College of William and Mary Top Questions

Nerd

Antisocial Nerds. In some ways this is correct--most of us are nerds...by which I mean intelligent, curious, and die hard HP, LOTR, SW, etc fans. But antisocial is a huge misnomer. The people at WM are some of the nicest, most outgoing people I know, not to mention inclusive and welcoming.

People tend to think that everyone at this school is a big nerd and only focuses on school. In my experience, I've found that almost everyone I meet is involved in many activities outside the classroom.

William and Mary tends to have the reputation for having painstakingly studious students (affectionately referred to by all as "TWAMPS," or Typical William And Mary Students), and in some respects, that may not be far off. While walking anywhere on campus, you'd be hard pressed to avoid overhearing at least one group of students complaining about how much work they have to get done in Swem (the undergraduate library), otherwise known as "Swemming." Just like Black Friday sales at department stores, it isn't uncommon to see students queuing outside Swem hours before the library opens on finals week, desperate to grab a study room to camp out in and work with friends. To some degree, everyone cares a great deal about grades and all students' work ethics increase dramatically after entering the College, as peers push each other to succeed. However, this does cannot encapsulate the entire William and Mary experience. Greek life plays a large role in many students' extra curricular schedules, even for those who had never dreamed of pledging a fraternity or sorority when entering college; going Greek provides a community within the close-knit family that is William and Mary where friends will be made that can last a lifetime. Many students at William and Mary participated in athletics in high school, but few continue to do so at the varsity level in college; that being said, intramurals, club sports, and the Rec Center all provide an outlet from the stresses of being a student at the College, and are a great way to stay in shape! William and Mary students may have a reputation for being primarily academic-driven, but through Greek life, athletics, and much more, they are able to create for themselves a well-rounded collegiate experience.

William and Mary tends to have the reputation for having painstakingly studious students (affectionately referred to by all as "TWAMPS," or Typical William And Mary Students), and in some respects, that may not be far off. While walking anywhere on campus, you'd be hard pressed to avoid overhearing at least one group of students complaining about how much work they have to get done in Swem (the undergraduate library), otherwise known as "Swemming." Just like Black Friday sales at department stores, it isn't uncommon to see students queuing outside Swem hours before the library opens on finals week, desperate to grab a study room to camp out in and work with friends. To some degree, everyone cares a great deal about grades and all students' work ethics increase dramatically after entering the College, as peers push each other to succeed. However, this does cannot encapsulate the entire William and Mary experience. Greek life plays a large role in many students' extra curricular schedules, even for those who had never dreamed of pledging a fraternity or sorority when entering college; going Greek provides a community within the close-knit family that is William and Mary where friends will be made that can last a lifetime. Many students at William and Mary participated in athletics in high school, but few continue to do so at the varsity level in college; that being said, intramurals, club sports, and the Rec Center all provide an outlet from the stresses of being a student at the College, and are a great way to stay in shape! William and Mary students may have a reputation for being primarily academic-driven, but through Greek life, athletics, and much more, they are able to create for themselves a well-rounded collegiate experience.

At The College of William & Mary, we often make fun of ourselves and others by calling them a TWAMP, or Typical William And Mary Person. A TWAMP is someone who has no social life because every second is spent studying. While there are many students who are involved in non-academic pursuits, the stereotype is an accurate description of many students.

The College of William & Mary is known for its high academic standards and stressful workload. Thus, the students are generally characterized as geeks spending all of their time in Swem, the school library, leaving only to take exams and play video games. This stereotype is just that: a stereotype. There are students like that at William & Mary. There are going to be students like that at every school. However they are the minority, with the majority being well-rounded students who have a tendency to get over-involved on-campus. We have the entire spectrum, from math-nerds to sorority girls to jocks. What is unique about William & Mary students is that the math nerd is probably in a sorority and on a club or varsity sports team. William & Mary is a tough academic school. However the school recognizes that, and provides de-stressing activities like 'pet-a-puppy' and massage chairs in the library during finals. The on-campus community takes care of one another, and the students make W&M a place to love. The worst thing about W&M? Being forced to graduate after four years. At the end of the day, we are what we claim: One Tribe, One Family.

The term TWAMP (Typical William and Mary Person) is something that people throw around a lot, usually a kind of insult. People think of this kind of person as a nerd who doesn't have a whole lot of fun, or at least has a watered-down expectation for fun. While its true that there are people at this school who are nerdy or geeky, I think that's the case at just about every school. In my experience, everyone can find their own niche, whether it's in Greek Life, club sports, or other social circles.

nerdy. not accurate

William and Mary offers a diverse student body. While the students are all academics, most students also find other outlets to express themselves. We have a high percentage of student-athletes, or just students who play intramural or club sports. The greek scene represents 1/3 of campus, and many students are very involved there as well. With over 500 clubs at W&M it's hard to pin down just one stereotype.

Most people say we're geeky, which is definitely true, but I think we're more social than most "typical geeky schools." Everyone is very outgoing, talkative, and fun to hang out with but we all just care about our studies more than partying.

The College of William & Mary is a very traditional and study-focused higher education institution. This translates into its students being hard-working and focused on their studies rather than just enjoy college life and have fun. Because of this they can be called 'geeks', however this is not fully accurate. The W&M students like to have fun and spend their free time in an interesting and pleasant manner. Thus, it can be said that they are 'moderate geeks' with a purpose in life.

The stereotype is a bunch of intellectual nerds who spend all their time studying and are all intelligent and well-spoken. Unfortunately, this is not an accurate stereotype. Lots of people skip classes. Lots of people can't spell or have ridiculously bad grammar when you peer-edit their essays.