There are so many reasons to love The University of Connecticut. From the school spirit, to the absolutely gorgeous campus, it’s nearly impossible to find something about UConn that isn’t fantastic. Keep reading for 20 reasons why The University of Connecticut is the absolute best!
Never have I been to a school with more spirit. Every Husky is so excited to be here, whether it’s on an ordinary day or standing shoulder to shoulder on the bleachers in Gampel during a basketball game. It’s an amazing feeling with hundreds of voices yell back and forth, “UConn, HUSKIES, UConn, HUSKIES, UConn, HUSKIES, WOOF”.
There are woods and ponds surrounding UConn and it is gorgeous, especially in the spring when the leaves and flowers are budding and in the fall when they begin to change color and drop. It’s not uncommon for people to grab a backpack, friends, and a picnic lunch and go on a small hike to a pond on the weekend.
Professors are keen on taking student out of the classroom to learn. Sometimes, professors will just decide they want to have a lecture outside because it’s a nice day. But when they organize an actual field trip, it’s a whole other experience all together. Some of the places students go to are really incredible, and more often than not, over state lines.
Nestled right next to campus is a practically new shopping center with all the essentials one could possibly need like CVS, Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, and Insomnia Cookies which delivers warm cookies to your dorm until 3AM. It’s a lively place with students often going over to have a quick bite and study. There are lots of festivals and small concerts that take place there and over Halloween, there’s a center wide Trick or Treating that almost all the stores participate in.
The UConn Student Government is always putting on cool, FREE events for the students. These range from guest speakers to parties to concerts. There’s something for everyone. Students from all across campus come together at Fairfield Way or the Student Union in the center of campus to enjoy food, fun, and entertainment.
UConn’s sense of community is incredible. There’s a whole department dedicated to the organization of clubs and events that participate in volunteering and community service. A weekly email lists all the upcoming events, in the evenings or on weekends for student convenience, and signing up is the easiest thing in the world. Students can decide which events they plan on going to without the worry of committing to a long term thing, if they so choose. Or they can join a club, allowing them to help out throughout the year.
The area surrounding campus is wooded and scenic, for sure, but as a bonus, UConn campus is absolutely stunning as well. Whether you’re in the center and surrounding by modern architecture and new buildings, or on the border, where the older 19th century buildings stand, you are constantly encompassed by beauty. Up on Horsebarn Hill, students watch the sun dip below the horizon and change the colors of the sky. By Mirror Lake, students complete homework assignments in front of the fountains. There’s a place for everyone.
If you’re a reading fanatic or just need to complete a research assignment, UConn’s got you covered. They’ve got an extensive library spanning more than four floors. Then there is the underground, temperature controlled archives where the super old books are kept, but are open for all students. Take a break at the library’s café, Bookworm, or find your house on the giant, interactive google maps globe.
Unlike most schools, UConn has a live mascot: the noble husky. Jonathan XIV is the latest model of mascot, coming from a long line of successors that represent the school. He can be found at most sports games and events or walking around campus with his handlers. He’s huge, smart, friendly, and adorable.
Every weekend, the Student Union hosts Late Night. This includes karaoke, movies in the Union theater, and theme centered activities which always include free tokens. During the week, there are usually booths on Fairfield Way handing out free things to promote a club or organization on campus. Definitely worth the cost of admission.
If seeing the seasons change is a big thing for you, UConn does it well. Every season is unique and beautiful. UConn is covered in trees that change color in the fall and host budding flowers in the spring. When snow covers the ground, it looks immaculate. In the summer, it’s shorts and t-shirt season, so a versatile wardrobe is a must, but also a plus. Just make sure you’re prepared for everything, because Connecticut can throw everything short of a tornado your way.
UConn used to be an agricultural school so there’s a strong foundation of open pastures and livestock on campus. This means horse riding lessons, animal fairs, and fresh ice cream. The Animal Science majors even raise their own baby farm animals, including sheep, cattle, chickens, and horses. Students can over to Horse Barn Hill and pet the horses and cows as they graze.
There is a club for literally EVERYONE. Since they’re student run, the students in charge are usually really passionate about the club and do everything in their power to make sure you have a good experience. The school is also really supportive of the clubs so most of the club trips are fully funded by UConn. Which means free trips to places like the Wolf Sanctuary in Massachusetts.
If you’ve got a special interest, talent, or major, you can apply to live within a learning community. This means you’ll be living with other students who have similar interests as you, which is fantastic. The Resident Assistants of those halls plan fun events related to those interests so you’ll have no problem pursuing your hobbies outside of class.
Our team is the absolute best. The team has won 11 NCAA Division 1 National Championships and a record women’s four in a row. Watching these lovely ladies play in Gampel stadium is incredible and the energy is intoxicating. It’s one of my favorite reasons why The University of Connecticut is the absolute best. You can’t leave UConn without attending one game, and once you attend one, you know it won’t be your last. So many alumni come back for the games because of the support and spirit Huskies have for each other.
As a Husky student, you never have to worry about being alone or lost. Floor RA’s are always around when you need them and most of them are pretty chill. There are mentors and senior students always looking out for the younger students if you need help with literally anything. There’s a counselling department with an incredible outreach and the accepting and diverse nature of the university makes finding your niche a piece of cake.
If you’re missing your pets, not to worry. Dog walkers are all over campus and are almost always willing to stop if you’d like a few minutes with their dogs. The school is also very accommodating of service and working dogs if you should need them. The Health Clinic also hosts Pet Therapy every other week so that students can visit the clinic and sit with dogs for a couple of hours to relieve the stress from the week.
The dining halls aren’t all great but there are a lot of options and few of their entrees are spectacular. There’s always something new and unlimited swipes on your meal plan means eat how much you want, whenever you want to. And if nothing in the hall suits your fancy, you can go to the Student Union for Dunkin Donuts, Panda Express, and Subway, or school made noodle soup, Mexican salad, or smoothies. You will definitely gain the freshman 15 here.
This comes in handy, especially in the winter. Buses run all throughout UConn and some even take students off campus to places like the mall for free. A few shuttles even run on the weekend and the ones that run during the week go until pretty late at night so transportation around campus is a breeze. With the UConn app, amongst other convenient functions, students can track buses and view an up to date schedule.
Mentioned briefly before, UConn used to be an agricultural school and therefore houses a lot of livestock. The cows on campus are used to make Connecticut’s best ice cream at the Dairy Bar. It’s super rich and creamy and can be found at three easy locations on campus. It’s absolutely delicious!
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