A New Student's Guide to the University of Kentucky

Located in Lexington, Kentucky, a little over an hour from either Louisville or Cincinnati, the University of Kentucky is a major consideration for most high school students in Kentucky and surrounding states. Students come from out of state for the medical programs, as well as the newly redesigned and ever-growing equine department. But choosing whether to spend the next four years at one institution or another can be daunting. Looking at the brochures and even taking a campus tour can leave a prospective student with what seems like no more information than they started with.

There is a valuable source of information about any school or university: its students. As a fourth year student at the University of Kentucky, I can provide a lot of inside information about this university in specific, and the college process in general. The University is huge, with almost 30,000 students, including the Graduate and Medical programs. This can make feeling like a statistic a common situation. However, it also means that there is something for almost everyone.

HOUSING

One of the most important things (other than a major) that a new student has to consider is where they will live when they get to UK. There are a variety of dorms on campus, which are split roughly into three groups. These are South, Central, and North Campus.

South Campus is the headquarters of the social scene at the University. Most of the sorority and fraternity students not living in Greek housing live in this section of campus. It is composed mostly of two high-rise dorms, Kirwan and Blanding, and the surrounding low-rise buildings, of which there are eight. There are also three newer buildings on South Campus: Ingels, Smith, and Baldwin; which largely house international students and those students who are interested in living in an international setting.

South Campus can be a good place to make friends, and is a good place for a social butterfly. It is also closer to the library, hospital, and sports facilities than the other sections of campus. However, it can sometimes be difficult to remember to study in such an environment. South Campus is the sort of place where it is possible (and even likely) that you will come home to find someone passed out in the elevator wearing a cow suit. There are a variety of visitation policies on South Campus, and this can be helpful for those who wish quiet study time. Also, notwithstanding the three new dorms, South Campus has some of the smallest rooms and study areas on campus.

Central Campus, located near South Campus and separated from it by University Drive, contains only two dorms. These are Haggin and Donovan. Haggin is an all male dorm which allows overnight female visitors only on weekends, and Donovan is an all female dorm which allows overnight male visitors only on weekends. Haggin hall can become a seething mess of male hormones and vomit, especially on the weekends. Donovan, however, is usually quiet, and allows girls to live and make friends in a safe environment. The front desk does a brisk business checking in male guests on Friday nights but usually partying is kept to a minimum or done elsewhere.

North Campus, located nearest to downtown and on the opposite side of Euclid Drive from the rest of the University, contains six dorms which vary wildly from one another. Jewel Hall is an international dorm, Holmes caters to environmentally friendly students, and Boyd and Patterson are the Honors dorms. Keeneland and Blazer tend to draw a wide range of types, from hippies to dedicated students to video game nerds. New North, the unimaginatively named new building on North Campus, is beautiful, though expensive.

Prices range from a little under four thousand dollars a year to almost seven, depending on whether your dorm is new or old, and whether or not it has air conditioning. It is possible, if mildly uncomfortable, to survive without air conditioning. The University also offers some on-campus apartments, mostly near the edges of campus. These are generally not open to first year students, as they do not provide much ability to socialize and meet other residents. However, surprisingly, they are the least expensive of the on-campus housing. This is partly because they are the only housing options on campus which do not have a required meal plan.

Off-campus housing can be almost half as expensive as on-campus, particularly if you have a roommate. There are several large apartment complexes that are popular with students, one such being Newtown Crossing. These promise a variety of luxuries, have high prices, and the atmosphere is similar to that of South Campus. There are also literally hundreds of old houses which have been broken up into apartments, spreading in every direction from campus. The further you get from campus, the less the prices will be, and often the nicer the apartments will be. Be cautious when signing a lease, however, as some apartments come with hidden issues that will come back to haunt you later.

PARKING

Whether you live on campus or off, you will likely need parking. There is some free parking available on side streets near campus, particularly between campus and downtown, but this goes quickly, and you must move your vehicle for street cleaning. Most students, however, pay a little less than $200 to park at the football stadium and either walk or take the bus to classes. There are a few close residential lots, for which passes are difficult but not impossible to obtain, if you know the process. Also, many restricted lots are open in the evenings and on weekends.

CLASSES

There are so many classes at the University that it is impossible to provide more than a small sample of them. A good class for a new student is UK 101, which requires little work and introduces students to the University and its workings. COM 101 with Desantis can be a great deal of fun, as can any 100 level history class with Summers. There are a variety of exercise and sport classes available, usually early in the morning. The most dreaded classes are Chemistry, Biology, and Calculus. It is important to note that the frequently mentioned and often most difficult class (such as Chem 105) is not always the only option. Depending on your major, Chem 104 or even 101 may suffice, and may be easier to pass. This knowledge can be put to use in almost any department.

Another broad group of classes that are incredibly interesting are the Honors classes. These require admission into the Honors program, but are extremely small, with no more than seventeen students, and allow students to present their own opinions and choose their own topics of study. Another option for small class sizes, open only to first year students, is a DSP class which focuses on a particular topic, unique each semester. Some other popular classes include Dinosaurs and Disasters, the Salem Witch Trials, Shakespeare and Film, and Human Sexuality. The latter is offered both on campus and on-line. The on campus version includes a sex toy demonstration, and the online version is so easy that it almost amounts to stealing a grade, so you can't go wrong either way.

GETTING BOOKS

There are three major bookstores within walking distance of the University. On campus is the official UK bookstore, which is under new management for the 2007 school year, and is promising to provide the most used books and the lowest prices of any bookstore serving the campus. They are also, for the first time, offering law and medical textbooks. Kennedy's and Wildcat Textbook's, off campus but nearby, are now owned by the same company, and offer reasonable prices. However, the small and friendly Wildcat, which used to offer free bluebooks, may be considerably different under new Kennedy's management.

It is almost always possible, if you can wait a week or two, to get a much better deal on your textbooks by purchasing online at Amazon or Half.com. However, if you do not get the precise edition that your professor is using, while you may save some money and notice no difference, you will not be able to re-sell your book to the University at the end of the semester. There are some online student-to-student book selling websites, for which flyers can always be found on campus. Even Facebook is getting into the act. Also, books for literature classes can often be checked out at the library instead of purchased.

STUDYING

The W.T. Young Library is the prime study location, and has undergone recent renovations to include the new "Hub at Willy T's" featuring snack machines, dry erase boards, group study areas, and large projection screens showing videos. The upper floors of the library are generally quieter, and private study rooms can be reserved for individuals or groups. However, new library policy forbids sleeping or even slouching in a position that suggests you might fall asleep, which some students find to be oppressive. Other locations include the smaller libraries spread across campus, the student center (only during the day), the dining halls, and study areas inside dorms.

CAMPUS RECREATION

There are several large fields on campus for Frisbee, flag football, or soccer. Also, the Johnson Center and the much smaller Underground provide fitness classes, personal trainers, exercise machines, and in the case of the Johnson Center, basketball courts, climbing walls, and an indoor jogging area. The Aquatic Center is another popular choice, and there is even an indoor ice rink near campus. There are a variety of Varsity and Intramural sports and clubs available to students. Attending Varsity games is a popular choice for students, and basketball tickets in particular are difficult to acquire.

Also, the Student Activities Board provides movies, comedy shows, and concerts to students, often at free or reduced prices. These mainly take place on campus, and there is almost always something going on in the evenings, particularly in the newly renovated Cats Den in the Student Center.

CLUBS, GROUPS, and CAUSES

UK has hundreds of religious, Greek, sport, social, political, volunteer, and interest groups. These groups will be recruiting members at the beginning of each semester, and you can also visit the Student Organization area in the first floor of the Student Center. This area has, in past years, been largely unused, but has recently undergone significant renovations, and it is expected that it will become a center of activity in the 2007 school year.

FOOD AND NIGHTLIFE

Most of the popular restaurants, coffeehouses, and nightspots are near campus or downtown, although Nicholasville road also provides a variety of options. The best coffeehouse is Common Grounds, located on High Street near campus. It is often open until 1am, and offers live music, poetry readings, and good coffee, tea, and food. The best live music is at the Dame, located on Main Street. There is always a cover, but the drinks are cheap and the music is good. Other popular nightspot choices are Two Keys Tavern, Mia's, The Fishtank, and Club 141. Good food at all hours can be found at Mellow Mushroom, Pazzo's Pizza, and Tolly-Ho. These, of course, are just a small sample of what's available at the University after hours. You will have to go off campus to drink, however, as the campus is completely dry. (You won't even be able to buy a beer at the football games.) In addition, most bars and clubs will not let the 18-20 group in, so it does become difficult for underage students to find something to do at night without going to private parties.

The University of Kentucky can be large and somewhat impersonal, but it certainly does not have to be. One has merely to walk out of their door to find something to do and someone to do it with. When people ask me how I like UK, or what the best thing about it is, I always respond by telling them a story. One evening, some friends and I found a box of washers and some rope lying outside of a construction fence on campus. We ran the rope through the holes in the washers, tied knots periodically, and invented a fairly dangerous weapon. We then proceeded through the lobby of our building to test out our new device. As we left the building, a friend stopped us.

"Hey," he said "do you want to come see if we can put Karima in this suitcase, and then roll her around the building?"

"Nope," we replied. "We're gonna go smash this apple with these washers."

And that, my friends, is what the University of Kentucky is all about.