Wake Forest University - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

Winston-Salem is, as many students would attest, decidedly mediocre. It doesn’t quite have the resources to be considered an exciting place by any means, but it isn’t a cultural wasteland either. Salem College, Winston-Salem State, and the North Carolina School of the Arts have enough students along with Wake Forest to provide for a burgeoning music scene, spearheaded by the local bar, Ziggy’s, which hosts a diverse series of bands. The Millennium Center, a converted courthouse, is another great venue for live music and one of the few reasons students venture downtown.

While the downtown area is generally dead, the outlying areas feature enough restaurants and bars to keep students content. Hanes Mall, the largest mall in the Carolinas, is just a few miles away. While Winston’s athletic scene is generally dominated by the Demon Deacons, the area does feature a pair of minor league teams, baseball’s The Dash and ice hockey’s Parrots. Essentially, some fun can be found in Winston, but it may require some looking. Remember, if you’re desperate for a college town, UNC isn’t too far away, and most Wake students will likely end up there more than once over the course of four years.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

Winston-Salem: it’s the place... Winston-Salem: it’s the place where entertainment goes to die. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Winston-Salem is definitely not a... Winston-Salem is definitely not a college town. There are Winston-Salem State and Salem College downtown, but there’s not much interaction between the schools. Downtown is just a bunch of big buildings with some good restaurants. There’s not much to it. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

It’s definitely a small town with... It’s definitely a small town with a small-town atmosphere. I guess that keeps you out of trouble. There isn’t much to do in Winston-Salem that isn’t Wake Forest affiliated, but you can always go to Greensboro or Charlotte for something different. I’ve never felt like there wasn’t anything to do. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

There are a few things you could... There are a few things you could visit. Old Salem is a Moravian community that was founded in the 1700s that has a lot of history. It’s fun to visit, and the bakery is a must-see. Also, Reynolda Gardens and Reynolda Mansion is basically right near campus. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

There are tons of restaurants, a... There are tons of restaurants, a few clubs, bars, movie theaters, bowling alleys, and a mall. It isn’t exactly the most interesting college town, but most things occur on campus anyway, so that isn’t much of a loss. There are other universities like Winston-Salem State, but I haven’t visited any. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

5 Fun Facts about Winston-Salem:
• Winston-Salem is known as the “City of the Arts,” as it ranks first nationally in per capita contributions to the arts.
• Winston-Salem is less than two hours from ski resorts and less than five from the beaches of the Outer Banks.
• In 1875, Richard Joshua Reynolds moved to Winston-Salem from Virginia to start a tobacco factory, which became the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company.
• In 1899, the United States Postal Service merged the Winston and Salem post offices over the objections of Salem. The hyphen between Winston and Salem first appeared on the new postmark. It became permanent in 1913 when Salem and Winston joined and the “Twin City” of Winston-Salem emerged.
• Winston-Salem is home to seven colleges and universities, including Wake Forest, Winston-Salem State, North Carolina School of the Arts, and Salem College.

Famous People from the Winston-Salem Area:
Howard Cosell
Donna Fargo
Ben Folds
Kathryn Grayson
Andy Griffith
Lee Norris
Chris Paul

Local Slang:
Coke – Anything carbonated, regardless of actual flavor.
Moanin’ – Between sunrise and noon.
Rolling the Quad – A tradition practiced by locals and students where the trees on the main quad are toilet-papered after victories.
Tick a Rat – Turn in the opposite direction of left.
Wake Wednesdays – Going to frat parties and bars on Wednesday nights after games.
Winston – What everyone calls the city of Winston-Salem.
Y’all –Originated from “you all.”

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