<p>It seems that every article written in the Duke Chronicle is doom and gloom. Tighter alcohol policies and regulation on parties, fed up professors over students not utilizing their office hours, not enough room to eat and outdated dining facilities... etc. How big of a deal is this stuff? It seems that most students get by quite well. Comments from current/former students would be great.</p>
<p>
[quote]
fed up professors over students not utilizing their office hours
[/quote]
Office hours are a joke. Most professors have 1-2 office hours a week. Scheduling an appointment outside of office hours can be easy or extremeley difficult, depending on the professor. </p>
<p>
[quote]
not enough room to eat and outdated dining facilities
[/quote]
That's definitely not true. Duke isn't Cornell or Bowdoin, but the dining options are decent. The Marketplace improved so much this year that I often eat over there. </p>
<p>
[quote]
It seems that every article written in the Duke Chronicle is doom and gloom.
[/quote]
Keep in mind that people usually write in the Chronicle to complain about things in order to get them fixed. Most students love Duke, but that doesn't always translate into a good article. :) </p>
<p>I've been pretty miserable this week, but only because I'm laid up with a vicious cold. :( My biggest complaint has been the constant construction (and reshelving) in the library, which has been pretty disruptive. </p>
<p>Have you read the CCI report?</p>
<p>IMO, the Marketplace has made a turn for the worse this semester. I could just be getting tired of it, but it has been pretty bad. The same thing every day, just with a different meat. Ugh</p>
<p>For those who attend Duke..
Overall, have you found your classes to be challenging and interesting?
I know I will be able to find my niche on campus.. but would you say that the typical Duke student is interested in learning and partying.. or is it usually that they are interested in one of those two things, but not both?</p>
<p>Thanks for the link warblersrule</p>
<p>i've found my classes to be both challenging and interesting, and i've increasingly found this to be true as i gained more seniority, picked majors and a focus. i'm very much into the whole work hard/play hard thing. take this week for example -- i've essentially moved into the library to prepare for midterms and interviews, but my weekend begins today at 2:30 and i'm planning on making my rally and celebrating a hard week of work that's now done. </p>
<p>i really don't pay much attention to office hours, since i've found that all of my professors are usually incredibly flexible around YOUR schedule and want to see you do well. but yeah, they do only have one or two "official" hours per week, but if those don't work for you, shoot them an email. in three years i've never been to "official" office hours, but have had plenty of interaction outside of class with my professors.</p>
<p>yes to challenging and rewarding... I have progressed farther than I thought possible in just 2 years here. When i think back to what i knew coming in... wow!</p>
<p>In response to partying.. well.. the social scene is definitely not what it is at state schools, but it is still pretty decent. Sometimes it can be hard to find something to do, but it comes down to who you know.. and all that. Most people are pretty interested in both being smart and being social, but because of the nature of the school a line is drawn at about friday afternoon for most people :)</p>
<p>and oh yea.. the food situation ****es me off -- often places close to early / nothing good is open. If you love mcdoanlds you will be in heaven ( 24 / 7 ). Lets just say I enjoy going home...</p>