Many of the closest friends I have at UR I met in my freshman hall last year or through my sorority. Freshman year residence life is great - at least in my girls' dorm, it seemed like one big slumber party. Everyone in my hall would always leave their doors open, and we would make the rounds before dinner or an event to see who wanted to come. We would also have late night "study parties" in our lounge at late hours of the night, where we would never really get anything done but shared lots of laughs. One of my fondest Richmond memories took place with my hall our first week here; we were supposed to be in class, but a huge hurricane descended on the area and the campus lost power. Our RAs had the bright idea to take us all down to the IM fields to go mud-sliding with garbage bags - it was the silliest and most fun experience ever, and after we all got back into the warm building and showered, we spent the day all piled into one person's room watching chick flicks. Even if your roommate doesn't turn out to be your best friend, I'm sure that you too will make lots of great friendships and memories with the other people in your hall.
To anyone considering coming to UR, I would suggest making sure you have a car, unless you're an international or west-coaster like myself. Richmond itself does have a lot of fun things to do (most of them involving eating), and the campus provides limited shuttle services, but nothing incredible. And I would also warn you to be wary of the bus system here - last year, as a naive little freshman, a friend and I decided to try being independent and finding our way around town by bus. Let's just say it wasn't a good - or safe -experience.
Off-campus there are a lot of fun things to do. The cute boutique and restaurant district is called Carytown, and it is home to the Historic Byrd Theater, which offers $2 second-run films in a charming venue complete with classic plush seats, a red velvet curtain, and a Phantom of the Opera-esque chandelier overhead. If you go on Saturday night, you will be treated to a pre-show performance by a pipe organist who rises out of the floor of the stage and is accompanied by a light show. Lining the street nearby are fun, unique restaurants and eateries, along with great opportunities to window shop.
Downtown in Shockoe Slip/ Shockoe Bottom are some more great restaurants, bars, and the club scene. Richmond also has lots of great museums, from the Edgar Allen Poe museum to a respectable Fine Arts Museum to the Museum of the Confederacy. If you're looking for music, Toad's place is a newer venue in town that's finally been bringing in some good artists - including Guster last fall and Regina Spektor sometime this spring.