<p>I have the floor all by myself...dinner services is closing...it feels so empty around here. :( I hate fall break :(</p>
<p>Trapper,</p>
<p>I thought lots of kids stay on campus fall break...(?)</p>
<p>My neighbor went to visit Wash U yesterday and her girl wasn't enthusiastic about the campus because is was empty, maybe students stayed there but they were visiting downtown or surroundings at that time.</p>
<p>She needs to go back when the school is not on Fall break. The campus is as good as it gets and the atmosphere electric with those kids walking around. We were there the week before!</p>
<p>Second that, jimb7. Newhere, tell the neighbor to visit when school is in session. There is no campus that is fun to be on when school is not in session. For instance, visiting on a Saturday versus during the week---the feel is that nothing is happening. </p>
<p>We were also there for parents' weekend last week. All I kept saying to our family is that the place is just fantastic. Kids are great, campus is beautiful and (the place is a cult) everyone tells you how much they love it. Same for our S. He is loving it and is so happy that he chose WashU over the others that he was admitted to----definitely visit when school is in session.</p>
<p>mtldad: LOL that's so funny! When we visited in September, we also thought that the place was like cultish....We asked alot of students if they were brainwashed at orientation..Could you reflect a little about "school spirit" however? That was my d's only concern....No real sports, school colors etc.....What are your son's impressions?</p>
<p>Geez, I'm sorry S wasn't around to make the campus more attractive, but he was doing what college students do --- participating --- and his Ultimate Frisbee team had a tournament out of state this weekend. If you visit a campus during scheduled break, don't expect to be entertained.</p>
<p>D said no one was around yesterday...a cappela groups were touring highschools, dorm groups were taking trips...D stayed to do laundry while her floor was gone....she was able to use several washers and dryers at the same time and washed everything--towels, sheets and of course clothes---made laundry easy to do while everyone was away:) Definately tour while classes are on--D's enjoying the quiet time, but it certainly is NOT a typical college weekend.</p>
<p>Of course there are sports, it is just not a big business like in DI. Kids play because they love to play not because they're on scholarship. Check out the athletic page on the webpage. By and large WashU's athletic teams do very, very well. And of course they have school colors, they're Red and Green. Not what I would have chosen but I suppose they look festive.</p>
<p>Rodney, my son runs cross country and there is plenty of spirit and fun on that team. In fact due to a summer commitment he showed up a couple of days late for the start of August practice but when he did half the team was at the dorm to greet him. Not only that but the coach could not have been more helpful making sure he had all the right forms in, etc., so he could "hit the ground running". To me that is more emblematic of the spirit of a school than thousands of kids sitting on their butts in the stands on a Saturday afternoon. </p>
<p>Mtl dad, I have enjoyed your postings throughout - you seemed to have captured the spirit and energy (not to mention the beauty) of the school early on. I like the Chancellor too who at the parent's weekend meeting with the parents noted that every kid has an academic and career adviser and likely will know the day he/she graduates from school exactly what his/her career focus will be. They do seem to be out for the kids at this school and very cognizant of the fact that the success of the school is closely tied to the success of the kids they graduate.</p>
<p>rodney - Sports at WashU - men's basketball is ranked #1 pre season for D3 was in NCAA final 4 last year - women's basketball was NCAA runner up last year and should do very well this year- Volleyball team is almost always in top 5 nationally - soccer does well as do many of the other teams. Don't know a lot about attendance at other sports events, but attendance at the BB games is good with lots of spirit. School has student athletic booster organization - Red Alert - that gets students to attend. These are all kids that play for the love of the game not because they have to play for scholarship - from what I have seen there is quite a bit of school spirit.</p>
<p>ST2: thank you for that info; I will pass it along to my d......Did not know that about BB team......</p>
<p>M's Mom: thank you as well....I think that when we visited, this spirit didn't show through but all of these responses have helped......</p>
<p>Rodney and Jimby7...thx....only following the lead of ST2----who is definitely a super resource from a parent's point of view. Our S stayed there for the break, he's got a bunch of exams this week and didn't want to hit the road for a long weekend. As for school spirit, I think it really picks up for basketball....I love college sports and wanted to go to the football game parents' w/e.....but, S wanted to do a bunch of things around town and then there was also some rain. Having said that, the spirit will never be the same as D1---it just can't be, but the kids do seem really into the school and very, very proud of being there.</p>
<p>One of the things that I've really admired about the school is that they want everyone to be a winner. It doesn't have a bell-curve mentality of weeding out the weak ones......I think that they look at that type of mentality as failing the students. Namely, if we admitted you, we want you to be as successful as possible and we're going to do everything that we can to get you there.</p>
<p>The campus was pretty empty, no food service after 7 PM, and nothing really going on. It was a good time to catch up some sleep and to watch House 2nd season, do some laundry and studying.
At the beginning I was terrified thinking in the boy who got hurt during Labor Day weekend and the sound of ambulances let me trembling for a while since no health services were again available at campus and I dont have the strength that boy had chocking in his own blood for hours with no one around him excepting his little sister.
Well, nothing like that happened this time, thank God!</p>
<p>About school spirit please read the Student Lifes editorial (online today).</p>
<p>Trapper: can you provide the link; I can't find it on the Wash U website...Thanks you</p>
<p>Thank you newhere!</p>
<p>Sorry I didn't post the link</p>