Baylor University - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

The thing about Baylor, and especially Waco, is that if you don’t get involved in something, you will die of boredom. Waco does a fantastic job of accommodating the school. Most of the businesses cater in some way to students by giving discounts with school IDs or hosting special events. The school itself has tons of events throughout the year such as campus athletic events, club sponsored events and concerts at the local coffeehouse and town halls that are free to students, and many community service opportunities.

The biggest drawback is that, just like the motto says, everything is bigger in Texas, which also means more spread out. If you go without a car, you better start making friends fast, because otherwise, it’s tough to get anywhere. A lot of events are held on or near campus, but to get to movie theaters, grocery stores, Wal-Mart, shopping, and nightlife, it’s all a little too far to walk. The city does have a trolley service and city buses, but few Baylor students actually take advantage of them. Even the Holy Grail of Texas, the football stadium, is off campus. If you’re not the social scene type, and would rather spend your evenings playing computer games, the school’s bandwidth is taken up constantly by online gaming, and the telecom department hosts Halo tournaments all the time. Most students combat boredom by taking trips to Austin or Dallas.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

Stay away from any of the local... Stay away from any of the local dive bars, like Sue’s #2 or the Horseshoe. Those types of places are filled with drunken rednecks looking to fight Baylor kids. Also, Waco has a strange layout to it, where every nice area is completely surrounded by crime-ridden ghetto areas. You really have to know where you are going and how to get there to avoid them. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

To be blunt, the atmosphere in... To be blunt, the atmosphere in Waco sucks. There is really nothing to do besides maybe go to the movies and get drunk, or get drunk and go to the movies. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Waco is a boring town, so bring a... Waco is a boring town, so bring a hobby or get one. Learn to keep yourself busy with a job or working out a lot. TSTC and MCC are down the highway, and you will run into those people at bars, so don’t expect everyone you meet to be a rich Baylor kid. Many people should stay away from the bad parts of town. Since there is such a big income gap in Waco, there are a lot of ghettos. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

WarriorPrincess says: Baylor University 2012 Other

If It Weren't for Baylor, Waco Wouldn't Exist. A- If it weren't for Baylor, all Waco would be is a place to get gas between Austin and Dallas. There is very little here beyond the university. Waco really only has two attractions besides Baylor: Cameron Park (and the associated zoo) and the Dr Pepper Museum. Despite the lack of other attractions, these two definitely make Waco worth a visit. Cameron Park is absolutely beautiful, and the Dr Pepper Museum is lots of fun. 12345 Local Atmosphere: March 10, 2010 Report

Anonymous says:

I wouldn’t consider this a... I wouldn’t consider this a traditional college campus/town, as the relationship of students to the town doesn’t really exist. The school is its own universe surrounded by low income housing areas. Most things worth visiting are going to be school related (stadium/arena/museum). Although, there are two lakes within fifteen minutes of campus. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Five Fun Facts about Waco:
• Western Settlement brought the Chisholm Trail through Waco when it was nicknamed “Six-shooter Junction.”
• Just outside of town is the site of the now-famous Branch Davidian Conflict, involving the loss of many lives in a cult led by David Koresh and a sting held by Janet Reno.
• Cameron Park’s 450-plus acres of forest include many different climates and elevations as well as more than ten miles of trails, fishing, boating, disc golf, a water park for children. They are used as a gathering site for students to shoot films, exercise, or just relax.
• In the movie Where the Heart Is, the scene where Natalie Portman’s character approaches Forney while he’s at school was filmed right here on Baylor’s campus outside the English building.
• The Dr Pepper Museum stands as a monument to free-enterprise, and of course, Dr Pepper. The drink is Baylor’s, and Waco’s drink of choice, all the way to the school hosting “Dr Pepper Hour” every Tuesday where students get together to enjoy free Dr Pepper ice-cream floats. At the museum, you can still buy Dr Pepper in its original glass bottle.

Famous People from Waco:
Jennifer Love Hewitt and Steve Martin were both born in Waco.

Local Slang:
Baylor Bubble – The idealism and naivety Baylor fosters.
Coke – Any type of soda. (Typical conversation: “Want a coke?” “Yeah, grab me a Dr Pepper.”)
Cowboy Cadillac – An enormous truck decked out with all the bells and whistles.
MCC – McLennan Community College.
TSTC – Texas State Technical College.

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: Teni Odunsi
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Major: Environmental Studies

Fun Fact: Teni was born in the U.K.

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