Elon Journalism Major

Elon students are generally thought of as very preppy, white, good-looking partiers who act like they are at a country club. Some people say that the coursework at Elon is extremely easy and that you can't have fun unless you are in a fraternity or sorority.

Typically, Elon students are preppy and good-looking, but there are definitely exceptions. And yes, the student body is mostly white. And while there is a pretty healthy party scene, most people drink only once or twice a week. Contrary to some stereotypes, the coursework past freshman level courses is pretty challenging. Most students spend a lot of time studying and doing homework, which is why Belk Library is referred to as "Club Belk."
As far as Greek life goes, I think it's great, but I did not join my sorority until spring semester of my freshman year, and my fall semester is a blast. I think anyone who thinks that you can't haave fun unless you're in a frat or sorority is too lazy to look for anything else to do.

Elon is GORGEOUS. You know how you wake up at 7 a.m. and are pissed off because you have to walk to class? Well, as soon as you set foot on campus, you'll automatically be in a better mood just because this place is so beautiful to look at. If you look at the guidebooks and pamphlets that the school hands out, you may think that the pictures are photoshoppped because they are so perfect, but if you visit, I guarantee that what you see is EXACTLY what you get.
Elon is a great size. There are about 5,000 students, which means that you will always be meeting new people, but you'll see plenty of familiar faces walking around campus. The class sizes are small, which is a plus, and the professors really care about you and your education. Every single professor I've had knows my name and something about me because they take the time to get to know you.
Elon's administration is very well run. Leo Lambert, the president, (we just call him Leo) has done a lot for the school, and the students love him. He's like a celebrity. But the good thing is that you will actually see him around campus every now and then.
Elon is really into improving the quality of student life, from the food to the dorms, to the services provided. They are always looking for way to improve.
The only bad thing (in some students' opinions) is that they are really cracking down on partying. Only four years ago, according to the seniors, the number of parties on any given night was double what it is now. The social scene is still very active, but I think we just have more serious students.
I wish there was more pride in the athletics. Granted, the athletics simply aren't that great, but we don't have a lot of supporters aside from football games. And football games are more like social events than sports games. We have the "Phoenix Phanatics" though who are always there, rain or shine, decked out in red and gold, going crazy. There are about 200 of them altogether, and on a good day, most of them will be there.
A few cute and unusual things about Elon: Supposedly, Elon means "oak" in Hebrew, so students are given an acorn as freshmen and recieve an oak sappling when they graduate. It's kind of corny, but I think it's cute. Also, we have the largest fountain in North Carolina on campus. Elon loves its fountains. And the entire campus burned down in 1923 and then was rebuilt, which is why our mascot is the Phoenix - we rose from the ashes.

Elon has some really unique classes and teaching styles. The school is really into "experiential learning," which means that they want students to learn by doing. I took a class called Local Government Simulation over Winter Term in which we were each given a role to play in an imaginary city government. We spent 1 week and 1/2 just playing out this simulation and it gave us real insight to what a local government is actually like.

Also, for my International Relations class, we participated in the Model UN Crisis Simulation, which was similar, except that we were split up into different countries' governments and tried to act in character. Its focus was on the Middle East, and my country was Iran. We had a great time causing trouble for everyone else. The thing was that we actually learned a lot from it - we got to see that there really is something to all the theory mumbo jumbo that we learn in class.

Elon is a pretty tolerant place, but we are mostly of one type - preppy. An emo, punk, or grunge kid would probably feel very out of place. If you typically go against the grain, dance to the beat of your own drummer, etc., that's great. But there aren't very many people like you at Elon.

Different types of students do interact, but that's mostly in class. We tend to stick with our own types.

At a lot of colleges, it's typically for students to wear sweatshirts to class all the time, but that's not Elon. We mostly wear jeans, but we look a little nicer than that. In the spring and summer, girls are known for wearing sundresses a lot.

Students mostly come from affluent backgrounds, but that's not everyone. There are plenty of people who have jobs because Mommy and Daddy don't pay for everything. Girls in certain sororities are especially known for their inability to understand that not everyone has everything they wanted handed to them.

The thing about Elon is that everyone is very involved in something. Campus organizations are a huge part of social life. Greek life is very popular and has a much better reputation than on most campuses. Club sports are also a huge part of social life. If you come to Elon, the easiest way to make friends is to get involved in something.

Theater here is really popular. We have an exceptional theater department, so the shows are always full. Sporting events - not so much.

If you're awake at 2 a.m. on a Tuesday, you're most likely to be studying in the library. Or maybe you're watching a movie with friends. Wednesday or Thursday is a different story. If you're awake in the early hours of the morning, you are just as likely to be stumbling home from the bar. It's not something that most students do every week, but we do like an occasional Thursday night out.

On a Saturday night, your options are limited for things that don't involve drinking. Popular options are movies, bowling, a small concert, lazer tag, or board games. Late night programing is not prevalent or popular.

One of the best weekends of the year is Festivus. Every spring, one house off campus holds a massive outdoor party that lasts from 9 a.m. until everyone leaves (usually late at night). They create a huge mud pit in the yard, and everyone gets absolutely covered in mud. Most people are drunk, but you don't have to be. It's a blast no matter what!