Alyson
Hometown: Bainbridge, GA
Year in school: 2nd
Major: International Affairs; Economics

Favorite spot on campus: President's Garden on North Campus

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: The Grit on Sunday afternoons

Advice for students searching colleges: Be completely open minded about every campus you visit. Every college and university is unique and has unique opportunities and experiences to offer its students, so be willing to take risks and give everything a try. You never know what might surprise you!

Amanda
Hometown: Alpharetta, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Advertising
Minor: Child and Family Development

Favorite spot on campus: The Founder's Memorial Garden and Sanford Stadium! The Founder's Garden is gorgeous, serene, and a great place to study and enjoy the nature around you. Sanford Stadium (the complete opposite) is crazy, full of energy, and home to some of my greatest fall memories.

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Cali-N-Titos. There is nothing better than eating tacos outside on a beautiful, sunny day at Cali's!

Advice for students searching colleges: Go where you will be the happiest! Don't just go where your friends are going - you will never get another opportunity to explore this freely on your own. Do what you know is right for you, and go where you will get the best experience according to your priorities and desires.

Barrett
Hometown:Forsyth, GA
Year in school: 5th
Major: Speech Communication

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Add Drug Store Lunch Counter

Why did you choose UGA: I always wanted to be a Bulldog, but as I made my college search it was apparent that Georgia had everything that I was looking for as well as a myriad of other things.

Advice for students searching colleges: Not only should you look at the academic offerings, but you should also look into the extracurricular programs offered to find things that fascinate you. Also, look at the college town that you will be a resident of for four or five years. The simple fact is that 90 percent of the college experience is outside the actual classroom. EXPLORE!

Brendan
Hometown: Dunwoody, Georgia
Year in school: 4th
Major: Health Promotion and Behavior

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Peaches, Five Star Day, or my kitchen

Why did you choose UGA: It’s close to home but not too close for comfort; it’s also a phenomenal institution; and because I always wanted to be a DAWG!

Advice for students searching colleges: The best advice I can offer is to do what feels right. For me UGA just felt right so I knew that’s where I wanted to go. Some other things to look at might be how the campus is set up, what’s available to you from the college, what is special about that college, and what the town/city is like. Remember, it’ll be four years or more that you’ll be spending there. Unless you are dead set on your major and have to get a specific degree for your career path, don’t let choice of major determine your decision. Most people change majors anyway.

Candice
Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC
Year in school: 2nd
Major: Early Childhood Education
Minor: Spanish

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Snelling Dining Commons. Who can turn down a Turkey Melt? But if I'm not in a dining hall, I would definitely say Last Resort Grill is top choice.

Why did you choose UGA: As a North Carolinian, I needed to experience some real football.

Advice for students searching colleges: I would make you go to a place that you love physically. You're not going to enjoy a college if you hate walking outside your dorm room.

Chelsea
Hometown: Columbus, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Broadcast News

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Besides The Summit at Harris Commons, Transmetropolitan.

Why did you choose UGA: I wanted a school with lots of options to get involved and UGA is exactly that. I can join clubs that pertain to my major, such as NewSource15 and Georgia Gameday, and fun things that don’t, such as Greek life and intramural sports. Plus, the Hope Grant and the football team don’t hurt either.

Advice for students searching colleges: Make the decision for yourself! Find a school where you can see yourself being involved in what you enjoy and with academics that challenge you to do your best. Choose the school that fits YOU and get involved when you get there.

Chris
Hometown: Mableton, GA
Year in school: 4th
Major: Accounting; Real Estate

Favorite spot on campus: President’s Garden on North Campus

Why did you choose UGA: UGA was not my first choice until the first time I set foot on campus. I immediately fell in love with everything about UGA, from the campus to the people to the activities, and especially the town of Athens. I knew as I walked around the beautiful North Campus quads and the tree-lined streets of downtown Athens, this was a place I could enjoy for the rest of my life. Deciding to attend UGA was easy. All I had to do then was figure how to talk my parents into letting go to grad school so I could stay here longer.

Advice for students searching colleges: Take your time and look around until you really feel not just comfortable with a college, but you should feel like you can’t wait to set foot on campus as a student. Make sure that consider all aspects of spending four years (or more) at a university such as academics, extracurricular activities, and especially the college town itself. If your heart starts thumping and you get a big smile on your face while you think about it, then you know you’ve found the right place.

Christine
Hometown: Madison, GA
Year in school: 4th
Major: Speech Communication

Favorite spot on campus: Jittery Joe’s Coffee Shop on the second floor of the Miller Learning Center. It’s a great place to drink my white chocolate mocha and get some good people watching in.

Why did you choose UGA: Growing up only 30 minutes from Athens, I was certain that I did not want to follow the crowd and go to UGA. However, after visiting ten other schools across the country, I realized that none of them compared to UGA in my mind. I finally made the decision to come to UGA and have not looked back since.

Advice for students searching colleges: Be open-minded!

Christy
Hometown: Cumming, GA
Year in school: 2nd
Major: Early Childhood Education
Minor: Child and Family Development

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Big City Bread - I love the Silver Dollar Pancakes!

Why did you choose UGA: Bulldog nation spirit + academic rigor + eclectic Athens + incredible people + HOPE Scholarship = The Best Combination for a Wonderful College Experience

Advice for students searching colleges: Think outside your box!

Connor
Hometown: Mobile, AL
Year in school: 4th
Major: Economics; International Affairs

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: East-West Bistro - it is delicious.

Favorite UGA tradition: The lone trumpeter in the southwest corner of Sanford Stadium playing the Battle Hymn of the Bulldog Nation gets me every time.

Advice for students searching colleges: We may not understand it now, but there is a great plan for each of us. In the end, we all end up right where we should be.

Darryl
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Year in school: 4th
Major: Environmental Health; Public Relations

Favorite spot on campus: I love going to the Tate Student Center and chilling during "Tate Time." I also love the Performing and Visual Arts Complex (PVAC) at night. It looks really cool when East Campus is all lit up!

Why did you choose UGA: After making a huge pros and cons list, I finally decided to come to UGA based on the scholarship opportunities through the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities and The College of Public Health. It was definitely the most “Bang for the Buck,” so to speak. I would have to say that even though it took a lot of thought, it was definitely one of my better decisions.

Advice for students searching colleges: Make sure that you choose a school that is the perfect mixture of both FUN and academic achievement!

Elizabeth
Hometown: Macon, GA
Year in school: 4th
Major: Psychology; Broadcast News

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Outside at Last Resort or DePalma’s

Why did you choose UGA: Because it is the best college in the world. Fact.

Advice for students searching colleges: Walk around the campus while classes are in session and attend the place where you feel most at home.

Erin
Hometown: Marietta, GA
Year in school: 4th
Major: International Affairs

Favorite spot on campus: North campus, the second tree to the left, third branch up.

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Big City Bread.

Advice for students searching colleges: Keep an open mind and don't rule anything out! Look at the student body and the surrounding town to find the perfect fit.

Fadi
Hometown: Johns Creek, GA
Year in school: 4th
Major: Health Promotion (Pre-med)

Favorite spot on campus: One of my favorite spots on campus is the Sanford Bridge, especially when the football field is being painted for game day.

Why did you choose UGA: I applied to schools that were very different from one another, but what set UGA apart was the perfect balance between academics and social life. I have yet to be let down.

Advice for students searching colleges: Do your research, and take your time doing it. Visit campuses, take tours, talk to students, and ask questions…everything helps! Most importantly, don’t ask yourself what the best college is; rather, ask yourself, “where will I have the best college experience.” Finally, enjoy your senior year and don’t let your college search be too overwhelming.

Hannah
Hometown: Suwanee, GA
Year in school: 2nd
Major: Broadcast News
Minor: Speech Communication

Favorite spot on campus: The steps by Park Hall. If you stand at the top of the stairs you can look out and see many important aspects of your first year experience: the dorms, the buildings where you'll have most of your classes, and the place where you'll spend every Saturday in the fall.

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: My daily lunch consists of a turkey sandwich, Doritos, an orange, and a glass of Crystal Light at Bolton Dining Commons. It has yet to let me down.

Advice for students searching colleges: Don't concentrate on where your friends or classmates are going. Find somewhere that’s going to make you happy. When you start your first semester make sure to get involved early because it will make any campus seem smaller and allow you to meet many new people.

Janelle
Hometown: Alpharetta, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Finance
Minor: Spanish

Favorite spot on campus: Fourth floor study rooms in the Miller Learning Center overlooking the Tate Student Center and Sanford Stadium. Also, the park by the pharmacy school.

Why did you choose UGA: I knew I could get a fabulous education at a great southern school near my home. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be a Bulldog?

Advice for students searching colleges: Go visit! I fell in love with Georgia the minute I stepped foot on campus.

Jason
Hometown: Snellville, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Broadcast News

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: My favorite lunch spot in Athens is Weaver D's Delicious Fine Foods. The motto of this soul food restaurant, "Automatic for the People," inspired an R.E.M. album title and its unique environment and award winning food make it a favorite among students, faculty, and Athens locals.

Favorite UGA tradition: My favorite tradition at UGA is the enthusiasm of the Bulldog Fans! No matter what the sport, football, basketball, gymnastics, volleyball or baseball, a pack of Dawg Fans will be there cheering on their peers!

Advice for students searching colleges: The best advice I could give to someone searching colleges is to look at as many schools as possible. I would suggest looking at big universities and small colleges, schools in large cities, and others in small towns. Make sure that the college you choose is a perfect fit for you. Find out about the school's athletics, student organizations, community service opportunities, academics, majors, and food! (The last one is really important!)

Jenny
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Year in school: 1st year graduate student
Major: Sport Management & Policy

Favorite spot on campus: The bridge in the heart of campus overlooking Sanford Stadium

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Last Resort

Advice for students searching colleges: Consider the overall package that each college has to offer you. Find one where you feel completely comfortable and at home. Relax and enjoy the search—You’ll end up where you’re meant to go.

Justin
Hometown: Marietta, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Political Science

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Little Italy. Who wouldn't want to spend an afternoon trying to conquer two pieces of pizza that are almost larger than your head?

Favorite UGA tradition: Sitting on Kudzu Hill taking in a baseball game on a warm and sunny day.

Advice for students searching colleges: Do not forget that you have to live wherever you choose to go to school for the next four years. Do everything you can to make sure that your school makes you happy. Everything else will just fall in to place.

Katuschka
Hometown: Mobile, AL
Year in school: 4th
Major: Public Relations; International Affairs
Minor: Religion

Why did you choose UGA: Coming from a relatively small high school, I always wanted to go to a large university but still have an intimate college town feel. Athens was just perfect! I chose UGA because it was such a great all-around fit. UGA offers so many opportunities for growth and involvement in academics, athletics, cultural experiences, clubs and organizations, etc. I felt like at UGA, I would really be challenged to develop as an individual. At UGA, I’ve never felt bored or like I’ve run out of new things or new people to experience.

Favorite UGA tradition: I love the story behind why students don’t walk under the Arch.

Advice for students searching colleges: Really search for a school that will challenge you, not just academically. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, look at schools you never thought you’d consider, go out-of-state, things like that. And definitely visit schools! I never did and I really feel like that would have facilitated my college decision.

Kiel
Hometown: Kennesaw, GA
Year in school: 4th
Major: Special Education

Why did you choose UGA: UGA is the perfect college experience! This is a very up beat campus with lots of major options and a variety of activities and organizations to get involved in or start yourself.

Favorite UGA tradition: Ringing the Chapel bell and waiting to walk underneath the Arch until you graduate.

Advice for students searching colleges: Make the decision for yourself. Don't worry about what your parents want or what your friends are doing. College is you stepping out on your own!

Kimberly
Hometown: Stone Mountain, GA
Year in school: 2nd
Major: Health Promotion

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Joe Frank Harris Commons...because I love UGA meal plan!

Favorite UGA tradition: My favorite UGA tradition is every Saturday in the fall. I love UGA football and game days are something like you’ve never experienced. The sea of red and black is a site to see and there is an unexplainable feeling that comes over you when you cheer on the Dawgs with thousands of other screaming fans.

Advice for students searching colleges: To pick the college or university that is going to fit YOU! College is a new experience and whichever university you attend will be your home for the next four years. Just like choosing any new home you want to make sure that your home fits your personal needs and allows you to grow. You should look for this in a university and I’m pretty sure you will find that UGA is that place.

Kimi
Hometown: Duluth, GA
Year in school: 4th
Major: Pharmacy

Favorite spot on campus: The 4th floor of the Science Library is my favorite, especially during finals when my friends and I take up a few tables and hang out while attempting to study.

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: It’s a tie between Big City Bread and Five Points Deli.

Advice for students searching colleges: Don’t be afraid to ask too many questions while on your campus visits. Find a place where you feel the most comfortable, but at the same time, don’t limit yourself from stepping beyond your comfort zone.

Laura Ann
Hometown: Winchester, TN
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Pre-Business; Spanish

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Transmetropolitan or Barberitos

Why did you choose UGA: For its perfect combination of rigorous academics and fun.

Advice for students searching colleges: Keep an open mind!

Lauren
Hometown: Peachtree City, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Biological Science

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: My favorite place for lunch is Cookies and Company Cafe, sitting at a table outside with good friends. However, in Athens it's hard to pick a favorite!

Why did you choose UGA: I chose UGA because of the size of the school and the amazing town of Athens. When I came to college I was ready to meet some new people and get involved and I felt like UGA was a great place to do that. The University also offers so many extracurricular activities that I couldn't wait to get involved! The town of Athens itself really sold me though. I had never been to a campus with such a great college town. Athens really gives UGA students an amazing place to call home.

Advice for students searching colleges: My advice for students is to visit all the schools you are thinking about, find out about extracurricular activities that interest you and go with your gut! Also look at the town the school is located in, you will be living there for the next 4-5 years so make sure it is somewhere you will enjoy. If you fall in love with a school, go for it! Don't be afraid to go far away or somewhere totally new to you.

Lucas
Hometown: Cumming, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Broadcast News

Favorite spot on campus: Anywhere on North Campus on a beautiful afternoon.

Why did you choose UGA: I came on a visit the summer before my freshman year of college and fell in love with the university and everything about it.

Advice for students searching colleges: Look at a lot of different universities but do not decide on where you're going to spend your collegiate years without going to that school yourself. Many friends and family members will try to influence where you ultimately will enroll but make it your decision on what you feel in your heart!

Manik
Hometown: McDonough, GA
Year in school: 4th
Major: Finance (Pre-Med)
Minor: Spanish

Favorite spot on campus: The Ramsey Center. It has something for everybody. You like to run, swim, bike, lift weights, or play basketball all in one place.

Why did you choose UGA: I chose UGA because I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my two older sisters who both graduated from here. I saw the vast array of opportunities and experiences they had over their college careers, and I truly felt that I could leave my own mark on this campus. Being close to home was a big factor in my decision-making as well and Athens provides that perfect distance.

Advice for students searching colleges: Don't rush into making a decision. Evaluate all your options and wait for the right opportunity. College only comes once (at least for most people) so just enjoy, try different things, and work hard at the same time because it does help shape your future.

Madison
Hometown: Alpharetta, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Nutrition Science

Favorite spot on campus: Myers Quad! After living in Myers my freshman year I am obsessed with how many great experiences I had there! In the Quad you can play Frisbee, hang out with friends, or walk over to the best dining hall on campus - Snelling! Also, ESPN College Gameday broadcast from Myers Quad during the 2008 football season.

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: East/West Bistro - check out their Blackened Salmon BLT or Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad!

Advice for students searching colleges: Definitely visit each college on your list for the following reasons: 1) you get to meet cool tour guides like us 2) you can picture yourself living on that campus and 3) you will realize how great UGA is!

Mikaya
Hometown: Stone Mountain, GA
Year in school: 2nd
Major: Spanish; Pre-Journalism

Favorite spot on campus: My favorite spot on campus is the Founder's Memorial Garden! UGA has over 33,000 students and many people may think that with all those students, it would be impossible to find a quiet place on campus. But that isn't true! The Founder's Garden is one of the most relaxing places on campus where anybody can lay out, study, or even picnic. I love going and relaxing by the pond with my iPod and good book. I used to think of the garden as my secret spot, but I guess it's not a secret anymore!

Favorite UGA tradition: My favorite UGA tradition is ringing The Chapel bell after a big test. There is nothing more invigorating than finishing a final exam at the Miller Learning Center, running over to The Chapel, and relieving all of your stress on the bell.

Advice for students searching colleges: Don't stress out! College is going to be the best time of your life, don't let the process freak you out. Turn in your applications, pick the college that is right for YOU, and get ready for the years you will never forget!

Nick
Hometown: Winchester, TN
Year in school: 4th
Major: Landscape Architecture

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Depends on what I am feeling but always downtown.

Why did you choose UGA: The atmosphere that Athens provides.

Advice for students searching colleges: Choose the place that you feel the most comfortable and also do not only look at the academics of the school but look at the social aspects of the college you decide upon.

Nicole
Hometown: Marietta, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Public Relations
Minor: Chinese; Spanish

Favorite spot on campus: Walking through Tate Plaza around lunch time, when all the students are bustling to class and talking and there are so many student activities going on around you (club promotions, concerts, etc.). It’s really what you imagine a college to be like.

Favorite UGA tradition: One side of the Sanford Stadium screaming “GEORGIA!” and the other side screaming “BULLDOGS!”. Our love for football (among many other things) on gameday Saturdays really unifies the entire student body, alumni, and other fans.

Advice for students searching colleges: Choose a place where you feel most comfortable and a place where you can see yourself for the next four years. Don’t go for friends or because of what you’ve heard; really take an inside look into what’s going to be your home for the next four years. And above all, make the best of wherever you end up!

Parker
Hometown: Gainesville, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Film Studies; English

Favorite spot on campus: North Campus under the big central tree in front of the main library.

Favorite UGA tradition: Football. Everything from tailgating on North campus and ringing the Chapel bell to jingling our keys at the opposition’s fans during a 4th quarter blowout.

Advice for students searching colleges: Get involved! UGA is large enough to make it as big or as small as you want. We have over 500 clubs or organizations, there is bound to be something that piques your interest.

Pavle
Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa
Year in school: 4th
Major: Finance

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Cracker Barrel!! I never thought I would give in to Southern cooking. You can find me there almost every Sunday morning drinking sweet tea and devouring a home cooked meal.

Why did you choose UGA: After visiting the campus, I knew UGA was the place for me. Not only do I get a great education here, but I am exposed to endless opportunities and immersed in arguably the greatest athletic culture in the nation. Not to mention, the people on our campus are friendly, intelligent, and unique. I may have been raised in South Africa, but I definitely bleed red and black.

Advice for student searching colleges: Don't just follow your friends. Go on campus visits, ask questions and get a feel for the atmosphere of each school. Finally, attend the college YOU feel most at home.

Ryan
Hometown: Kennesaw, GA
Year in school: 4th
Major: Political Science; Speech Communication

Favorite spot on campus: The Bridge on Sanford Drive

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: The Grill

Advice for students searching colleges: Keep an open mind and visit as many schools as possible. I grew up wanting to follow family tradition and attend another SEC institution. After one visit to Athens during my junior year of high school that all changed. Georgia’s campus, history, and academic opportunities gave me second thoughts about attending the other school. Now in my third year here, I cannot imagine going to school at any other university. To think, if I had stuck to what was comfortable to me, I likely would never have even visited UGA!

Sara
Hometown: Kennesaw, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Business Management
Minor: Italian

Favorite spot on campus: The corner of Baldwin Street and Sanford Drive. You can see so much of campus there, not to mention there is the most student traffic so you see lots of friends.

Why did you choose UGA: The size of the school and opportunities on campus. I cam from a small high school and was ready to meet tons of new people while still being offered great academics and extracurriculars.

Advice for students searching colleges: Look at all programs offered at the school. Look at the town because it’s where you have to live/spend time. And look at the people! Are they having fun?

Suzanne
Hometown: Woodstock, GA
Year in school: 4th
Major: Political Science
Minor: Speech Communication

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Five Star Day Cafe

Why did you choose UGA: I came from a big high school and was sure I wanted to come to a big college too. I just love that I meet new people all the time and that there are always new activities to get involved with. Plus, the people here are really, truly enjoying their college experience and that attitude is contagious!

Advice for students searching colleges: When you visit college campuses talk to as many students as possible. Look for students who are in love with their college and their city and go to that college! Students can give the most unbiased impressions of the college experience and they are the best indicator of what your time at that college will be like!

Trey
Hometown: Athens, GA
Year in school: 3rd
Major: Biochemistry; Finance
Minor: Spanish

Favorite spot on campus: The third floor terrace of the Holmes-Hunter building provides a phenomenal view of North Campus, especially at night. You can see where downtown Athens and UGA literally collide at the Arch. It's a great place to people watch too.

Favorite lunch spot in Athens: Peaches Fine Foods on Broad Street. This restaurant is packed with locals and college students alike every day of the week. Nowhere else can you find fried chicken and mashed potatoes of this quality. And the sweet tea is the sweetest and best you've ever tasted, I guarantee it.

Advice for students searching colleges: Find a campus that you love everything about: the people, the weather, the academics, the culture, the town and go with your instinct. Find somewhere that you feel challenged but also at home. Keep an open mind, but also follow your passions. If you really want to be thorough, ask students on campus what bothers them the most. If they can easily list off numerous things that they're dissatisfied with, then similar things probably will bother you if you go there. On the other hand, if they struggle to think of specific things and only have great things to say, you may have found just what you're looking for.

Visitors Center Management

• Eric Johnson, Director
• Natalie Harris, Assistant Director
• Terri Franks, Administrative Secretary
• Greg Rountree, Communications Manager
  
  

The University of Georgia Visitors Center
Four Towers Building
Athens, GA 30602-6755
Phone: 706/542-0842
Fax: 706/542-5151
E-mail address: visituga@uga.edu
(Responses usually take three to four business days)