Brain waves Think: You find yourself with a free hour. How do you spend it? Chances are you’ll have plenty of options here. You can always just sit on a bench on Campus Walk* or in an Adirondack chair on Ball Circle and observe what’s going on around you. But you also are encouraged to get involved in what interests you. Fortunately, we won’t have to push hard. More than 90 percent of freshmen live on campus and the culture is all about getting active in one (or several) of our 120-plus student clubs, organizations, athletics teams, and volunteer groups. Eagle athletics, for example: Everyone’s a player or a fan. Eight of our NCAA Division III teams achieved national ranking last year, with seven claiming conference titles. The Eagles have produced 287 All-Americans.
The Urban Dictionary defines “bench sitting” as a leisure activity, unique to University of Mary Washington students.
But it’s about more than sports. Students book campus concerts by top performing artists and bring in provocative thinkers and speakers because they figure the debates are going to be lively. They plan festivals and form club sports teams, political groups and social organizations.