Things I Love: Tradition and a Beautiful Campus

Being on the campus of William & Mary, I am constantly surrounded by things that I love, and while I can think of a million different examples, a few stick out to me. The fall holds my favorite tradition (and we have many): Homecoming. Alumni, current students, faculty, and staff all celebrate their experiences they have had here at W&M and look forward to future ones. The atmosphere of campus can be best described by the motto, “One Tribe. One Family.” Everyone is thrilled to be back, either to continue their studies or to revisit the place that they once called home. A parade down Richmond Road followed by a football game act as the main events, where those in the W&M community come to collect, to reflect, and to celebrate. Homecoming is a beautiful amalgamation of past, present, and future, and it reassures me that I will always have a place as a member of the Tribe.

My other favorite thing about campus is something you probably already know: it’s beautiful. Seriously. I was blown away by pictures, but they don’t compare to seeing it in person. Old campus, with the Sunken Garden as the center piece, still stuns me. From here, just a hop over the Wren Building brings you to Colonial Williamsburg (CW), where you are transported to another century. Spring has not truly arrived until you can walk around CW without a jacket, feeling the warmth of the new season as you pass by a woman in a hoop skirt feeding sheep. Beauty stretches all the way to the other side of campus, where you’ll find peaceful Lake Matoaka. Here, you can kayak or canoe or sit on the dock and just breathe. It’s important to feel comfortable in your surroundings, and while I’ve grown quite accustomed to the campus, its beauty will still catch me off guard and remind me how lucky I am to be studying at such a magnificent university.

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have—about more of my favorite things, or anything else W&M!

– Casey Neary