University of Oklahoma

Transportation? Hah.

CART is the OU's local transport system, and it actually works well enough, though it only runs in the immediate area around the school. OU students ride for free, and it does alleviate a bit of the painful parking situation in terms of daily commutes for class (if you're less than a mile or two away). Public transit in Oklahoma, however, on the whole, is a joke. Without a taxi or a friend to pick you up, you won't be able to get out of the airport, let alone all the way to Norman. Word of advice: if you're coming to OU, bring a car.

Pervasive

Greek students are everywhere; that is, one of the few ways to meet people is through the Greek system, as the University puts 0 effort into it otherwise. That said, there are lots of good people in the Greek system; there are as many stereotypical characters floating around as well. It is a big deal at OU, and someone not wanting to become involved in Greek life should expect an uphill battle in the social scene, as the Greek system constitutes the majority of the social scene at OU. That said, don't expect to hear about it; Greeks tend to hang out with other Greeks.

A Wide Variety That Often Lacks Quality

Simply put, the University's meal system is a scam. It's only a way to guarantee you spend your money on campus; it saves you nothing. Your only options are a proportional split between meals, and meal points (i.e., 300 points, 10 meals a week, or 600 points, 6 meals a week, etc.). The problem is that only the Couch Restaurants, at the far south end of campus away from academic buildings, takes meals before 2:30 PM. At the Union, all of the restaurants are points-only until 2:30, and even then, while it costs $10 cash to get into the Couch Restaurants, a meal exchange only gives $7. While the Restaurants themselves have plenty of variety, the quality is mediocre, and you'll quickly notice that most, if not all, of the food is frozen shortly before it is served. Expect large quantities of food, but don't expect it to be good. At the Union, Chik-Fil-A and Quiznos give a nice break from the rest of the mediocre on-campus dining, but your best bet is to head to Campus Corner, and hit Pita-Pit.