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OU is the perfect size for a big university. The campus looks huge at first, but after walking it, it seems smaller than it appears. We're known for our athletics so football season is always the best time of year at OU. The trip to Dallas for OU v Texas is a must! We even get the Friday before the game off of school for it! Campus corner has bars, shopping, restaurants, and cafes right across the street from campus. Definitely a college town, but close to Oklahoma City if you want a bigger city to visit. We take a lot of pride in our school and we'll be sure every Texas fan knows we're the best!
Ashley Alum
The best thing about OU, to me, are probably the teachers and the friends I have made. I feel OU is just right, not too big and not too small. Usually when I say I attend OU people are very positive about it and say they have known or know people that graduated from OU. When I am on campus it is usually in Kauffman Hall which is where a lot of the language majors are located. I grew up in Norman so I never looked at is as a "college town," it is home to me, and has turned into a home for a lot of students who are not from Norman. I have never had too big of a controversy with a teacher, but often I have found that people in charge of things do not like to be told they are wrong or anything they have done is wrong. I am sure there are a lot of controversies that are not openly talked about on campus, but one recent frustration with a lot of students was that a parking lot, a perfectly good parking lot was repaved. This would not be so frustrating if the parking lot had not been just for teachers, the parking lot did not need to be repaved in the first place, and the bathrooms in almost every building are in terrible shape. A few of them have shower curtains for doors. I do not believe, if the student's voices were actually listened to, that any student would vote to repave a perfectly good parking lot over fixing the bathrooms in any of the buildings. President Boren and other administrators pretty much do whatever they want to with our ever-increasing tuition and fees. There is school pride, but mostly just in football, which is extremely unfair to all the other atheletes and students. The most frequent student complaints are that fees each semester cost more than tuition; fees that a lot of the student's do not even use! For example, there will be fees for the buses, for using the medical center, computer fees, library fees, all sorts of fees that you cannot get taken off and is extremely unfair and ridiculous. When a student is not using the buses, or has their own insurance, they should not have to pay for it, yet there is no way to get around it. A lot of students feel like President Boren and the rest of his "crew" do not care about us and our achievements, they do not care if we succeed or fail, as long as, at the end of the day, they have their money in their pocket.
Betsy Senior
My time at OU was great. I enjoyed my scholastic experience, however, towards the end of my education I began to notice some glaring oversights and misplaced priorities. I began to realize that OU was being managed as a business rather than a place of higher education. Many of the benefits and programs were not aimed towards students like me, who were searching more for a liberal education that was both interesting and challenging. I got the feeling that most of the younger students were coming to OU to "make it through" rather than enjoying a college experience. That was a huge difference compared to the first couple of years I spent at OU. I think the pride is there and a great deal of interest, but the blight of campus is that there is too much to lose politically if the school doesn't fit into the right mold. I would have appreciated my time at OU much more if there was more of a vision for the future of the school more than being a political tool for the president of the university. We all loved football at OU, but there is something to be said for a school that can raise hundreds of millions of dollars within a year, yet tuition continues to rise and professors are still underpaid, the exception being one of the schools most popular and overrated professors, who was more interested in spreading political ideology rather than instructing and allowing students to make up their own minds. All in all, OU was an amazing experience. Through all the crap, there really is a core of interesting and amazing people. You can't allow yourself to get caught up in the hype and just enjoy the freedom of being on a college campus. There is a lot of pressure to join clubs in the first year, but resisting initiation into an organized club was one of the best decisions I made.
Reese Alum
I'll make it simple. Best thing about OU: what you make it. One thing I'd change: more coffee local shops around campus Size: 300-student intro classes are RIDICULOUS. You feel like a cog in the giant machine, or a tiny, useless mouse. Otherwise, you generally run into the same people during your daily routines and through activities. "Yeah, I go to OU." Oklahoman response: "Boomer Sooner!" or "Sick. OSU all the way, man." Non-Oklahoma response: "Oh." I spend the majority of my time on benches under beautiful trees, at Cafe Plaid, a three minute bike ride from the Journalism building (which is completely Appled-out--Macs everywhere, best building on campus by far. If not for the campus, Norman wouldn't be on the map in your glove compartment. You should see game days--population doubles and the streets are so deserted I swear tumbleweeds blow by. Administration: I've chatted with President David Boren and his wife on occasion. Both very cool. Mrs. Boren hugs trees as tight as I do and President Boren does cool stuff for his kiddos--in my time here, he's brought Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Joe Klein, and the guy who the movie Hotel Rwanda is based on. Most recent controversy: Some of the dorms lost hot water for a day or two. Something Unusual: We used to have a mascot at basketball games called Top Dawg--this brown dog with a jersey on who'd let little kids pull on his ears. He mysteriously disappeared. I miss that pup. School Pride: OU may define the phrase. Frequent complaints: Ironically, the architecture building needs serious renovation. Dorms are a bit cramped--but what do you expect when you're housing thousands? Personally, I hate the mornings after a football game--the place looks like it sprouted a field of Budweiser cans overnight. :
Lindsey Junior
My ultimate favorite thing about OU is how easily adaptable the campus is. When I first cam to OU I did not know a single soul. When I was dropped off by the parental and saying goodbyes I realized I would be nine hours away from anything I was familiar with. I was scared about this new venture called college for about a minute before the campus opened its arms to me. Offering me all of its friendly people, an assortment of clubs to join, and free activities every weekend it wasnÕt hard to fall in love with OU. Friendly people were not hard to find. Some could call it Òsouthern charmÓ but I feel OU has its own unique hospitality. Perhaps it is the environment. From the beautiful red brick campus to across the street for the eclectic shops on campus corner it is hard not be in a superior mood. If I could I would change how technically advanced the entire school is. Some buildings are equipped but, most are not. OU is is just right in terms of size. The campus is large, but it's all closely nit. Same for the number of students enrolled. It's definitely larger and a step up from high school but not so many people it is impossible to run into a friend. Since I am from Texas... people are generally "What the eff?" when I tell 'em I am going to OU. I would say I spend most of my time on campus at the Bookmark which is a little coffee house downstairs in the library. OU is the ULTIMATE college town everything is built around the university in Norman and the city is only fifteen minutes away. I have been able to get to know administration on campus by being involved in various campus activities and they are superb. They are extremely helpful and always take the time to really listen to students. The biggest recent controversy on campus was probably last year when one of our football players was illegally accepting gifts and was kicked off the team. School pride is eminent here. It's neat to go to a respected and well-known school. Something unusual about OU is there is supposedly some secret tunnels underground.. Creepy. An experience I'll always remember is how I have slowly become somewhat of a football fan since I went to my first game. I never thought anything could make me a football fan. Lack of parking space is perhaps the most frequent complaint from not only the students but the faculty as well.
Sarah Junior
The best thing about OU is the strive to grow and suceed to become one of the best universities in the U.S. Every year we are receiving more and more donations to improve each of our schools and are currently building six new buildings on campus. I believe the growth makes OU more attractive. OU is a great sized campus for any individual. It provides a good atmosphere for incoming freshman and is highly recognized in that particular area. It has a very homely and small feel for a campus that is this big. When I always say I go to OU it is always a suprise. Many people ask why? I think OU is a great school on the way up and is starting to get highly recognized professors in many departments. Norman is a college town. During the summer, many people leave and it is a very small town. During school though the city is bustling and has a very good nightlife especially with Oklahoma City so close. Our administration is A class. We have David Boren a former 30 year senator that provide great opportunities and leadership for our campus. Our biggest controversy on campus is how to achieve a green friendly campus. We are try to lead the way in energy management and hope to set an example for universities worldwide. School pride is through the roof and we have tons of pride in our many sports teams and show it every way possible throughout Norman.
Matt Sophomore
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