Georgetown University
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Anthropology
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: White Heterosexual Male
Summary
I’m in the Running Club.
Background
Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: White
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
High School Experience: Private international school in London, England with about 115 students in the graduating class. The school had an American curriculum and its primary focus of the school was to send students to the United States for college.
First Generation College Student: No
Major: Anthropology
Minor: None
Extracurricular Activities: I’m in the Running Club.
What impact has the Running Club had on your experience?
It is a community I can go to outside of classes and is a way for me to spend time with some of my closest friends on campus. It’s a release from being in classes.
Academic Experience
Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
I recently declared the major and have mostly done electives and introductory courses. So far, I haven’t had a test in that field yet. I’ve only had class discussions, long essays, and presentations.
How would you describe the learning environment in the College of Arts & Sciences? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
I think it’s a mix of both. There is a sense of competitiveness to it because people want to better themselves, but, at the same time, people are always collaborative. For classes outside of Anthropology, I’ve had study groups for exams and review sessions.
Do you feel people are open to multiple schools of thought in the classroom?
I think so. I think people are open other ideas.
How accessible have your professors been?
So far, they’ve been very accessible. You’re able to email them and go to office hours, and they’re very happy to meet with their students.
How as transitioning from your school in London to Georgetown academically? Were there any systems in place to help you adjust?
I think it was quite easy because my school system was very Americanized. I never reached out to any academic resources. There is the Academic Resource Center, but I’ve never used it.
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I’m very humanities oriented. I love to write essays and do readings. I took an Anthropology course and found it extremely interesting, so I started taking more classes and it stuck with me.
Reasons to Attend
1) The proximity to Capitol Hill and the accessibility for internships for Georgetown students.
2) The willingness for Georgetown professors to give advice and help their students succeed.
3) The resources the school provides. There’s the Academic Resource Center. Also, there are lots of jobs for students to get on campus.
Reasons Not to Attend
I can’t think of any, which is partly why I came to Georgetown.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on campus?
Freshman: Village C West in a double and we had our own bathroom.
Sophomore: Kennedy Hall with one roommate. I don’t have my own bathroom but the room is much more spacious.
How was transitioning from your hometown in London to the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.?
I thought the transition was quite easy, especially because Georgetown has a campus so you feel like there is a place that is your own. It’s a very safe area also, so I felt very comfortable going into it. For Georgetown international students, we’re all required to attend an international orientation where they show us around the neighborhood and introduce us to other international students. It’s nice to know other people who are also international students and I think Georgetown did a very good job of doing that.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on campus?
I’ve personally felt very safe just because the neighborhood around Georgetown is high-end. I feel comfortable walking the streets at night, but that is also coming from a male perspective.
What is your favorite off-campus restaurant?
Falafel Inc because it’s cheap and reasonably close to campus. It’s quite filling as well.
What is your favorite place to get away from campus?
Probably Peet’s Coffee. My friends and I will do work there sometimes.
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
I personally do not like to go to clubs, but there are clubs around the Georgetown area that people go to. I’ve gone to a few museums, and I know a lot of people like to go to museums on the weekend. I personally tend to go to museums with my friends on the weekend. At night we’ll usually hang out in dorm rooms or watch a movie. Sometimes we’ll just study together.
What is your favorite museum to go to?
The National Museum of African American History & Culture
How happy are you with the weekend options at Georgetown? Is there anything you would change if you could?
I’m very happy. I feel like I can always keep myself busy here.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
Most of my closest friends I met through the Running Club. Another one of my closest friends I met because we started talking to each other and hanging out. People are very open to having random conversations. Most of my friends come from clubs and I know most of other peoples’ friends come from clubs.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Georgetown?
There is a party scene, but I wouldn’t say it’s a huge party scene. If you want to find a party, you can always find one pretty easily. Clubs host parties every so often, and clubs are a big part of the social scene on campus.
How would you describe the student body?
Very friendly and very warm to new conversations. Students like conversations about politics or other big topics that are going on in the news.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
I have friends of different sexual orientations and races, so I think people do mix in that sense. Outside of what I have experienced, I’m not too sure.
To what extent do international students and domestic students mix socially?
Somewhat frequently. It depends on the person. All of my friends are from the United States, but that is partially because I went to an American school so I’m used to that culture. I definitely do know people who have stuck with people from the United Kingdom or wherever they came from.
How do you like the size of Georgetown in terms of undergraduate enrollment? [Georgetown has about 7,200 undergraduate students.]
I think it’s the perfect size because no matter where you go you’ll know one or two people. At the same time, it’s big enough where you don’t know everyone, so I think it’s the perfect mix.
How do you like going to a school with such a strong international population? [About 12.5% of students are international students.]
I really like it. It brings another perspective to Georgetown and definitely broadens our conversations in the classroom.
Were there any parts of Georgetown or American university that surprised you when you arrived on campus?
Personally, I didn’t have any surprises. I felt like the transition went quite well, and that is mostly because my high school did a very good job of preparing students for an American university.