student, I can assure you that the English dept. here is pretty damn good. Along with biology and history, English is one of our strengths and top majors. Also, being Catholic isn't that big of a deal. I'm a practicing Methodist and I really don't think people care; also, with a sizeable population of Catholics from the Gulf Coast and mid-Atlantic I'd imagine there is a Catholic organization (I slept through the Activities Fair during orientation, which was a mistake).
Message me if you've got any more questions.</p>
<p>When I was there, there was a group of Catholic students who gravitated to one particular English professor. It was nothing formal, and may not happen anymore, but it seems relevant to your situation!</p>
<p>Life in the outdoors in Sewanee is really marvelous. If you go there and cultivate a habit of spending time in the woods, you might come away really enriched. On the other hand, students who go there and spend four years trying to live the same life they would back in Atlanta, and wondering why there aren't any dance clubs, get bored quickly and generally spend their college years drinking themselves into oblivion.
The area is quite rural, but if you adapt to it consciously, and also take advantage of the vibrant campus activities, you could have a great time.</p>
<p>And the English department is excellent.</p>