Some freshmen may think living on the Mount Vernon Campus is like being banished to a desert island, but the reality is a bit more nuanced. Here’s the full picture, and a starting point to figure out whether you love or hate the Vern.
TOP FOUR REASONS TO HATE THE VERN
1. If you vomit on the Vern Express, you’re paying
For some freshmen, the first year of college becomes the first time you really experience the freedom to learn how to handle your drinking, and adding a moving vehicle into that mix can become tricky. On top of the embarrassment of having a driver yell at you late at night and the consequences if the University Police Department gets involved, students can be fined $300 for vomiting on the Vern Express. So it might be worth it to wait the extra 15 minutes for the next Vex if you’re feeling queasy – or find a comfortable place to stay to sleep it off.
2. You’ll probably constantly be late to class
While the bus between campuses runs every five minutes during class time, traffic patterns still wreak havoc on predictability. Learning to deal with the bus schedule becomes an added stress to planning classes, and occasional traffic jams or breakdowns can be frustrating. “Basically, instead of it taking a few minutes to walk from point A to point B on Foggy, you need to account for the extra time for the commute, and when a Vex is missed, it can really put you behind,” sophomore Julia Sinsky said. A good way to avoid the stress is to plan classes to be solely on one campus for the whole day.
3. Food options are limited
Though JStreet may have a bad rep, Foggy residents can always head over to Whole Foods or the basement of Ivory Tower when they want something different. There’s plenty of variety for food options living in the middle of a city, but on the Vern, you’re mostly limited to the two halls you have open to you: Pelham Commons in West Hall and the sandwich shop Zebi in Ames Hall. Luckily, Pelham stays open until midnight, but Zebi closes around 6:30 p.m. and isn’t available on weekends. Plan ahead by making trips to the Safeway down the street so you don’t have to worry about running out of food in your room.
4. It feels a bit isolated from campus life in general
While the small community can feel cozy, sometimes the 15-minute bus ride separating you and the main campus can feel a lot farther. “Living on the Vern killed my drive to get more involved in GW activities because it made it hard to get to them,” sophomore Tess Pawlisch said. “You have to plan ahead, and an internship no longer involves a short walk. Instead you have to leave in advance. It also means you can be less involved in city life.”
TOP SEVEN REASONS YOU CAN LEARN TO LOVE THE VERN
1. Eckles Library is a study haven
The Vern’s shining star is Eckles Library. Cleaner and cozier than Gelman, it’s generally quiet atmosphere makes it a perfect study spot, and during finals, has been known to give out free popcorn and candy. Also tucked away upstairs is a delicious hot cocoa and cappuccino machine that requires you to bring your own cup, but only costs 50 cents. Fill up that mug, then head on down to the main desk, where you can choose from some 1,000 DVDs to rent for free for 48 hours.
2. The gorgeous Ames Hall
Student space is a much smaller problem on the Vern, and Ames Hall, opened just last year, is the perfect reason why. You can grab a delicious flatbread sandwich and freshly brewed coffee from Zebi, then head downstairs to cozy chairs that overlook the softball field. Or, if private study is more your thing, there are a few study rooms you can head into for some quiet time.
3. Program housing and live-and-learn communities
It’s no secret that most people do not list the Vern as their first choice for housing, and some programs actually require you live there. However, programs such as Politics and Values and the Women’s Leadership Program, or the optional live-and-learn University Honors Program, offer a great tight-knit group to help you through your first year. Being around the same group of people all the time with a common interest in the beginning can really help you find your place, and makes the separation from the main campus a little less lonely. Plus, you have built-in buddies to ride on the Vern Express with.
4. Hey, small class sizes!
A large lecture that could fill a class in Funger hall with close to a hundred students cuts off at closer to 40 on the Vern. This can make intro level classes a lot less intimidating and give you easier chances to get to know professors on a more personal level. Plus, if you’re living there, there’s no worry about making the Vern Express or planning in the extra travel time.
5. Some of the best freshman housing options
Sure, Thurstonites might brag about getting the “complete freshman experience,” but that often comes at the price of sharing a room with up to five other people. On the Vern, it’s more likely you’ll find yourself in a double, or if you’re in West, your own single in a suite. The housing on the Vern is some of the newest and nicest the University has to offer, usually with a lower roommate-to-bathroom ratio as well.
6. It’s easy being green
Yeah, so we all wrote about how the city was the reason we fell in love with GW in our entrance essays, but it’s hard not to smile at the collegiate look of the brick buildings and greenery on the Vern. The area around the fountain has been known to hold small festivals in the fall and spring that include free cotton candy, games and crafts. Plus, it’s usually less populated than University Yard and tends to keep its grass longer.
7. Plenty of options for athletics
Vern residents can ease into summer and into the school year with an open pool on campus. Right next to it, there are tennis courts and a turf field, perfect for spectators and casual participants alike. If private exercise is more your thing but you’re intimidated by iron-pumpers in the Lerner Health and Wellness Center on Foggy, the gym in West Hall has a reasonable selection of machines and a separate mirrored room to drag mats or practice dance in.
This post was updated on June 6, 2013 to reflect the following:
Correction appended
The Hatchet misspelled the name of a sophomore who spoke about the Vern. She is Tess Pawlisch, not Tess Lawlisch.
