Let’s get brutally honest for a minute: Mason’s not for everybody. For students dreaming of wild house parties and a 24-7 drinking fest akin to scenes in “Animal House,” they might be better off at a school with a bigger party reputation than Mason. But just because Mason isn’t what people stereotypically associate with a college experience, doesn’t mean students don’t get a real college experience nonetheless. As one of the most diverse schools in the nation, Mason offers students a unique college experience and plentiful opportunities to get involved in different organizations or groups and meet a lot of different people while doing so. Not to mention the campus’s central location, just 20 minutes outside of Washington D.C., which gives students access to museums, clubs, restaurants, and popular attractions like the monuments. So what if students can’t walk next door and do a keg stand? They have the opportunity to mold their very own college experience around Mason’s numerous clubs, events, and classes.
It might sound a little cliché, but Mason truly offers the best of both worlds. Whether students are into hanging out on campus in the middle of Suburbia, U.S.A., or they want to go into D.C. every night, the University gives them that option. While people are divided on campus issues like parking, the campus social scene, and food options, overall, Mason students are satisfied with the University’s offerings. Of course there’s always room for improvement, and the University’s constant expansion and rally to become a well-respected public institution is always upgrading facilities, programs and services for students.