Student Profile
Casey
- Class: Junior
- Major: Journalism
- Gender: F
- High School: Poteet High School
- Transfer Student: Y
Big Picture
The best thing about Arkansas is the scenery. Being from Dallas, I am used to billboards and skyscrapers and traffic at any time of the day. When I got to Arkansas, I couldn't believe how pretty the hills of Northwest Arkansas are. The school is large, in my opinion, but definitely not too big to handle. You can get to any of the academic buildings on campus walking in about 10 minutes. In between classes I like to go to Starbucks on campus and get a frappuccino or to one of the computer labs to pass the time. There are computers and printers in almost every building, so it's easy to find one! The town (Fayetteville) is definitely a college town, and also one of the big cities in Northwest Arkansas. There has been a lot of development in the past 10 years, so there is a lot of great dining, shopping, and entertainment. ***son street runs into the school and is the spot for the weekend (or any day after classes!) ***son street has bars, food, shopping all in one. There are different drink specials at the bars on different nights and some restaurants are open until after the bars close so you can get food to go before you head home. There is a lot of school pride at Arkansas. When you first get to school in August, buy your student football tickets ASAP because they go fast! It's only $6 a season and a great way to bond with new or old friends and have fun. Game day is crazy on campus because police start to block off streets and people are tailgating in all the parking lots. There are a lot of traditions for the students during the games, and they catch on fast. The most recognizable one is to call the hogs.
Academic Life
The most unique class I've taken is On Death and Dying. It's a course about death education. It was very interesting and you learn a lot, while earning elective credit for most majors. I have taken some big classes where a professor wouldn't recognize me if we passed each other on the street, but the majority of my classes are relatively small for the size of the student body. My classes for my major have about 45-60+ students in them and this semester all my professors know my name. It's great to actually be recognizable to a professor because when you go to talk to them about the class or are having trouble and they've seen you in class everyday- they know your progress and what you are doing and want to help you. A lot of classes encourage class participation! It's always a good idea to go to class because many of them take roll or even give extra credit for being in class. All my classes this semester have attendance, but last semester two of them didn't. It varies by instructor, but if you go to class, you will understand the subject a lot better and get to know your professor. Once again, a professor that knows you is more willing to be lenient if you ever need help. The professors in my department, journalism, are very down to earth and really want you to do well. Once you are a junior, they become your advisors and can help you with figuring out your schedule. This strengthens the bond between you and your professors. The academic requirements for my department aren't hard to fulfill. You have to have 2 years of a foreign language, but I actually enjoyed doing French at Arkansas- my instructors were great!
Student Body
The Best Things
The beautiful scenery, but it's still a great college town with shopping and food and bars.
The Worst Things
The entertainment scene is smaller than a big city, so hardly any concerts come here.
