Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Top Questions

Many students at Virginia Tech are involved in student government. Also many students are involved in athletics clubs and groups at Virginia Tech. Obviously, the football team is rallied behind a lot at Virginia Tech. Along with the football team, the basketball team has also gained popularity. There are also many intermural and club sports teams. I had many friends on club Lacrosse as well as intermural field hockey. Ultimate frisbee and kayaking are also extremely popular.

I was involved with a community service sorority called Chi Delta Alpha. I loved it because it had a balance between service and sisterhood. I got to participate in projects with Special Olympics and the Humane Society, and I volunteered as a tutor at the local elementary/middle schools. We also had all the fun parts of a sorority like bigs and littles, formals, etc. My roommate and I always left our door open when we lived in the dorm. There was always something going on, and it was a really easy way to get to know people on our hall. Football games at Tech are huge! Getting tickets is pretty easy, and everyone starts tailgating hours before the game. There are also other events always going on around campus - poetry readings, acapella concerts, plays, etc. If I was awake at 2am on a Tuesday, chances are I was studying - or pretending to study. My junior year roommate and I were both night owls, so we generally studied pretty late, and at least one night a week we would treat ourselves to a 1am pizza. Firehouse delivers until 3am! There are pretty much always parties going on. Thursday - Saturday night, finding a party is not hard at all. Of course the fraternities and sororities throw tons of parties, and if you're willing to pay $4 for a solo cup of keg beer, you're more than welcome. If you don't drink and party, though, there's still plenty to do on the weekends. Squires Student Center has a bowling alley, and sometimes there are movies playing on campus for students. And all that drinking peer pressure doesn't really exist - if you don't want to drink, no one is going to tell you you're "not cool" because of it. Off campus, there are tons of restaurants and little shops downtown. If you're wiling to go out of Blacksburg, there's a mall and movie theater in Christiansburg. A little further away are tons of hiking trails, including the Cascades, and the New River, where students go camping and tubing during the spring and summer.

For freshman, the most popular activity is Ultimate Frisbee, hands down. Partaking in this is one of the best ways to meet new people, establishing relationships that will last for the rest of your life. Personally, my favorite student activity is intramural sports. I was captain of a championship coed flag football team last year and had an absolute blast. We held random practices on the drill-field, devised a playbook together, and after the season was over we decided to all stick together and play softball the following semester. I'll never forget our championship game - we were down by a touchdown with only 30 seconds to play. One of our female receivers caught a pass, broke three tackles and ran 70+ yards for a touchdown. On the opposing team's next play, their quarterback threw a long pass, which I tipped into the hands of our safety, who ran it back for another score as time expired, giving us the win. Hollywood couldn't have scripted it any better.

For freshman, the most popular activity is Ultimate Frisbee, hands down. Partaking in this is one of the best ways to meet new people, establishing relationships that will last for the rest of your life. Personally, my favorite student activity is intramural sports. I was captain of a championship coed flag football team last year and had an absolute blast. We held random practices on the drill-field, devised a playbook together, and after the season was over we decided to all stick together and play softball the following semester. I'll never forget our championship game - we were down by a touchdown with only 30 seconds to play. One of our female receivers caught a pass, broke three tackles and ran 70+ yards for a touchdown. On the opposing team's next play, their quarterback threw a long pass, which I tipped into the hands of our safety, and he ran it back for another score as time expired, giving us the win. Hollywood couldn't have scripted it any better.

Almost every student at Virginia Tech is involved in some type of organization including greek life, clubs, sports, and others. Virginia Tech offers an overwhelming variety of clubs for students to easily join and freely participate in. It is entirely simple to find an organization of interest. There are academic clubs, social clubs, intramural sports, club sports, as well as division one sports teams. Athletic events are well-attended all around. Football and basketball are most popular as the school is best known for our division one teams; however, other division one sports as well as club teams are very popular as well and are always supported with numerous fans. The greatest feeling about being away from home is the feeling of safety. The campus is well-lit and is surrounded by helpful and friendly people, as well as emergency polls throughout campus for safety. Though individuals should not be too trusting of others, campus is truly is a safe and comfortable place where you can leave your belongings for a few minutes without constant worry. This provides a cozy and safe environment for everyone.

For freshman, the most popular activity is Ultimate Frisbee, hands down. Partaking in this is one of the best ways to meet new people, establishing relationships that will last for the rest of your life. Personally, my favorite student activity is intramural sports. I was captain of a championship coed flag football team last year and had an absolute blast. We held random practices on the drill-field, devised a playbook together, and after the season was over we decided to all stick together and play softball the following semester. I'll never forget our championship game - we were down by a touchdown with only 30 seconds to play. One of our female receivers caught a pass, broke three tackles and ran 70+ yards for a touchdown. On the opposing team's next play, their quarterback threw a long pass, which I tipped into the hands of our safety, and he ran it back for another score as time expired, giving us the win. Hollywood couldn't have scripted it any better.

The Greek organizations are very popular on campus. As a member, I met SO many new people and now see at least three people I know on the way to each class. It makes the university so much smaller and I recommend it to everyone. But the great thing about Tech is that you don't have to be in a fraternity or sorority to meet people and do fun things. There are so many clubs on campus. I hear a lot of good things about the snowboarding club, surfing club and skydiving club. There are also a lot of academic fraternities. My best friend (a girl) is in a service fraternity, so they meet, hang out and plan community service events. They also go out to parties together and really enjoy each others company. You can't mention Virginia Tech without mentioning Hokie Sports. I have never missed a home football game. Saturdays during the fall are unlike anything you've ever seen. The school spirit is overwhelming. Our football team is an extremely talented team, so its a great source of pride for our school. All of our sport teams are consistetly winning teams. Main St. has a lot of great restaurants and stores that are always open. Last weekend I went to my friends house to watch the ACC championship--great food and great friends. I met my closest friends in classes last year and through joining a sorority.

There is such a large variety of groups and organizations to join on campus. Currently, I am part of the SGA marketing team and Alpha Phi sorority. I really enjoy both, and both have allowed me to get to know so many great people. Since there is such a large variety of different groups, I wouldn't say that one is the "most popular." Each person has individual interests and there is a group here for pretty much anything you want to do. I guess if I had to pick something popular it would be inter-mural sports teams. A lot of my friends participate in those. I also enjoy being in my sorority. Greek life on campus is great, but it isn't the end of your social career if you aren't in one either (which is a good thing!) However, it gives you an opportunity to get involved with community service, philanthropies, non-profit organizations, other organizations on campus, and allows you to meet a great group of people!

I would say Greek organizations are probably not the most popular, but the easiest to identify. Alot of people have mixed feelings about the Greek organizations--to some, they are despised. Though there is a slight separation between those who are Greek and those who are not, we tend to be respectful of everyone. Other than Greek, there are many, many other organizations to get involved with. Pretty much anything you can imagine, there is a club for it. Even skydiving! Athletic events are HUGE at this school. Of course you can guess why--HOKIE FOOTBALL. Pretty much, our schedules revolve around football. Classes are affected on Thursdays when we have a night football game and even if you don't care about football, you will definitely know when a home football game is going on, considering how the amount of people in the town triples. We travel to our bowl games and tailgate hours before our home ones. We are nuts for Hokie football and support our other sports as well. April 16th is a big memorable day for our students. We still are affected by those events that happened on that tragic day. We celebrate each year with a memorial and always have those victims in our hearts. The downtown and party scenes are there, if that is what you are into. Every Friday and Saturday night the bus is packed transporting people around to various parties. You can always find somewhere to go. If I am not looking to party on the weekends, I enjoy going out to eat in the many restaurants spawning Blacksburg and Christiansburg. My friends or boyfriend and I may catch a movie at the Regal, Lyric, or a free one sponsored by the SCA, or we may even go out stargazing at night. There is alot to do in Blacksburg--whatever your interests. My favorite things to do in my free time at Tech is to take advantage of the beautiful outdoors. We are blessed with many local parks, National Parks, hiking trails, and of course, the great Appalachian Trail. I love going hiking to these beautiful places. We even have Mountain Lake, the prestigious area where Dirty Dancing was filmed just up the road from us.

One of the great things about Virginia Tech is that you get the small college feel with the big university benefits. Once a student declares a major and he or she begins taking major-specific courses the classroom size shrinks, conversation within class increases, and strong professor-student and student-student relationships are formed. It makes for a great experience; the student feels more involved in the course and his or her education. It’s a wonderful feeling. Another great things about being a large university: there’s always an abundance of courses to choose from; more than you’ll know what to do with, actually. Believe me, you’ll have a hard time limiting yourself to just fifteen or eighteen credit hours. And the learning doesn’t have to stay in the classroom either. Here’s another great aspect of a large university: Virginia Tech has over 600 student organizations. These range from major related clubs to honor societies to sports clubs to Quidditch—yes, broomsticks and all. And if there isn’t a club that interests you, all you need is two other people and a faculty advisor and you can create your own! Going back to the professors though. They’re great. Every professor I’ve had has been incredibly passionate about the course they’re teaching. And that passion is infectious. It makes you enjoy the subject and the work. It makes for a great experience. Another thing: their doors are always open—virtual or realistic. They never turn down an opportunity to talk about the course or just life. And it’s all genuine. You can tell they care more about connecting with you, and being a teacher, mentor, and advisor than just about relaying their knowledge. As far as jobs go, Tech is geared toward preparing its students for the future. I get at least ten or more emails a day from my department informing me about business in the area or nationally looking for interns and part-time employees. It’s wonderful to know that the prospects for graduates aren’t as gloomy as the media paints them to be. There are myriads of opportunities, and they’re only growing. And Tech makes sure its graduates are prepared to compete and achieve in the world that awaits them.

Some of the most popular groups on campus are inter mural sports. The inter mural teams provide athletic students with the opportunity to keep playing the sport they love without having to dedicate so much time that it interferes with their academics responsibilities. I am involved with the Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute's Conversation Partner program. The program pairs a native English speaker with an international student to assist them in their mastery of the English language. The experience has been extremely enriching and rewarding for both my partner and I. Students in dorms do not leave their doors open when they are not in the room for the most part. Athletic events, especially football games, are extremely popular. Football is a culture at Virginia Tech and the season kicks off Fall semester with a ton of spirit and pride. If you're awake at 2 am on a Tuesday and you're 21, you're most likely at Top of the Stairs, the most popular bar in Blacksburg. They have karaoke every Tuesday night and it's known as 'TOTS Tuesday.' There are people at Virginia Tech who party too often and those who never party at all. It is important to learn how to balance your school and social life early on in order to be successful. Fraternities and Sororities have a presence, but not an overbearing one. I am a Senior who has never been in a sorority and I have had a very healthy social life. You do not need to join Greek life to have a good time. I live off campus so I spend a lot of time in my apartment. We go hiking, out to eat, and to movies off campus.

I would say any groups or activities are more popular than others. There are strong followings for everything from Intramural soccer to live action role playing. Just walking past the Drill Field on any given day you will witness anything from pick-up ultimate frisbee games to impromptu quiddich matches to circles of musicians playing together. Anything you have an interest is, there is a group or team for. While most of my friends, I met through my freshman year dorm, some of my best friends are from the groups and activities I participated in. The best way to make friends is to put yourself out there and do as many things that interest you as possible. You will make life long friends that you have something in common with and that is just about the most important you can take away from a college experience.

There are countless activities and groups to join here. Ranging from religious groups to intramural sports teams to fraternities/sororities to student unions. From what I've seen, all are open to those who wish to join. But even if you don't choose to be a part of any specific organization-- Almost everyone goes to the football games, and when you're standing in Lane Stadium, wearing maroon and orange, you ARE a part of something great.

Great concerts when I was there-- I was involved with the VA Tech Union and we picked who we'd bring on campus, so that was awesome. I got to meet a ton of bands--Blues Traveler, Allman Brothers, Stanley Jordan, Indigo Girls, etc. The Gin Blossoms even did an introduction for me for my demo tape when I was trying to get into news reporting! So much to do in Blacksburg-- football games are a ton of fun. There's a good nightlife scene with bars and parties and it's great for folks who like the outdoors. When the weather was nice, we spent every weekend on the river or hiking. I started staying for summer school after my sophomore year and these are still some of my favorite memories... bars weren't crowded, tubing after class, ahhh.... I miss the 'burg!

I am in a sorority and am on the dance company and I could not be happier or more social, I always have something going on and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Greek life is by far the best thing that has happened to me at VT. I had no idea that so many amazing people could be in a room at one time! There's an almost instant bond. And joining clubs and organizations that are interconnected (like a greek organization) is a great way to socialize and meet other people. we often collaborate on fundraising projects for various philanthropies and help out the community together. Downtown is definitely the place to be on a Thursday night. Tuesdays at TOTS (a 21+ bar) is karaoke night and one friend of mine called it "the studio 54 of Blacksburg" where the who's who of VT gathers. Of course there's the Saturday night that everyone just kinda chills and relaxes. My friends and i like to get together and grab dinner and ice cream and junk food and sit around watching movies and catching up on our busy week. "As I was standing on the sideline of the Virginia Tech game, I could not believe what I was witnessing. It was an absolute downpour, with rain and wind swirling around Lane Stadium, and it didn't seem like Tech fans were even the least bit fazed. There were 66,000 of them booming their chant, doing their absolute best to intimidate their opposition (it at least worked for me). Then, they cut off the chant, and their "Enter Sandman" opener began playing. I don't care what you saw on TV or YouTube; words cannot describe what was taking place. The stadium was literally shaking. My ears hurt. And even as a lowly photographer, I was absolutely terrified, and the game hadn't even started. It was the most unbelievable display of fanhood I had ever witnessed, in professional or amateur sports." - courtesy of the Boston College Newspaper

In the fall everything basically surrounds football and football weekends. In the spring it is just a mix of sorority and fraternity events and as soon as it is warm the river.

There are a ton of way to get involved on campus and many of these outlets provide a way for student to enhance their social life. No matter what your interests may be there is someone else who will share them and will embrace you.

We have more organizations than you could imagine. I mean we even have an intertube water-polo team. If there isn't an organization you like, it is soooo easy to start your own. We have a large greek community. We have an awesome Student Government Association. We have a great atheltic program, football, baseball, softball, lacrosse, basketball, volleyball, and not to mention we are ACC CHAMPS! There is a sense of electricity in the air because there is always something buzzing or going on. Campus is full of activities and off campus and the surrounding communities are always fun.

I really love Kappa Delta. Yes I am a little bit partial but I think it is a wonderful organization along with many others on campus.

A major work hard, play harder attitude. Lots of parties and bars to go to with friends. Small town feel with big city nightlife. Very active social scene. Virginia Tech traditions and football are everything! GO HOKIES!

Tech has a strong Greek community. There are several fraternities and sororities that many students choose to get involved with. Not only do Greek organizations exist, but so do Sports Clubs. Tech has a very successful RecSports program that is home to many sports clubs for both men and women. This program is very competitive. Dorm life as a freshman is an experience that everyone should go through. It is such a blast to be able to meet and bond with the members on your hall. Sometimes, a person may not be so lucky and end up with a bad roommate but other times, you get an awesome person and you become best friends. There are so many things to do in Blacksburg! Hike the Cascades, float down the New River, hike other mountain trails, and enjoy a run on the Huckleberry Trail on a beautiful Blacksburg day.

I think that the DT of VT is better then any other school!

Great social life. My sorority Kappa Delta always has tons of social activities for us. We have events where we just get together and hang out with our sisters and we also have events where we hang out with other greek organizations on campus

Being Greek is becoming very popular at Virgnia Tech, however, if you dont join a fraternity or sorority, you can still have an amazing four years of college. The opportunities at Tech are limitless...Tech does a wonderful job at offering almost everything to the students. From rock climbing, to dancing, bowling, singing, reading, running...there is a club for it all. The best part if you cant find a club that you want..MAKE YOUR OWN! you can start whatever club you want and get friends to join. Virginia Tech lets you be you..and even if others continue to ask what a Hokie is..we will be proud to tell them!

Not too much to do except go downtown and you have to be 21. greek life is pretty big and getting bigger

Students typically leave their dorm rooms open for social interaction. Almost everyone goes to the football games. Only some people go to basketball games. The closest people I know here are my neighbors in my dorm and my sorority sisters. If I am awake on a Tuesday at 2am, I am usually facebooking, studying, or hanging out with my hall. People study hard here, but they party hard too. The weekend starts on Thursday and ends on Saturday. Fraternity/sorority life is important, but not a crucial part of having fun here at tech. Last weekend I went to my friend's birthday party. You can watch movies with friends, or just hanging out with your roommates. Off campus, you can run errands, hang out with older students, grab dinner in Christiansburg; basically whatever you want!

Greek life is amazing on our campus. Once people turn 21 there is a great DT scene...some of the best bars in Virginia! People eat late night at Dexpress that is open until 2

There 29374829384 different things to do at Virginia Tech. I have been really envolved with Greek Life. This has made the university seem so much smaller to me.

Greek life is not like typical southern sororities and frats because its like integrated into the school. Even so, it is still the best thing I have done at tech and makes the school feel so much smaller.

Students in their dorms leave their doors open when I lived in the dorms, but I don't know if that's changed. Athletic events are very important to Hokies. Most people will go to speakers if they're required for a class, and same goes for the theater. The dating scene is alright- one person told me before coming to Tech "the odds are good, but the goods are odd" since there are so many engineers here, but I've been able to meet plenty of decent guys here. I don't think people generally go on 'dates' but if they do, it's usually out to dinner downtown and a movie or coffee at one of the coffee shops. The majority of Tech students go out between 1-3 times a week (Thursdays are especially popular among Greeks). Fraternities and sororities are popular at Virginia Tech, but you can definitely have fun and make friends without joining one. For people who don't drink, the BreakZone on campus is an alternative (bowling, pool, darts) or there's the Lyric where you can go to a movie.

FOOTBALL. everyone loves it. basketball is growing in popularity as we get better. There is something to do socially every single night if you are looking for it. Tuesdays and Thursdays are big going out nights to bars downtown. If you are under 21, some bars are less strict and others (TOTS) you really can't even try to get into. Greek life is only about 20{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of campus so Fraternity parties are only one option (but a popular one, especially for freshman girls and sorority girls). Apartment parties are pretty prevalent as well. Walking down Roanoke Street at midnight on a weekend (weekends start on thursday night at the latest), you'll hear parties and probably will get invited to one.

If you can dream it, you can do it. There are a copius amount of sports (Varsity, Club, and Intramural), there are clubs for almost EVERYTHING you could possible form a club for, and if it doesnt exist... you can create it yourself. Living on and off campus are both amazing options with pros and cons. If you are the type of person that just likes to chill, hang out, go to school, and do nothing, you can do that very easily. If you are the type of person that needs to go go go every second of everyday, it is EXTREMELY easy to do that as well.

Being a member of a Greek chapter here at tech, I would probably say that they are the most popular. Being in Kappa Delta always keeps me busy. People also love sporting events, primarily football.

Great social scene. Students love to study hard and party harder. Perfect location. Lots of apartment parties and bars. LOVE IT!

Being in a sorority has opened alot of doors for me. Going through rush, you meet so many wonderful women. After joining a sorority, you have several opportunities to meet others by participating in philanthropies and other social events. Now that I am in a sorority, I feel that the campus is much smaller.

Athletic events specifically FOOTBALL are huge here. People party probably two nights a week if there isn't school work to be done. The atmosphere is very social dorm doors are usually open. Greek life is not the be all end all in the social scene either. It's not so big that everyone has to be in something but its not so small that it isn't worth being involved.

Sororities and Fraternities allow people to meet the most people. Circles intertwine and you can meet people through people. Athletic events are HUGE. Everyone goes on Saturdays to football games and tailgates. People party three nights a week, Thursday-Saturday. People leave their doors open but it's not unusual to close it and knock to get someone. I met my closest friends in my dorm and sorority. Things I join is where I meet the most people, not so much classes, although there are a few. If I'm awake on Tuesday at 2 am it's either cramming for an exam or hanging out with my friends in the dorm. A lot of people could be downtown at TOTS. On a Saturday night when I'm not drinking I'll go watch a movie at a friend's house or go to the movies in Christiansburg or go out to eat with my boyfriend downtown or in Christiansburg.

SGA and SAA are pretty large, and easy to get involved in as a freshmen. Depending on how close you and your hall are is how your dorm situation will be. There are lots of things to do here especially when it is warm: the quarry, river, cascades, and Huckleberry trail.

hmmm... Greek life i would think I'm in SGA and KD and they are both really different, but fufill gaps that i lost when i left highschool and came to college... the over achiever side and the sisterhood/social side YES! everyone leaves thier doors open in my dorm if they are home ATHLETIC EVENTS= WAYYY popular!!! GO HOKIES!!!!!!! guest speakers and theater/arts are also frequently attended awake on a tuesday aat 2am... sprinting to get to DX on time to get a chicken sandwhich before it closes or studying/doing hw ring dance, fireworks on the drillfield, spring game, etc. people party a pretty good bit... i don't because i'm an engineering student and study ALL THE TIME... but it's def. got a good party scene if you're into that Greek life is pretty big here, but if you're not Greek... no big deal last weekend i attended field games for a fraternity, went to a friend's apartment to hang out go bowling, see a movie, hang out in the dorms with friends, go into christiansburg and go shopping, hang out outside on the drillfield and play soccer or frisbee, go to a performance, go out to eat, go to the cascades to hike... etc.

Greek Life is pretty popular on campus, but not everyone is in a greek organization. Also, several Hokie related organizations are popular such as our tour guides, alumni associations, and SGA. Students absolutely leave their dorm doors open during the day, inviting anyone on the halls to stop by. It is the easiest way to meet people your freshman year!

People party anywhere from zero to three types a week. Everyone is a typical student, and no one judges you for not going out or for going out. Greek life is a way to make the school smaller, although people are friends regardless of affiliations.

sports and Greek life are proficient

A large part of Virginia Tech social life is the football games. The entire atmospher leading up to game day is inexplainable. It is one of the reasons that brings Virginia Tech closer together, untied by our school pride.

-Athletics are a large part of students at Virginia Tech. Another popular group is the Greek community. Athletic events are for the most part important to many students on campus. A good amount of people often attend speakers and theatre events.

The most popular groups on campus are the sororities and fraternities, hands down. I don't mean to be biased because I'm in one, but its just the truth. I'm in Kappa Delta Sorority. We are a top sorority with the second highest GPA on capmus. All of my closet friends are in a sorority. If i'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I'm downtown or out with friends. People party a lot. Fraterinities and sororities are important, but you don't have to be in one to have friends. They are just very well represented around campus.

Student Government Association and Student Alumni Association are pretty popular organizations along with sports teams and greek life. I am involved in a sorority on campus. Most students do leave their doors open during various times of the day, but then there are some that do not as well. Athletic events are very popular at Tech especially football and basketball, but all of the sports are great. We usually have really amazing singers/bands come to Tech or different places around Blacksburg so I usually try to take advantage of that. We had the concert for Virginia Tech (dave, john mayer, phil vassar, nas), gym class heroes, OAR, phil vassar, SOJA, badfish, and a bunch of others. There are also all types of shows and events going on all the time on campus like the different a cappella groups on campus (their concerts are always really fun) and same with the fashion show. At 2 am on a tuesday, I am either sleeping, studying, or out at a social with my sorority. Some people do not party at all, others party every night of the week. It kind of depends. I usually go out 2-4 times during the week depending on stuff that I have going on. Fraternities and sororities are important in my opinion because I am in one, but there are obviously thousands of students who are not involved in greek life. There is a fairly large number of students involved in either a fraternity or sorority though so it's awesome.

I think, like most public colleges, Virginia Tech has a large social scene. Athletics are a huge part of this. I think everyone has their niche of things to do and people to spend time with. Because of the size of the university, there really is something for everyone. Being a part of a Greek organization, I have noticed how people in the Greek Community are more in touch with the rest of the university as well. It has been great to see how we have grown, and continue to take leadership roles within the school. Whether it be on SGA, Orientation Leaders, SAA, or other organizational committee chairs, the Greek Community stays very active and involved.

Greek life rules the VT social scene- The weekend begins on thursday. Tuesday is a popular night downtown for those students over 21. There are may frat parties to choose from each weekend and people throw parties in their apartments too. Everyone attends the football games and a good portion go to the basketball games as well.

I met my closest friends through my sorority and through their friends. Our nights do not always consist of drinking; that gets tiresome. We have 'game nights' with our neighbors in our appartment building where we play Catch Phrase, Monopoly, Outburst and other fun interactive games!