What makes a university recommendable?
Students at James Madison University in the United States are among the most likely to recommend their university to a friend or family. Student Hannah Long explains its appeal
- Student life
Hannah Long
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When I first toured the campus at James Madison University as a prospective freshman, I immediately felt that it was warm and welcoming. With friendly tour guides who told me I just had to try the buffalo mash from D-Hall and a beautiful campus with purple-and-gold flowers bursting on every corner, I felt like this was the place for me.
As a first-generation college student, I really didn’t know what to expect when I first moved into Potomac Hall in August 2015. I didn’t know what having a roommate would be like and I didn’t know how hard my classes would be. What I did know was that I had a lot of stuff. To this day, my grandpa still mentions how pleased he was with the “students in the yellow shirts” who somehow managed to get all of my things into my dorm. These students are called FrOGs, or Freshmen Orientation Guides.
James Madison University has some of the best traditions – FrOGs being one of them. From the classic yelling of “J-M-U-Duuuukes” after the football team gets possession of the ball, to E-Hall brunch on Sunday mornings, to getting a picture with our mascot, Duke Dog, the university has it all. Of course, it has its funnier traditions, too, such learning how to avoid the Death Stairs (a steep set of stairs on campus that are a workout in themselves) at all costs.
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One of the other things that made James Madison University an easy choice was their academic programmes. I knew that I wanted to attend a college that would prepare me for my chosen career. When I learned about the SMAD (School of Media Arts and Design) programme, I knew it was the right one for me. Through SMAD, I have learned so much about print journalism, video, copy editing and tools such as Adobe’s Creative Cloud. My coursework has taught me valuable skills and furthered my love of journalism.
I have also been lucky enough to be able to study abroad twice. Coming from a lower-income family, I was never able to go on extravagant vacations, but through JMU I have visited six countries in Europe and learned about different cultures around the world. I’m from a small town in Virginia, so being able to travel through my college has been a valuable experience.
James Madison University has something for everyone. Whether it’s an academic club, involvement in fraternity and sorority life, volunteering opportunities or athletics, students will be able to find something that suits them.
It’s easy to get caught up in projects and tests and wish for the weekend. But in the grand scheme of things, I wouldn’t trade my university experience for anything.
