By Baylee Easterday

Being an incoming student is intimidating for everybody. Regardless of who you are or where you come from, starting at a new school necessarily involves meeting new people, learning the geography of a new campus, having to adjust to a new living space, and often being away from home for the first significant amount of time. College is also inherently a time for self-exploration and discovery, even for transfer students, the fresh start that William & Mary represents can serve as the perfect time to experiment with new identities and ideas. 

All of these things are exponentially more true for LGBTQ+ students. 

If you are an incoming queer student, you may be hoping your time at William & Mary will be a time to try out new names and pronouns or to connect with other queer students. Perhaps your home situation means this is the first time you have the opportunity to live as your most authentic self, or to present in a way you are most comfortable with. You are not alone. In the past decades, William & Mary has become an increasingly accepting place for LGBTQ+ students, however, that does not mean that students from this community do not still face unique challenges and difficulties. The purpose of this blog post is to point you in the direction of resources that can help you navigate your experiences as an LGBTQ+ W&M student, as well as connect with others who might share your experiences. Whether you are experimenting with new labels and methods of self-expression or you have been out and proud for years, this list can help you to get comfortable in your new community! Below are tips and resources for 8 different scenarios that apply to LGBTQ+ students on campus.

1. If you are in the process of legally changing your name or plan to legally change your name in the future… 

• Students who have had their legal name or legal gender marker changed may fill out the Registrar’s Change Request Form to have their name changed in the Banner self-service system. This process requires legal documentation, either a social security card or passport. See the Registrar’s page on Name, Gender Identity, Pronouns for more information on changing your name and pronouns in Banner Self-Service. 
• Once you have gone through the process of having your name legally changed, you can also request a new Tribe Card (your William & Mary ID card)! If you have previously been issued a Tribe Card, the new card will cost $23. You can also utilize this process to get a Tribe Card with a new picture on it. If you are in the process of having your legal name changed, you can contact Tribe Card Services (by email) to obtain an “emergency card” which will have your student ID number but will not include your deadname. This will serve as an intermediary until you can get a Tribe Card with the correct information on it. You can also contact Tribe Card Services prior to move-in, so when other incoming students receive their Tribe Cards, you will receive your emergency card at the same time!

2. If you use a different name and/or pronouns than are indicated in your records (but have not legally changed your name)… 

You have a few options!

• It is possible to list your preferred name and pronouns in the Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) through Banner Self-Service on my.wm.edu. You can fill in your gender identity as well as whichever set(s) of pronouns you feel comfortable using. Staff members can see this information.
• Unfortunately, preferred name and pronouns are not currently available on a class roster, which means that professors need to be contacted directly to ensure they use the correct name and pronouns. You can send these emails prior to the first day of class, to avoid being misgendered or dead named. You can find a professor’s email address by looking up their name in the William & Mary faculty directory for their department. Additionally, you can often find a professor’s page merely by googling their first and last name with William & Mary! 
• Your Zoom name and email signature can also be great places to list your pronouns! These are very common places to list pronouns even among non-LGBTQ students, so you are not necessarily outing yourself by adding your pronouns to your Zoom name or email signature 🙂

3. If you want to start presenting in a different way or expressing yourself differently… 

The Trans Locker at the Center for Student Diversity offers an excellent resource for obtaining gender affirming clothing! You can try on and browse clothing, and get items that help you feel the most like yourself. The trans locker is located in the basement of Campus Center. Donations are accepted year round!

4. If you do not feel comfortable using the bathroom associated with the gender you were assigned at birth… 

At William & Mary everyone is free to use whichever restroom matches most closely with their gender identity. The university also offers single occupancy ALL gender restrooms and shower facilities around campus if this option feels better for you! This page from the Compliance and Equity Office contains a list of all gender neutral bathroom facilities as well as a campus map where you can find these facilities. This same page contains more information on your rights as an LGBTQ+ student at W&M.

5. If you are feeling apprehensive about your housing assignment… 

• First off, if for whatever reason you do not feel comfortable in your current housing assignment or with your current roommates, you do have options! For example, you can request a room change at any point in the semester. It is also possible to do what is called a person for person roommate switch if for some reason you or your assigned roommate is not comfortable with the room situation. More information on these options can be found on the Residence Life website.
• There are a few alternative housing options that would mean you do not have to live in a strictly gender separated hall, or live in a hall that is composed of a majority of people who do not share your gender identity:
  • Adaptive housing: Residence Life provides accommodations for students with “documented needs” which can include religious reasons or gender identity. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and you may be required to provide supporting documents. Even if you are not in adaptive housing for Fall 2021, you can request it in future semesters or request it during this semester! Residence Life will do the best to work with you at any point and accommodate your specific needs. Check out the Residence Life page on Adaptive Housing for more information. If you have questions or concerns about your housing situation, do not hesitate to reach out to Residence Life to try to obtain Adaptive Housing! In some situations where students require a single or a private bathroom, they might end up in more expensive housing. If this is a financial burden, it is possible to obtain a doctor’s note indicating that your need for adaptive housing is a medical necessity. 
  • Flexible housing: Flexible housing allows for groups of two, three, four, or six students to elect to share space regardless of their legal gender markers or their gender identities. Check out the Residence Life page on Flexible Housing for more details. Flexible housing means you get to pick from a select list of housing locations, however it does not give you priority housing, it is on a first come, first serve basis out of the options available. Flexible housing is also available in Living Learning Communities such as the Mosaic house, the Africana House, and Language Houses.

6. If you are looking to connect with other queer students on campus…

There are two primary LGBTQ+ student groups: 

• LAMBDA Alliance works to create safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students to connect on campus, and host events for members of the community. You can find more information by visiting their Tribelink Page.
• The Rainbow Coalition is another organization on campus dedicated to LGBTQ students. They host educational events and campaigns, including queer sex ed opportunities and promote activism opportunities. More information can be found on their Tribelink page.

7. If you are struggling and looking for resources… 

The William & Mary counseling center is designed to serve all populations at William & Mary, including LGBTQ+ students. In fact, roughly 13% of the students who utilize the counseling center resources identify as LGBTQ+.

• There are staff members who specifically have experience working with queer students who can help you to explore and address the ways that your identity and mental health intersect. See the Counseling Center’s About Us page for more information on the Counseling Center and information on how to make an appointment. 
• The Counseling Center also offers rotating group therapy options, including groups designed specifically for LGBTQ+ students so that you can connect with other students who may be having similar experiences. Currently, the Counseling Center offers a Trans Support Outreach Group for trans, non-binary, and GNC students to get together and share experiences. Information on groups and contacts for more information can be found on this page. 
• The Counseling Center also offers educational opportunities in conjunction with Rainbow Coalition such as queer sex ed workshops hosted by counseling center staff members and LGBT+ Mental Health Panels. These are advertised on the Rainbow Coalition Facebook page and can be found on the Counseling Center webpage under the “Workshops and Resources” tab.
• LGBTQ+ individuals also deal with relationship struggles, sexual trauma, and relationship violence. William & Mary campus resources for survivors of sexual assault and harassment such as the Haven (which is a confidential peer counseling resource) welcome LGBTQ+ students. These resources are available to you regardless of your gender or sexual orientation.

8. If you are searching for coursework related to LGBTQ+ people and identities… 

A variety of William & Mary departments offer these types of courses! Check out the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies department, the History department, the English department, and the Sociology department for LGBTQ+ related course offerings for this upcoming semester.

If there is one thing you take away from this blog post, it should be this: don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. There are resources here on campus designed to help you navigate the unique experiences that LGBTQ+ students go through, don’t be afraid to take advantage of them! College is a time for learning, growing, adapting, and changing. Take this opportunity to be the version of yourself that you most want to be, and know that you will find people here on campus who will support you along the way!

About Baylee

Baylee (she/her/hers) is a Junior from Pasco, Washington. She has spent the Fall semester at home working and raising some succulents, so she is very excited to be returning to campus in the Spring! Baylee is a double major in Government and Hispanic Studies who takes classes on Shakespeare whenever she can. After graduation, Baylee is hoping to move to a Spanish-speaking country to teach English before continuing on to study international law.

On campus, Baylee is involved with research and advocacy related to American Sign Language, and research on sociolinguistics and diplomacy. She is also involved with the Moot Court team and the rock climbing club. Baylee loves science fiction, waffles, and Taylor Swift (her favorite albums are Reputation and Folklore). Her favorite spot on campus is the bench across from Washington Hall, in spite of the fact that she once got pooped on by a bird there.

Baylee has been looking forward to being an OAD since her own orientation. She’s previously worn the neon three times: as a member of LRHunTAL & Co, Botetourt, and the Spring transfers and exchange staff. She’s incredibly excited to plan next Fall’s orientation, and to help a new incoming class of William & Mary students feel comfortable and welcomed, just like she did as a freshman!

By Callie Booth

When you do a Google search for the most beautiful college campuses, it’s hard to find a list that doesn’t include William & Mary.  From watching sunsets on the Sunken Gardens, to the views of Lake Matoaka at the Martha Wren Briggs Amphitheatre, it can be easy to spend most of your time on campus.  Although it is important to spend a lot of time on campus your freshman year becoming acclimated to your new environment, it is also especially important to explore all that the greater Williamsburg area has to offer!  With just a trip on a car or bus, it is easy to access so many unique locations around campus that every TWAMP (Typical William and Mary Person) should explore during their time at the College.  So without further ado, here are my top five locations off campus that every William & Mary student should explore!

1. College Creek

One of the best hidden gems in Williamsburg is the beach at College Creek.  Located just a 10 minute drive from campus, this beach is a great place to take an afternoon break from studying.  The beach is clean, not too crowded, and has beautiful views of the James River, which makes it a perfect location for some off-campus fun with your friends. For the best views, I’d recommend going to College Creek to watch the sunrise or sunset- it’s stunning!

2. Busch Gardens

It is almost mandatory for William & Mary students to visit Busch Gardens during their time at the College.  With its many thrilling roller coasters and many other attractions, visiting Busch Gardens is a perfect way to spend a day away from campus.  Although tickets can be a bit pricey, every year William & Mary provides discounted tickets for students to visit Busch Gardens on one day during the fall semester.  Busch Gardens definitely lives up to expectations, and is definitely worth a visit during your freshman year.  

3. Williamsburg Pancake Houses

When you drive through Williamsburg, it’s hard not to notice all of the pancake houses in the city.  Although it may seem odd that there are so many of these pancake houses in Williamsburg, it is not surprising because of the large tourism industry in Williamsburg.  Most hotels in the city used to not offer breakfast to their guests, which led to these hotels recommending pancake houses for breakfast.  As more tourists came and needed breakfast before a day of sight-seeing, more pancake houses arose. Many of these are located just a short drive from campus, which has made trying the pancake houses a popular activity for many W&M students. Some of my friends and I, along with many other students I know, are even planning on trying all of the pancake houses in Williamsburg before graduation to determine which of them is the best. By visiting a pancake house, you’re also able to help support local Williamsburg businesses and have a well needed break from dining hall food. 

4. Yorktown

After just a short drive down the Colonial Parkway, you’ll arrive in one of the best places near W&M to explore, Yorktown. Although this town may be most known for being the place where the Revolutionary War ended, there are so many other places to explore in town.  In downtown Yorktown, you can explore all of the shops and restaurants next to the waterfront area where there are frequent festivals and farmers markets.  Additionally, Yorktown also has a beautiful public beach which can be a great break from studying.  Yorktown is such a cute and quaint town, and is definitely worth the short drive to get there from campus.  

5. Colonial Williamsburg

For W&M students, going to Colonial Williamsburg, or CW for short, becomes second nature.  From taking a stroll down DoG street to visiting Kilwin’s for some ice cream, it’s hard not to find several students when walking through CW.  Despite this being a common place for students to go, many don’t take full advantage of all of the events and activities that are available to them.  As a W&M student, you get a free four-year pass to CW which gives you access to numerous tours and events, such as taking a tour of the Capitol Building or being able to explore the stunning gardens behind the Governor’s Palace.  Additionally, there are so many side streets and small yet beautiful buildings in CW that you can visit.  The CW house, which is a building in CW where two W&M students live each year, also puts on several free events for students throughout the year, including ghost tours, free ice cream, and movie showings. Although it can be easy to assume you’ve seen everything that CW has to offer, I’d highly recommend taking time to explore all of the hidden gems that is has to offer.  

About Callie

Callie is a rising sophomore originally from Rustburg, Virginia. She is planning on double majoring in psychology and sociology and hopes to attend law school or pursue a career in news journalism after college.  On campus, she is the Associate News Editor with the Flat Hat, writes for the Botetourt Squat, and is on the executive team for Random Acts of Kindness Club.  During her down time, she loves reading books, listening to Taylor Swift, and crocheting.  A fun fact about her is that she is certified to drive a forklift!

By Kate Arnold

As you start your time at William and Mary, you will soon realize that most W&M students have a series of study spots they swear by. Those study spots can be hard to find, but when you find a location that works for you, almost nothing else will suffice when midterms and finals roll around. To help you on your study spot discovery journey, I have listed some of my favorite spots to study on and around campus

1. The Swem Basement: While not exactly hidden, this study spot is all too often underutilized. While I heard about the tiered noise system in Swem on my tour of campus, the Swem basement is something I wish I explored much sooner. Filled with art from other countries, beautiful statues, and a pit full of comfy couches and chairs, Swem basement is an incredible place to study if you enjoy the structure of a library study space with the fun and funky atmosphere of an alternative coffee shop.

2. Crim Dell Meadow: Throughout the pandemic, the Crim Dell Meadow has received some upgrades. It is now fully stocked with Adirondack chairs, bench swings, and hanging lights for all your outdoor social and studying needs. This is a great spot for anyone who likes to mix stretches with studying with breaks, as you’re sure to find some friendly faces if you take a break to wander around the corner to Sadler Terrace. The Meadow is also right next to the rock garden, the Wellness Center’s meditation walk path, and the “Spring” statue if you need to walk away from work and decompress.

3. Wolfe Law Library: Located in the Law School, this study space is a bit of a walk, but is completely worth it. This is perfect for students who work best when surrounded by silence and other students at work. One look at the law students in the library is enough to motivate any undergraduate to finish their assignments. Additionally, the Wolfe library’s resources are open for undergraduates to use, which can add some extremely interesting resources and citations to any research paper.

4. Reveley Garden: Located outside Jefferson Hall, the Reveley Garden is a new addition to campus, finishing construction last spring. This is a space full of outdoor seating for you to spread out your work, and is a short walk away from the many coffee shops of CW when you find yourself in need of a break.

5. Chancellor Hall: I wished I had learned sooner in my college career that academic buildings were open in the evenings for students to study. This is a great space for those who don’t do well in libraries, but need to work in an indoor space coded for academia. Chancellor Hall has individual and group study rooms, as well as classrooms that can be used for larger friend and study groups. I mention Chancellor in particular because as a Government major, I am in that building the most often, but other academic buildings I recommend studying in include Boswell, Washington, McGlothlin, and Tucker Hall

6. CW Tables: While not technically on campus, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the wonderful study space in Colonial Williamsburg that has emerged in the last year. The tables in CW are a recent addition to the landscape, but it has quickly become my favorite place in Williamsburg to work. Shops are mere steps away, so you can take a lunch break while you work no problem, and I have found that the hustle and bustle of families and tourists make for great background noise while I work.

7. Williamsburg Regional Library: Another incredible off campus spot! The Williamsburg Regional Library has a shaded terrace area, completed with tables and fountains. The sound of rushing water in the background and the cool atmosphere of the terrace make for a serene study location. Additionally, it is a study space few other students use, meaning you and your friends will have it all to yourself. Bake Shop is right down the street, so you can sip on a coffee while you write your papers.

About Kate

Kate is a junior at William & Mary from Woodbridge, VA. She is a double major in Government and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies on a pre-law track. She is passionate about law because she believes it is a powerful tool to help others, and hopes one day to either be a public defender or an attorney for a civil rights law firm. On campus, she lets her inner legal nerd loose with undergraduate Mock Trial and Merrimac Mentors.

During her downtime, you can find Kate taking night walks through CW with friends or sitting on the Terrace. She is a total extrovert and loves meeting new people, but be warned that she is known to share lots of information about niche topics, including but not limited to: American Girl Dolls, the Amish lifestyle, Taylor Swift, and early 2000s TV shows. Kate has been a GGV OA since her sophomore year and is beyond excited to make Orientation the best experience for incoming students it can possibly be.

By Josie Adolf

As someone who never really found a niche on this campus (and I’m still very happy here!), my biggest piece of advice to any students (new or continuing) is to join something new every year. I know you may think you have found your niche, or that your friend group is perfect as it is, but hear me out:

1. Things change! I say this from personal experience. I absolutely loved my first semester freshman year and developed a great, close friendship with my hallmates. When the second semester started, however, people changed and dynamics changed. I quickly found myself distraught and without a bubble. What helped me through it all was joining a new group and meeting new people– a buffer and some space is almost always what new friendships need.

2. New friends and things to do are good for even well established friendships. I found that by joining a new group (I became an Orientation Aide and joined an improv group at the beginning of my sophomore year), it gave me a greater appreciation for the friends I already had. I found that I was able to look at everything with more perspective, and I realized that the world is much bigger than any small group you find yourself in.

3. It combats X year slump. Sophomore slump is what I was worried about when I started my second year on campus, but it can happen any year. Your life on campus feels different and you don’t know why– it could be that the excitement of being in a new place has faded. Joining a new group allows you to meet people and always have something that you haven’t tired of yet. It sounds pessimistic, but I need consistent change! Especially due to burnout which is common in any college, having a new set of activities and people to focus on can help improve every aspect of a returning year.

4. It connects you to new students. One of the most surprising and rewarding moments of joining an improv group my sophomore year was becoming friends with the other “newbies” who were freshman. All of a sudden, my college friend group spanned years, older and younger. I had a reason to still be present on New Campus, even though all of my classes and friends were near the Sunken Gardens. Don’t underestimate the benefits of leveling yourself with other people– me and the other new members were on the same playing field! Which is a good thing!

5. Very humbling, very humbling. My roommate and I have decided to say this whenever something bad happens to us, and while I find it comical, it is also SO helpful. When you feel like you have already reached your potential, there’s a lot of room for burnout. Join something new, create a new challenge for yourself, and remember: very humbling, very humbling (abbreviated VHVH). <3

About Josie

Josie is a junior at William & Mary, studying Linguistics and Arabic. She is from Brunswick, Maine, so she’s a pro in the cold weather and thinks that rocks and trees belong on beaches. She plans on going to graduate school for a masters in Education so she can eventually teach middle or elementary school. Around campus, you can find her playing bass in a few student groups, doing improv with Dad Jeans Improv, or hanging out on any of the benches around the Sunken Gardens. She spends her free time crafting, playing music, taking frequent naps, and dragging her friends into doing painting nights with her.

Josie was an OA for the past two years for LR’HunTAL & Co. (now known as BLR’HunTAL & Co) and GGV. She is beyond excited to welcome in the next group of incoming students as an Orientation Area Director, and can’t wait to meet you all in the fall!

By Baylee Easterday

Hi all! My name is Baylee, I’m a Junior at William & Mary and an Orientation Area Director. I’m also a huge fan of horror movies, the campier the better! Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, any Stephen King movie, the Ring, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, they’re all great. There’s something about watching someone on screen making what seems like the worst decisions possible and thinking in the back of your mind that you could’ve outsmarted Freddy Krueger just fine or that you would have left Jason in the dust. Add in a few cathartic jump scares and you have my ideal Saturday night. I know for a lot of you who are transitioning to college for the first time, it might seem like a bit of a scary story. Dining hall food, doing your own laundry, sharing a bathroom with 15 other people, three midterms in a week… and just like with horror movies it’s easy to imagine that you won’t fall into any of the classic pitfalls. But can any of us honestly say with 100% certainty that if we heard about the tape from the ring we wouldn’t watch it? My point is, sometimes when you’re in it (it being a campy horror movie or midterm week) it can be hard to take care of yourself to the best of your ability. Stress and adrenaline can impact your decision making. That’s why I’m here with this themed list of lessons that, if you remember, will help you drive away from the corn field full of creepy kids and succeed in college!

Lesson #1: “No DON’T split up, gang! Ever heard of strength in numbers???”

This Fred-from-Scooby-Doo standard is a common pitfall amongst horror movie protagonists and college students alike. Those of you who are horror movie fans like myself can probably recall yelling at a screen as the protagonists of any cabin-in-the-woods slasher decided that the best way to respond to the menacing presence in the trees was to split up and look around separately. It is oh-so-common in horror movies to see the protagonists go their separate ways after entering the murderer’s menacing lair so that they can be picked off by the Big Bad one by one without the other characters learning too much relevant information about the antagonist. In spite of the fact that their chances of success are almost definitely higher if they didn’t split up! College students have a tendency to do the same thing. When things get tough or we are stressed, it can be easy to separate ourselves from our support systems. And it is true that sometimes locking yourself in a Swem individual study room for 8 consecutive hours with no outside contact and without leaving for meals can be an effective way to write a term paper. However, it’s also a good way to feel isolated and unsupported as you go through stressful times. Lean on your people, let them help you out when you are having a tough week and help them out when they’re doing the same! This looks different for different people, it can mean using meal times to meet up with your roommate, taking a one hour study break to take in the sun on the sunken gardens with a close friend, or just having some chill company while you go through a study guide. But don’t spend all of your days alone with your schoolwork, make time to spend with others and feel connected to your friends and loved ones. We are never in this alone, and when we try to go it alone, we are more likely to be killed off for plot reasons and more likely to feel unprepared to tackle big challenges. 

Lesson #2: The dramatic reveal… that character has been injured all along!

Slasher movies are full of chaotic scenes, complete with subpar lighting and already banged up and bruised protagonists. Many directors take advantage of this chaos to utilize the trope wherein the audience doesn’t realize that a character is injured until they literally collapse into some kind of comatose state. The other characters are also shocked that the injured character didn’t say anything before! As a general rule, don’t be that injured guy! Sometimes when there is a big, intimidating antagonist, whether it’s the ghost of a 17th century murderer or a 30 page paper, we can ignore “smaller” things like self-care or mortal injuries, until they get so big that tackling these issues can be very difficult. When we have a ton of academic things going on, it can be easy to not want to take the time to make filling meals for ourselves, skip our laundry, or push off outside responsibilities. I do it as much as anyone. But we have to remind ourselves that taking care of yourself is productive. Rest is productive, self care is productive. Eating a good meal gives you brain power, getting enough sleep helps you remember and process the information you’re learning. Having a clean work space can help put you in a good headspace. Don’t neglect treating your minor wounds until they cause you to collapse in the middle of a battle. Be active in taking care of yourself.

Lesson #3: “He’s leaving her behind? I can’t believe this!”

Horror movie love interests are stereotypically major jerks who are completely willing to abandon the protagonist when the going gets tough. Often after forcing the protagonist into a situation they weren’t completely comfortable with in regard to substance use, romantic/sexual situations, or breaking the law. Don’t settle for the kind of people who are only there for you when things are easy! In your friendships and your romantic/sexual relationships, seek out the kind of people who would listen and validate you if you didn’t feel comfortable in the cabin in the woods, and wouldn’t leave you if you broke your ankle while running from a serial killer. Find the type of people who want to be with you all the time, on your good days and your bad days, who always take your feelings into account. When you are moving to a new place, it can be scary, and this can mean you want to find friends fast. Don’t let that desire keep you from finding the kind of people who would always double back when they realized that you weren’t with the group. You are worth it.

It’s a scary world out there. Especially for those of you who are new to college. Take care of yourself, take care of others, and you’ll do just fine.

About Baylee

Baylee (she/her/hers) is a Junior from Pasco, Washington. She has spent the Fall semester at home working and raising some succulents, so she is very excited to be returning to campus in the Spring! Baylee is a double major in Government and Hispanic Studies who takes classes on Shakespeare whenever she can. After graduation, Baylee is hoping to move to a Spanish-speaking country to teach English before continuing on to study international law.

On campus, Baylee is involved with research and advocacy related to American Sign Language, and research on sociolinguistics and diplomacy. She is also involved with the Moot Court team and the rock climbing club. Baylee loves science fiction, waffles, and Taylor Swift (her favorite albums are Reputation and Folklore). Her favorite spot on campus is the bench across from Washington Hall, in spite of the fact that she once got pooped on by a bird there.

Baylee has been looking forward to being an OAD since her own orientation. She’s previously worn the neon three times: as a member of LRHunTAL & Co, Botetourt, and the Spring transfers and exchange staff. She’s incredibly excited to plan next Fall’s orientation, and to help a new incoming class of William & Mary students feel comfortable and welcomed, just like she did as a freshman!

By Neel Simpson

I didn’t expect to be a science major when I came into college. In high school, I was interested in science topics but always found my humanities and language classes more interesting. However, after multiple identity crises and semesters of turmoil, I decided to declare my major in geology. I was super excited for my geology classes, but between that and other requirements like math, bio, and chem, I was noticing that my schedule was lacking in time to take those humanities classes that had made me so excited to come to William and Mary. With some careful planning, I’ve been able to take at least one class per semester on a topic I was interested in, from Music to Economics to Religious Studies. I recommend this for anyone considering a STEM major, not only to diversify your coursework and improve your writing skills but also to develop a critical thinking mindset that’s necessary for leaders across every discipline. I can’t say that I had a favorite subject that I took as an elective, but I had thoughts about the buildings. Here’s my guide to the best places to take these classes.

1. Blair Hall

Cards on the table, I’ve never actually taken a class in Blair and probably never will, but it is consistently my favorite building to walk through. The mahogany walls and marble floor have peak dark academia vibes, and the classrooms are all comfortable to sit in. Even if you’re like me and can’t take a class here, make sure you check it out some time!

2. Wren Building

I’ve taken one class inside the Wren, and one this past Fall in the tent outside. It might seem controversial that I put it in second, but when I had a class here, tourists would always be walking around or even trying to step into the classroom. Still, the religious studies department is phenomenal and there’s nothing like sitting in one of the classrooms here!

3. Tucker Hall

I will say that I’ve had all sorts of classes in the Tucker Theatre, including a geology class, but never an English class. I’ve also never had a class in Tucker that was not in the Theatre. However, this has to be my favorite academic building design-wise. There’s so much natural light and that staircase on the second floor is a great spot to study, hang out with friends, or just sit and read. The colorful walls are also a great touch!

4. Andrews Hall

Andrews is often forgotten because it sits kind of in new campus and kind of in old campus, next to Swem and the ISC. I haven’t been able to take a class here, but the few times I’ve walked through, I’ve appreciated the modern vibes and art installations from the incredibly talented students in the art and art history departments. The only time I ventured into a classroom here was for a pre-study abroad information session, and I remember it being very difficult to find. For its navigational faults, I had to put Andrews in fourth place.

5. Ewell Hall

I took a Music COLL 100 my freshman spring, and while it was the only music class I’ve been able to take, it has been one of the most interesting classes I’ve taken yet. Ewell gets bonus points for having the music library as a study spot, and also the ability to walk around and listen to faint classical instruments hum in the background. However, I just remember my classroom being packed with desks and being difficult to walk around, so I have to push this building back to fourth place.

6. Washington Hall

Washington Hall is BIG. I’m genuinely surprised that I didn’t get lost in this building more than I did, but there’s so much to see here and some of my favorite classes have been in this building. I recommend taking an archaeology class here and seeing if you might be able to access some of the collections they have in the basement. The Washington lecture room, while it is a fun space to have larger classes, definitely lacks acoustic capacity and can be hard to hear. Additionally, nothing stands out about the classrooms here, so it gets an average score. 

7. Morton Hall

Morton gets a bad rep, and I do wish I could defend it, but this has to be one of the worst buildings on campus, hosting some fantastic departments and students. My favorite part of Morton is walking through the hallways and learning about events and opportunities from departments like Sociology, Africana Studies, and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. That being said, it takes forever to walk to, there is consistently a puddle outside, and the classrooms are dim and cramped. The students in this building deserve so much better.

8. Tyler Hall

Tyler is the most cursed building on this campus. Ever since my 9 am in this building my freshman fall, I have been adamant about never taking a class in here. It seems like they tried to make it seem nice and modern but at the cost of any personality. And why are the lights so harsh? If the lights are going to be turned to their absolute brightest possible, then why are all the floors, ceilings, and walls also a bright white? Stepping into this building gives me the same sense of dread that I get when I’m on a zoom call and I realize I’m not muted when I thought I was. If you can avoid a class in Tyler, please do. If you can’t, please work on your priorities. 

About Neel

Neel is a junior from Vienna, Virginia, who is double majoring in environmental geology and anthropology. While he has been an orientation aide for both GGV and Botetourt, his heart still belongs to his freshman dorm, Hunt Hall. When he’s not sporting his neon as an orientation aide, he spends his time volunteering with the office of sustainability,doing research in the Keck Environmental Studies lab, or working with his team on GeoLab.

Outside of classes, he enjoys playing guitar, cooking vegan food, and anything outdoors. He is a Sagittarius and INTJ, but his most telling personal characteristic is that he genuinely enjoys Swem third. After William & Mary, he hopes to attend graduate school to study human and environmental geography, but is beyond excited to make the most out of his last two years here.