The University of Virginia and Virginia Tech are two institutions close to the hearts of the many alumni, parents, students, or student hopefuls in our region. Northern Virginia Magazine takes a look at their history as both rivals and partners and shows you how they stack up.
We asked two of our interns for an insider’s perspective on what their schools are really like. Here’s what they said.
UVA
By Olivia Garrone
Stepping onto Grounds — it’s always Grounds, never “campus” — visitors are greeted with idyllic foliage and classic brick buildings. Thomas Jefferson’s iconic Rotunda is almost as beautiful as the juxtaposition between The Fralin Museum of Art and the fraternity mansion that sits next door. It’s the quintessential college campus, perfectly fit for long nights at the library and unexpected adventures with friends.
The school has the reputation of being preppy and a bit pretentious. The student body has much more depth and variety than that, but there’s a kernel of truth to the stereotype. Don’t get caught using the words “freshman” or “sophomore.” We say “first-year” and “second-year” here.
All first-years live on Grounds, mostly huddled in one of four randomly assigned clusters, a mix of hall-style and suite-style dorms. Dorms and dining halls are the centripetal forces of first-year life before students trickle off-Grounds and into apartments over the following three years.
At the activities fair, you’ll be greeted with a bounty of options, including club sports, debate societies, and making various foods for charity, where students find community. There are secret societies, too, but you won’t catch them with a sign and a booth. You probably won’t know your friends are in them until they graduate, die, or are spotted in an ominous mask dropping off free pizza at Clemons Library during the throes of finals week.
The Corner is the heart of student life: a row of stores and restaurants that line the street right across from the Rotunda. Hopefully, you’ll nail down your Bodo’s Bagels order before you declare your major. For many students, the weekend starts on Thursday night and is only temporarily thwarted by an assignment due at 11:59 p.m. Friday. You might spend your free time exploring the downtown mall, driving up to Carter Mountain Orchard, or sipping bubble tea from one of the three boba shops located within a 1-mile radius of the Lawn.
We love the many quirks that make our school. But Virginia pride is perhaps most evident — and heartwarming — at home football games. When the Cavaliers score a touchdown, everyone wraps their arms around each other and sways side to side, joining together to sing “The Good Old Song.” It’s our dear old UVA, and we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
Olivia Garrone, who’s from Herndon, was an intern at Northern Virginia Magazine for the summer of 2023. She’s expected to graduate from UVA in May 2024.
Virginia Tech
By Cyna Mirzai
When freshmen walk onto their university campus for the first time, those initial sights and steps are never forgotten. In those few minutes, an unfamiliar campus suddenly becomes home.
After only seconds on Virginia Tech’s campus, you’re awed by its architecture. Hokie Stone, as it’s called, lines the campus from beginning to end, showcasing the university’s important connection to the Appalachian Mountains, where the gray dolomite limestone is found. Our beloved stone is most notably displayed on Burruss Hall, our main administrative building that is regarded as the centerpiece of the Drillfield.
The Drillfield, an oval-shaped grassy area at the center of campus that connects the residential side to the academic region, is where our campus shines. While most students only live on campus during their freshman year, the paths across the Drillfield are traveled by students of all grades. You’ll find students tucked behind trees reading books for class, groups of friends throwing Frisbees around, and an overt display of people napping in hammocks. Whether you have 30 minutes until your next class or nothing to do for the rest of the day, spending time on the Drillfield is an integral part of being a Hokie.
With over 37,000 students, Virginia Tech really has something for everyone. As a large state school, Greek life and student athletics rank highest in popularity for students hoping to find a community on campus. However, what makes Virginia Tech such an unparalleled institution is our Corps of Cadets. This is the military component of the student body, where cadets live together in specific residence halls, wear a distinctive uniform, and receive military training.
Above all, Virginia Tech’s campus life revolves around the school’s motto, Ut Prosim, a Latin phrase that means “That I May Serve.” This motto is so ingrained in the university’s culture that it is carved into many buildings on campus and was even the prompt for the essay I wrote when applying. As students and later as alumni, we know how important it is to serve and support our communities. Whether it’s a cadet who wants to serve in the Army or a first-generation student who wants to create her own organization, there is always a Hokie ready to help. That’s how you know this is home.
Cyna Mirzai, who’s from Leesburg, interned at Northern Virginia Magazine for the summer of 2022. She graduated from Virginia Tech in May 2023.
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This story originally ran in our August issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
