University of Vermont
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Nursing
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: White Straight Female
Summary
I play intramural field hockey and I’m part of the Student Nursing Association.
Background
Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: White
Sexual Orientation: Straight
High School Experience: Independent School in Manchester, Vermont with about 180 students in the graduating class. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Nursing
Minor: None
Extracurricular Activities: I play intramural field hockey and I’m part of the Student Nursing Association.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
The club and intramural team are a great way to get active and meet new people. The Student Nursing Association solidified my major and helped me understand that I was heading in the right direction.
Academic Experience
Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
For Nursing, there are general education classes but they are still specific for Nursing students. For example, General Chemistry was a modified version for nursing or other health science-related courses. Because of this curriculum, I was able to dive right into the Nursing coursework. I had four classes and a lab each semester. If you didn’t have an AP credit for English you had to take English, but, other than that, it’s primarily science-based. Freshman year was the foundation of everything and there wasn’t much real-world application. During sophomore year, I was able to get more into the real-world applications.
Is there anything that you feel your department does especially well or especially poorly?
They set up great advisors and it is easy to meet with your adviser. There are many opportunities to talk with them and they help you transition into college. Something they do poorly is preparing the students for the 4-year progress right away, instead, they just throw them into the mix. Our major is different from many majors, so it would be helpful to have meetings to plan out the courses at the beginning of freshman year. It’s mostly planned out and we don’t have much freedom to change our schedule or taking classes in advance because everything builds on each other. I initially planned to also major in Spanish, but the weekend prior to classes starting, I found out it was too difficult to take that many classes.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It’s collaborative. We work often in labs where you work with a partner at a lab table. It is highly recommended to get study partners. A lot of the other work isn’t collaborative, it’s tests and small homework assignments.
Why did you choose your major? And are you happy with your choice?
I am happy with my choice. My high school offered classes in Sports Medicine and my field hockey coach was the teacher, so I took those classes. I ended up loving the material. I originally wanted to be a physical therapist, but I went to MedQuest camp which helped me change my decision from physical therapy to nursing due to the shadowing I was participating in.
How was it managing intramural field hockey and your coursework?
Intramural field hockey is so relaxed. You can just come and go as you please. I can manage it easily. It’s less competitive than the club team and especially less competitive than the varsity team. We have a kind of a student-advisor as a coach and we don’t have mandatory practices. We have a set time that we play and it is great if you can make it and it is fine if you can’t.
Reasons to Attend
1) It is accepting of all kind of students.
2) It is a safe place.
3) It has a lot of opportunities for students to have their own voice.
4) It offers a lot of different programs.
5) It offers a lot of study abroad programs.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) It doesn’t have a football team.
2) It doesn’t have a lot of Greek life. [8% of the student body is involved in Greek life.]
3) It is really cold in the winter.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on campus?
Freshman: I lived in Mercy Hall
Sophomore: I will live in Coolidge Hall
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
Burlington is a great city and not a lot of crime has ever happened there. Public safety for UVM is always patrolling to make sure we are getting home safe. RA’s [resident assistants] are available to make sure students are safe instead of punishing. We never have to worry if something went wrong that we couldn’t talk to our RA’s because they care more about our safety. There were always Ubers we can trust and our school has a bus that goes downtown, so I feel safe all the time.
What is your favorite off-campus restaurant?
American Flatbread, which is a really good pizza place.
What is your favorite place to get away from campus?
I love to go to the mountains for skiing in the winter. I love North Beach in the early fall and spring when it is warmer.
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
There are 3-4 fraternity houses that throw small parties for those who are interested. In Burlington, Church Street is a great place to go out whether you’re looking to party or not. I have heard great things about their bar scene, but I also think it’s great to walk around. There is always music playing and there are many restaurants and shops. I think it’s fun to go down with your friends and check it out.
What nights of the week do you regularly go out? And are there certain places you go to on certain nights?
On Thursdays, many students go to the 18+ bar, Social. I go out on Thursday if I don’t have too much work to do on Friday. Otherwise, I go out primarily on Friday and Saturday.
What have been some of your favorite times at UVM?
The atmosphere at UVM is amazing in the spring. There’s a grassy area where many people love to sit. I feel connected with everyone there. I can go out, do work, and it’s also a great place to spend time with my friends. I also like the sporting events. The hockey and basketball teams are good, so during the winter when no one wants to go outside the sporting events are fun and we like to be supportive of our school.
Can you describe a typical night going out in freshman year?
It’s very different from high school. In the beginning of freshman year, I found it was important to network, make new friends, and find the right, fun people to go out with. I needed to know people in order to find out what is happening, like at fraternity parties, which is difficult in a mostly female major like Nursing. You need to learn to stay up later because people go out between 10:30-2:00, compared to going out between 8:30-9:00 [in high school]. Although the school is big, not that much is happening [so you can’t get in] too much trouble.
How happy are you with the nightlife at UVM? Is there anything you would change if you could?
I’m happy about it. In the beginning of the year, I was a little disappointed with it, but now I’m happy. My major is difficult, so I’m glad that UVM is not at a party school. Some nights I stay in my room, which is beneficial for my academics. If you are looking for a big party scene, UVM might not be the right place or you need to be interested in Greek life.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
Most of my closest friends were in my building freshman year. Everybody always had their doors open on my floor, so during the first week or of college we all went around and knocked on random doors and see who we connected with.
How would you describe the overall social scene at UVM?
It’s good. You’d get out what you put in. If you just sit around waiting for things to happen you’ll feel like nothing will happen, but if you look for friends, make plans and are willing to explore a little outside of UVM campus, you’re going to have a great social scene. You’ll find things to do that will make you happy.
To what extent do you feel people of different races and sexual orientation mix socially?
UVM is very accepting of diversity. The president of UVM will send out an email if people are feeling discriminated or not welcomed and he will say that it’s unacceptable. For the most part, that doesn’t happen because a lot of the people who go to UVM understand that everyone should be accepted and welcomed.
How would you describe the student body?
A lot of the students are from Vermont, Connecticut or Massachusetts. There’s a mix of everyone. You have different ethnicities and different sexual orientations all mixed into it. Most of the students identify with the Democratic Party.