What is the Hardest or Worst Part of Life At William and Mary?

I was recently asked in an interview, and I’ve certainly been asked on tours, “What is the hardest or worst part about life at William and Mary?”

The real challenge of this question is giving an answer that addresses what the questioner really wants to know. If I just answer based on the question, then on Monday it might be that there is no Cinnamon Toast Crunch in the Caf, on Tuesday it’s that a reading I thought was due today is actually not due until next week, and on Friday it’s that the walk up three flights of stairs in Morton makes me really reconsider how little time I spend in the Rec Center.

I think the real question that individuals want answered though, is what is the biggest challenge of life at William and Mary? And for me, that question has an easy answer.

Overwhelming opportunity is the biggest challenge.

There are over 400 student organizations on campus.  During orientation you walk into Kaplan Arena and face a basketball court packed with tables for each group. It is exciting and intimidating all in one. As a new student you are surround by all of these people who have found something to invest in, and now they want you to join them-but how do you choose? By my Junior year I am still finding new ways to get involved, and I am also very invested in the organizations I have joined in the past three years.

And it’s not just about student organizations. It’s classes that you know will have a heavy reading load, but you just have to sign up for because you love the topic or can’t imagine not learning from that professor.  It’s the friendships you make  which mean game nights and adventures into New Town for the midnight premiere of New Moon.

All of this is the biggest challenge of life at William and Mary. We are a crazy active campus and as a member of the Tribe you will constantly be presented with opportunities to get involved.  As much as we are our own community, however, we still follow the rule of only 24 hours in a day.  You can’t do everything. And that’s the hard part.

This weekend for example I am going to a play with a friend on Friday night; Community Scholars House, my living-learning residence hall, is hosting a brunch for civic engagement professors and the Africana House on Saturday morning; Saturday evening we are celebrating one of my good friend’s birthdays by watching some Olympic skating; Sunday morning is a huge service summit to end a week of events with the Office of Community Engagement and Scholarship, and Sunday evening Community Scholars House is hosting a welcome for next year’s residents.  I can’t forget that I also have midterms coming up.

I am very excited about all of these events (ok, maybe not as excited about midterms), but because of all that is going on I won’t be able to participate in Campus Golf, (you play a round of golf on campus with tennis balls and putters) one of my favorite campus philanthropies.  That’s the challenging part about going to William and Mary. Overwhelming opportunities means sometimes you can’t do everything. That’s also what I love most about William and Mary.

So yes, sometimes I am most frustrated because I tripped over a wayward brick, or a book in Swem is permanently on hold, or I can’t wrap my head around a particular Sociology theory.  As you can see, however, that’s not really the big picture.  What really answers that complicated question is that William and Mary challenges all of its members with endless opportunity.