Aside from stellar academics and activities, one William & Mary’s best assets is its photogenicism. The following list contains some of the most picturesque places on campus along with photos I’ve taken.
Crim Dell Bridge
The Crim Dell Bridge is known to be one of the best picture spots around campus during all seasons!
Wren Building
The oldest American academic building still in use and also a great picture spot!
ISC windows
Check out these beautifully painted windows on the upper level of ISC!
Business School
The Business School has beautiful architecture perfect for a quick picture!
Wellness center
The tall windows capture both the relaxing feel of the wellness center and the beautiful nature that surrounds campus.
Sunken garden + surrounding area
The Sunken Garden and its surrounding area are perfect spots for pictures. I personally love the willow tree!
Lake Matoaka
The amphitheater and trails are great spots to capture the beauty of Lake Matoaka (especially at golden hour!)
College can be a stressful environment, so it’s important to recognize the signs when you might need to take a mental health day. (This is by no means an extensive list or professional advice. For emergencies contact the appropriate resources.)
Feeling run down
Low motivation
Lost ability to focus and concentrate during class
There are so many interesting classes to choose from at William & Mary. To get a sense of how many awesome subjects there are to learn about here, I asked a couple William & Mary students what their favorite classes have been:
Alena Jones ‘26
Mermaid Tales with Professor Francessca Sawaya and Capitalism and Revolution with Professor Elliot Warren
“I would say Mermaid Tales was a really good class while transitioning into W&M because it’s the type of class that similar types of people enroll in. Professor Sawaya also does an incredible job of helping us make personal connections with other class members with collaborative assignments that help us build off each other’s ideas. Capitalism and Revolution helped me confirm my decision to want to major in history at William & Mary and made me completely rethink the importance of European history in the broader global context.”
Emma Dunlop ‘26
Social Psychology with Dr. Moloney
“Her lessons were engaging and always connected to relevant, present-day topics. Also, the assignments were fun and thought-provoking. It was a great way to spend my mornings!”
Audrey Rasmussen ‘26
Emerging Diseases with Dr. Sher
“We talked about major diseases in history and public health response to these diseases, as well as current outbreaks around the world. The scientific journal articles we read were super interesting, and I enjoyed my research for our final paper. My writing and presentation skills improved because of this class and Dr. Sher’s excellent feedback!”
Mia Honda ‘26
Books and Biases with Professor Conradi Smith
“We got to do some cool research about children’s books that we all most likely read as kids!”
Arleigh Wagoner ‘26
History of Western Music with Professor La Barre
“I enjoyed listening to and learning about music and how its changed over time. Plus, as someone who reads/plays music, I learned a lot about the history of notation, the development of instruments, and how the broad term ‘classical music’ is divided into categories I’d never known before! The professor was fantastic and I loved the required concert assignments and listening maps!”
Aneesa Parish ‘24
Evolution of Organisms with Professor Murphy
When it comes to the course, I believe that was the best evolution class I’ve ever taken, and I am not a theory-based biology student. I was nervous at first, but the way she structured her lectures, she gives breaks where you can ask her to repeat something even if you’re a tad bit confused. Coming from that 300 level course, I knew everything so much more in depth. The environment is great and Professor Murphy really cares for her students as far as understanding as well as mentally, especially when you’re taking orgo and physics together along with her class (most of us were in Junior fall semester). For reference, I was really struggling mentally with everything going on towards the end of the semester and broke down in her office over a quiz I didn’t think I’d have time to take. She laughed, offered tissues, and just said, ‘take an extra day or don’t take it.’ She has her class structured for students like me with extra assignments just in case you aren’t able to get to one later in the semester.”
Sarah Callahan ‘26
American Medical History 1750-1950 with Professor Brennan
“I’m not even a STEM major, I just took it for fun and she made it very accessible by explaining how the US perception of the body changed over time. We also took a field trip to the exhibit in Williamsburg where the public hospital used to be, which was essentially a mental asylum that sanctioned questionable treatment methods using 18th and 19th century medical knowledge.”
Chiara Leupke ‘25
History of Christianity with Professor Angelov
“It was a fascinating, thought-provoking class that left me talking and thinking about the topics outside of class. The course focuses on how Christian theology developed and spans from ancient Greco-Roman society to the current state of religion post-Reformation. As an economics major, this class gave me the liberal arts experience that W&M is known for.
Josep Ocampo ‘25
Nation, Race, & Gender in South Asia with Professor Zutshi
“Last year, I took a class about a region I had little to no knowledge of. The course was Nation, Race, & Gender in South Asia taught by Professor Zutshi. Learning about how the interplay between race and gender shaped the nation and its evolution from the Mughal period up to the present was truly fascinating. Prior to this class, I hadn’t envisioned studying gender to be as insightful as it was. It changed the way that I viewed society and made me notice the similarities and differences in what a nation means/meant across different geopolitical regions. I gained a new way to look at the world and I expect I’ll take many more eye-opening classes during my time here.”
College is not only a time for discovery in extracurricular activities, but also a time to find what study techniques are the best fit for you. To assist you in finding your best fit study method, here are 8 active recall study methods and techniques to try during this upcoming semester.
Listen to recordings
How: Create recordings of yourself or someone else explaining the topic you want to remember and listen to throughout the day. You can also record lectures if permissible by the professor to listen to while studying.
Why: This is convenient for studying on the go! It also leads your brain to listening subconsciously and better retention of information.
Teach someone else
How: Pretend to teach someone else the information you are trying to study
Why: Teaching someone else forces you to think of ways to have someone else remember the information you are teaching. In doing so, you can memorize the information better.
Condense chapter / lesson into key sentences
How: Write key sentence overviews or bullet points of what you have learned / read.
Why: Condensing information forces your brain to alter the information to fit it into a smaller scale. This can make your memory on the topic stronger, and it provides a good one sentence to remember during test time!
Memory palace
What: Convert your memories into visual images around a mental memory palace.
How: Visualize a memorable location (ie. your dorm or classroom) and place what you want to remember in certain areas of that location. To remember, you can mentally walk through the palace to remember where you stored each piece of information.
Why: Associating information with a visual palace you’re familiar with connects something you already know with something you want to remember. This helps your brain create an imprint with what you want to remember and is a fun way to memorize!
Study group discussions
How: Get together with a group of friends and discuss what you are working on in class.
Why: Sometimes talking with friends can create a lasting impact on your memory of the topic. If someone says something funny or interesting you’re more likely to remember it! Also if working on projects, assignments, or studying for the class, study groups can provide other perspectives.
Design a test on the topic
How: This method is great for transferring notes into flashcards after a lecture. Create a collection of short answer questions in your own words with bullet points of the main points you should have in your answer. Study this test by either speaking the answers or writing them down.
Why: Designing a short-answer test in your own words not only creates a connection in your brain, it also will lead to new answers each time you study! Using bullet points in the initial answers will help you remember the key information to remember while also forcing your brain to come up with a unique answer each time you study the test.
Blurting
How: Blurting is an active recall technique where you brain dump all the information you can remember. Write down everything you know about a topic, then go back and check to see if you missed anything. If you did, find the information and fill it in. Repeat until you remember everything! Blurting is good to do after reading textbooks or a lecture!
Why: Blurting drives your brain to actively recall information and shows you which information is not adequately retained!
Make connections between your life and the lesson
How: Making connections between your life and what you’re learning helps personalize and make the information seem more important. Try to find a connection in your own life with what you learn in class. OR, research into a celebrity or historical figure that might be connected to what you’re learning.
Ex. If you are learning anatomy and can connect it to when you were injured.
Why: When your life and the lesson are connected, you’re more likely to be interested in learning about it. The information is no longer just a paragraph in your textbook, but a real life scenario that you can either relate to or remember more easily!
The Civic Leadership Program is a three semester program for first and second year students. Fifteen selected students are allotted $800 for a community-impact summer project and two one-credit course opportunities. Learn more here: https://www.wm.edu/offices/oce/programs/civic_leadership_program/index.php
Alternative Breaks
During a fall, spring, or summer break, Branch Out Alternative Breaks provide undergraduate, graduate, and professional students the free opportunity to travel and engage in service-based learning. Learn more here: https://www.wm.edu/offices/oce/programs/branchout/index.php
Williamsburg Engagement
Williamsburg Engagement offers the opportunity to volunteer weekly in a community organization during a semester. They connect students with a nonprofit organization, where students can participate in weekly community engagement projects and reflect on their experience through conversation. Learn more here: https://www.wm.edu/offices/oce/programs/we/index.php
Service Saturdays
Service Saturdays connect students with community organizations for one-time volunteer opportunities. Three opportunities are available for each Service Saturday, typically around two to three hours. Learn more here: https://www.wm.edu/offices/oce/programs/service-days/index.php
Education and Youth Development Programs
The Education and Youth Development Programs offer students the opportunity to support the healthy development of pre K-12 youth through academic and social-emotional programming. Students in the program provide a semester to a year of weekly mentoring, tutoring, enrichment programs and more. Learn more here: https://www.wm.edu/offices/oce/programs/education-programs/index.php
Volunteer with Virginia Institute Of Marine Science (VIMS)
University Advancement offers students opportunities to join leadership boards and volunteer groups to support William & Mary. Learn more here: https://advancement.wm.edu/volunteer-leadership/
As we near the last month of summer, consider taking the time to prepare yourself for the upcoming semester. Everyone has their unique way of greeting a new academic semester. Here are a few ideas of how to prepare yourself for a new set of courses, exams, and a new schedule.
Set up a planner or calendar
Setting up a planner or calendar with important due dates for assignments, exam dates, social commitments, work tasks, and more will give you an overview of what your schedule looks like and help you keep track of deadlines.
Take a walk around campus
If it’s your first semester on campus, consider taking a walk around, go inside buildings, find roughly where your classes are to familiarize yourself with where everything is so you don’t lose time on the first day.
Begin creating a steady sleep schedule
During summer it can be easy to lose track of a steady sleep schedule, so a couple weeks before arriving on campus consider setting up a schedule as you would for school.
Familiarize yourself with available resources
There are so many great resources around William & Mary’s campus that are there to aid your academic and well-being needs. Similar to taking a walk around campus, familiarize yourself with the campus resources like the Wellness Center, Recreation Center, Dining Halls, Writing Center, etc.
Ask Questions
Beginning a new semester can be a confusing time especially if beginning your very first year at university. Taking the time to ask questions whether it be to professors, faculty, or other students, can help you gain a better understanding of what to expect in the upcoming semester!
Dining dollars are allotted to every student on a meal plan at William & Mary. Budgeting them wisely and knowing the best uses of them can help you get the most value for your money.
Here’s a list of the best uses of dining dollars (in my opinion):
Bake Shop
The Bake Shop is where many of my dining dollars ended up last semester. The Bake Shop offers many delicious fresh pastries, bagels, and beverages. Make sure to get in line early if you’re looking for a sweet treat as they sell out fast!
Cafes
In-between classes or as a study treat, the cafes in Swem Library and Sadler ground floor are convenient and a tasty way to spend some dining dollars.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A is a fan favorite use for dining dollars. Located on the outskirts of campus, Chick-fil-A offers a way to spend dining dollars while also switching things up from dining hall meals.
Farmers market
This semester with the introduction of a new dining provider, dining dollars will be an extra currency of the Farmers market! This exciting new update should be implemented this upcoming semester!
Sushi from business cafe
This one is a bit specific, however, if you’re looking for a change of flavor from the usual dining hall meals, try spending a little dining dollars on packaged sushi from the business cafe.
This past January I left my home in search of new experiences at William & Mary as a spring transfer student. Just a couple hours away felt like infinite space from my family, friends, and most importantly, my pets. I felt ready to venture out into college life, yet the bittersweet moments leading up to moving out made me question my readiness.
Would I be behind on making friends coming in halfway through the academic year?
Would classes be harder than I could handle?
Would I feel homesick?
There were so many unknowns leaving home and adapting to a new environment. My orientation group was made up of around six people, each of us spring transfers of different graduation years. Within a couple hours I had already made a couple friends which would become some of my best friends later in the semester.
There are some things that I didn’t quite recognize until after beginning my first semester. Everyone is going through the same process. No one comes into college knowing exactly who they’ll be friends with, how classes will go, or what their future holds. It doesn’t matter if you begin as a freshman in the fall, or a transfer in the spring, building a home away from home is about finding people and places that make you feel comfortable. Sounds like a daunting task, but in the moment you won’t know you’re building brick by brick until you take a step back and realize that all of the fun experiences and friendships made along the way have built four walls and a roof. This is what makes William & Mary so special. The saying “Those who come here belong here” is taken to heart. I’ve only spent a short amount of time here, but the welcoming nature of W&M has constructed a foundation on which I’ve built my home away from home.
Move-in can be a whirlwind of families, decor, and emotions. Knowing what to expect and how to prepare will make the process of building a new home away from home much easier. In this blog post you’ll find a list of what to and what not to bring curated from the official list by Residence Life, finding your residence hall, and the move-in process.
What to bring
Bed
bed sheets and pillowcase
mattress topper
blankets and comforter
pillows
storage items
Bathroom
bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths
toothbrush
brush/comb
hair styling products / appliances
personal toiletries
bath caddy
shower shoes
Cleaning
laundry basket
bathroom cleaner
disinfectant wipes
dusting cloth
sponges
broom/dustpan
paper towels
Kitchen
microwave safe plates / bowls
cups, mugs, glasses
thermostatically controlled coffee maker or tea kettle
a few utensils
Tools
flashlight
batteries
basic tools
bike / bike lock
important personal documents (drivers license, passport, insurance documents)
Electronics
lamps
headphones
small refrigerator
microwave
small vacuum
small fan
surge protectors
What not to bring
Candles
Extension cords
Curtains that are not fire rated
Halogen lamps
Incense
Any items that require open flames
Scented plug ins
Permitted items in common kitchen or apartment kitchens
Bread machines
Crockpots
Rice cookers
Hot plates
George Foreman Grill
Electric Skillet
Move-in process
New students will make their way on campus to move-in on August 24th from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. You’ll schedule an appointment for during this time frame to check-in before arriving on campus. You’ll need your check-in QR code and health clearance to check-in on campus. The check-in line will begin on Compton Drive. You’ll have a designated color-coded route based on your assigned residential hall. Only one vehicle per family is permitted and must be unloaded within one hour of arrival at the unloading zone.
Avoiding Stress & Sorrow
Some things to consider when moving-in are what you are moving and the heat. Remember that everything you move into the dorm must be removed at the end of the year. Also make sure to bring lots of water to stay hydrated as it will most likely be a hot day during move-in.
The hardest part besides moving heavy boxes up stairs in the heat is saying see you later to your family. Remember that you can always call your family and friends and return home during the many breaks. Best of luck new students and welcome to William & Mary!
Embarking on the adventure of studying abroad as an international student brings a mix of excitement and challenges. Having left behind the comfort of home and family, my transition to William & Mary has been a transformative experience. In this blog post, I will share the joys and obstacles I’ve encountered, the support I’ve received, and how William & Mary has become a second home.
1. Embracing the Unknown:
Stepping onto the campus of William & Mary for the first time, I was greeted with a myriad of new experiences. The academic culture, weather (especially during the winter), and even the cuisine presented challenges that required adaptation. However, the support I received from the university community helped ease my transition and made me feel welcome from day one.
2. Choosing William & Mary:
I selected William & Mary for its outstanding higher education program, small class sizes, and the opportunity to connect with knowledgeable professors. After completing my first semester, I can confidently say that the university has surpassed my expectations. The campus is not only visually stunning but also populated with faculty and staff who genuinely care about student success. Prior to my arrival, staff at the School of Education and the Reves Center for International Studies provided invaluable assistance in expediting my visa process, setting a positive tone for my journey ahead.
3. A Sense of Community:
One of the most fulfilling aspects of my time at William & Mary has been the sense of belonging I’ve found. The Reves Center facilitated connections with other African students, enabling me to seamlessly integrate into campus life. Furthermore, the Global Friends program offered me the opportunity to engage with a local senior member, fostering cultural exchange and deepening my understanding of American history and traditions.
4. A Rewarding Journey:
My first semester at William & Mary has been nothing short of rewarding. Engaging with knowledgeable professors and participating in a diverse and rigorous academic environment has set me on a path to becoming an educational leader. Beyond academics, I have formed friendships and established professional networks that I anticipate will last a lifetime.
5. Advice for International Students:
To my fellow international students, I encourage you to embrace curiosity and never hesitate to ask questions. Rest assured that there will always be someone ready to support you and provide the resources you need. Seize the opportunities available to you, challenge yourself, and be open to exploring new frontiers. Regardless of your background, I hope that both Williamsburg and William & Mary will come to feel at home, just as they have for me.
As an international student, my journey at William & Mary has been a transformative experience. The challenges I faced have been outweighed by the support I received from the university community. William & Mary has not only provided me with an exceptional education but has also nurtured a sense of belonging and a deep appreciation for diverse perspectives. I am grateful for the opportunities I have found here and encourage others to embark on their own adventures, knowing that William & Mary will be there to guide them every step of the way.
