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our school is very spirited when it comes to football and basketball. gamedays are awesome. i feel that the size of the school is just right despite all the hills.
ali Freshman
Best thing about UT? Football Season. You've never seen so many people in your life. The school is about 26-28,000 kids, and if you're looking for the "college" experience, you'll find it at UT. In Tennessee, if you go to UT, you kind of think you're a badass. It's no Vanderbilt, but then again, you're not paying 30,000 dollars more for the same undergraduate classes you'd take at UT. I spent most of my time on campus on Fraternity Row, or in Circle Park. Knoxville is a comfortable college town, with great night life, a fun downtown area and the mountains 45 minutes away. What else could you want? UTK's administration likes to screw students on everything from graduation requirements to parking tickets, so watch out for the "Big Orange Screw." There is a tremendous amount of school pride, especially when it comes to sports. Unusual? Probably that they take better care of the mascot (Smoky) than they do the students. Student complaints are always about parking tickets, that the UTPD are idiots and that you could hire trained animals and they'd probably do a better job than the police do about keeping campus safe at night. One experience I'll always remember...my sophomore year when we were losing to Florida, 5 seconds on the clock, we kicked a 45 yard field goal to win when everyone in the stands had already accepted that we lost. The crowd went NUTS.
Brandon Alum
I think the best thing about UTK is that there is so much to do and be involved with. There are all sorts of clubs which is nice because there is something for everyone! Its a very welcoming school that wants it students to be involved. The school is just the right size. Its definitely a big school, but I like the big school atmosphere. There is always something going on and the campus is never dead. There are always people everywhere. There is a ton of school pride. The football team, the Vols and Lady Vols basketball teams, and lots of other athletic groups bring thousands of Tennessee lovers to the school. We are very proud of our athletics and so is the city of Knoxville. Every car has a Tennessee sticker on it somewhere and people are always sporting Tennessee spirit wear. No matter what the outcomes of any games might be, Tennessee is and always will be absolutely obsessed with Tennessee athletics.
Dana Sophomore
Our school is just the right size and right place to be. At first, the school seems amazingly huge and as though every building is miles away from the rest, but after a short time, the campus becomes small and everything is relatively close. People react very differently when I tell them I go to UT. Most have that typical response, "Oh! I bet you have lots of fun." The majority have the stereotype in mind of the party scene and not so much on the academic side. one of my favorite places on campus is actually the library. Our library at UT is more than just a place to study. It is a major hang out spot for all of our students. Honestly, when I go to the library, I socialize and hang out with my friends sometimes more than I actually study. Our college town has an orange and white atmosphere everywhere one goes. UT has an enormous amount of school pride, which is lead by our strong and efficient administration. Our chancellor and deans are very active in all aspects of campus life. They have a genuine concern for the well-being of all students and their interests.
Carolyn Sophomore
On-campus living is very involved and there is a wealth of nicer off-campus apartments. Knoxville is a city built around a huge university. The school is downtown, making the scenery spectacular and bars and restaurants accessible. Although UT is downtown, the area surrounding it is a whole different world with its own apartments, houses, clubs, bars, restaurants and cafes. It is community oriented as well. During football season, 3/4 of the Knoxville population piles into the stadium and its surrounding parts to tailgate. Football time in Tennessee is certainly something that cannot be explained. It has to be experienced. Out of all of the other SEC football games I have attended around the South, UT has the most passionate fans, revered traditions and energetic atmosphere.
Amanda Senior
I'll always remember watching the UGA fans leave early both years that I've been here, as we beat them in Football. The roar of the stadium is life-changing and inspiring. School pride here is completely polar opposite of home, where basketball season in the spring unites the students. Here at Tennessee, football fall weekends bring the city to life and pride of the state shows truest. I spend the most time on campus in the fraternity house, with my brothers, whom I have learned to confide in, as well as the very same people who motivate me to acheive and lead around campus. The administration hates the greek system, though we have multiple chapters on campus that are the best in the nation for their particular chapter. I feel like the days of great greek life is over, as it has been invaded by media and by liberal ideals, and it has steadily gone on a decline since. However, lingering traditions within the greek community remain. Greeks rule the campus, and UTK has done a fine job in producing great alumni from the greek community. The strip makes it feel like there is very little near campus, but the fort makes up for it. Bomb threats scare people, but so does change.
Evan Sophomore
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