Academics

The teachers I have had have been both informing and helpful as far as the materials that they present in class. Only a few have been able to take the dullness out of courses that disinterest me, however.

Athletics

They are a joke! The main sport at the moment is basketball, and the women's team is far better than the men's team, but the men's game has more butts in the seats than the women's.

Campus Dining

When I lived in the dorm, I thought it was absolutely ick. I thought they put Ex-Lax in the food. There was some comfort in having all your meals prepared for you. Even if it was bland food that required Tabasco sauce, it was ready-made, and you didn’t have to worry about buying it or making it. It is cafeteria food, after all. There were some things that they sold that were great.

Campus Housing

The dorms here are extremely varied. Whiteherst is nice, except it's a long walk to class. Rogers and Gresham are decent and a closer walk, yet I wasn't impressed. They are the oldest on campus, except for Powhatan. Powhatan has a good layout (two rooms for four people, a living room, dining room, one bathroom and kitchen, all furnished) and is next to Whiteherst. It's old, therefore a bit run down, but it's really cheap. The best on campus are the Quads and Village, because they are new and aren't too far from campus. The Village are sets of apartments, which have separate bedrooms for everyone, as well as the living room, two bathrooms, and kitchen/dining area. These are across Hampton Boulevard, about the same distance as Gresham/Rogers. It's really pricey, though. But the best ones on campus are right next to the student center and are the closest to the heart of campus: The Quads. They are the absolute newest (last building still being completed) and not too expensive. There are four buildings, and they are the most popular, therefore hardest to get into. Whiteherst, Gresham, Rogers, and one of the Quads are the freshman options, and the upperclassmen options are the Quads, Village, Powhatan, and Nausbaum (which are run down old apartments, but they give the most freedom and are cheapest, but there are very few of them).

Campus Strictness

I think the ODU police department spends too much time trying to bust college kids for drinking and not enough time stopping real crime, like robberies. Although situations where drinking is involved can escalate, college kids shouldn't be denied their right to have fun, be young, and have a good time. I think that as long as they are being responsible, the campus police should focus their time on real crime instead of busting students for playing beer pong in back yards.

Computers

If you're going to the computer lab during a busy time (eg. lunch), the lab will be packed. Bring your own computer if you can, but if you can't, ODU does offer a lot of computers. Give yourself plenty of time if you're going to the lab to print something off because something will inevitably go wrong. It will be full, the printer will be jammed, you'll have to change your network password, which takes 30 minutes, etc.

Diversity

ODU is blessed to be one of the most diverse campuses in the area. I came from a high school that was more than 80 percent white, and I felt sheltered and culturally limited. ODU was a shocker and eye-opener for me. Many of the people in my classes had extremely different views on politics, the environment, religion, etc. Although my opinion differed from other people in my classes, I feel lucky to have been exposed to different points of view; it has made me a more well-rounded and tolerant person.

Drug Scene

If you’re not careful, it is possible to walk into a party and find people snorting coke. And lots of people smoke pot. I believe that the drug scene on campus is not nearly as bad as most schools. There are the kids who do drugs, but that is a small percentage of the students. Every college has druggies, but Ohio Wesleyan only has a few.

Facilities

We just got a brand new health center, so it's really nice. There's racquetball, basketball, etc., plus new machines that even play your iPod on it. The Webb Center (student center) is OK. It has some eating places but gets mundane after a while. It has a lot of meeting rooms, a game room, plenty of tables and TVs, a computer lab, and a Starbucks, as well as some fast food stuff. I don't go in the library much, but it's pretty big. It has four floors and looks pretty and clean. It has a lot of research books, but that can be a hassle to sort through.

Greek Life

Greek life is around. You see many people in T-shirts and stuff, and a few events happen, but otherwise, they don't impact much of campus life for those on the outside. There aren't really any houses, yet some unestablished houses are on 42nd Street, which is party central on the weekends.

Guys & Girls

A typical student cares about his or her appearance and is athletic and outgoing. Girls in particular are dressed to impress, while guys dress with style as well.

Local Atmosphere

Norfolk is a large city, and there are many colleges, such as Norfolk State, Old Dominion, and Virginia Wesleyan. Norfolk is also home to the nation's largest military base. People get together in downtown Norfolk for its great shops and scenery, and also for its exciting nightlife. I like to go to local places like Greenie's in Ocean View for the bar scene, and Red Dog Saloons in Ghent.

Nightlife

The school hosts events and parties like "ODU after dark" and "Webb Jams," which are nice. They're dry, though. Most of the Norfolk nightlife that I know of is on Granby Street, where there are several bars. They do 18-and-up nights, but it's mostly a 21-and-up thing. They have one club, Mojo's, that everyone goes to that's 18-and-up.

Off-Campus Dining

Since there are a bunch of places on campus within walking distance, I haven't spent much time in restaurants. But there is historic Ghent here, and there's the Atlantic Ocean, meaning this area is known for its seafood. You can get anything you feel like eating here, from Indian to Peruvian to Panera. That's just on 21st Street.

Off-Campus Housing

I live in an off-campus house, and it's about as expensive as living on campus, but I get the full year. Most people don't live on campus, purely for reasons that there aren't enough spaces, and many are commuters. If you are willing to drive, you can live anywhere in the seven cities, so it's easy finding a place. Price depends on where you look for the apartment. It's easier to find one in the spring, when looking for the upcoming fall. Many people live on the border of campus, mostly around 40th-42nd streets, on both sides of Hampton Boulevard.

Overall Experience

My problem with Old Dominion is that they are doing so much construction. And they keep saying things like ‘as Old Dominion grows.’ Sometimes I hate being part of a University that is still growing. It hasn’t been around for that long, and so I feel as if after I’ve graduated the University I once went to won’t be here—it’ll have been replaced by newer and better buildings. And a lot of times, I don’t get the feeling that this is a campus, but rather one huge construction zone. There are always red cones everywhere. If they could hurry up and finish all that stuff, it would be so much better.

Parking

The parking is horrendous. It feels like there are literally not enough spaces, but they are working to alleviate this situation. I heard they might stop letting freshmen bring cars, but that's just a rumor for now. The only time it's easy to park as a commuter is either at 8 a.m. or 7 p.m. If you stay on campus, you might as well walk to class because everything is within about a 10-15 minute walk.

Safety & Security

I haven't felt unsafe personally, however, our campus is in the heart of an urban city, and there have been multiple robberies and other crimes. I would avoid going anywhere alone in the evenings.

Transportation

The only public transportation I've ever used is the shuttle that ODU provided, which was extremely helpful and convenient my freshman year. Other than that, the HRT seems creepy, and my female friends always have weird stalker experiences with cabs, so I wouldn't suggest those either. If you don't have a car, find someone who does!

Weather

Let’s see. I was wearing flip-flops just the other day. That was February. Normally, February is supposed to be a cold month. But in Norfolk, you can’t forget that everything is just upside down. It’s like the Twilight Zone of weather.