No matter where you are in the world, you can always find something that you don’t necessarily enjoy. Colleges and universities are no exception. They lure you in with talks of great knowledge and beautiful facilities, but they don’t tell you about the things you should worry about. There are many great things that come with UNC Charlotte, but with that come some things to avoid.
1.) Traffic
Charlotte is known to many people as the melting pot of the South, and UNC Charlotte is guilty by association. A great portion of students commute to campus and this makes for heavy traffic when classes are over, especially around 5 o’clock. If you want to avoid traffic on campus I suggest parking at a nearby apartment complex, but make sure it’s “Visitor” parking.
Apartments such as “The Edge” and “University Terrace” offer visitor parking or they don’t tow. You can also try planning your class schedule to get out of class before 5 o’clock, although that doesn’t always work.
2.) Master the Menu
There are many restaurants on campus with different varieties for everyone. If you don’t want to eat fast food, you can visit one of two dining halls. While the food is good, after a while you know what you’re going to get. Not every student can buy fast food; some have a meal plan that requires eating at a dining hall three times a day.
The food in the dining hall is just about always the same. There is a variety of food in the dining halls, but it’s always the same variety and four years of it can drive you insane.
3.) Beware of Birds
Since I graduated in 2012, the geese problem at UNC Charlotte has been removed. However, we weren’t as lucky during my tenure. “Stop for the geese!” and “you will be fined” were some not-so-friendly warnings from campus officials. Near the main entrance there is a lake that used to be home to geese.
These geese ruled the campus and even if they weren’t around you still had to look out for their droppings everywhere. Once, a mother laid her eggs by the library steps in a discreet spot. People would walk by without knowing, and if they got too close, they were attacked. She was eventually removed from the area, and a few months later I never really saw the geese again.
4.) Lab classes
Certain subjects have lab classes that are more hands-on. For example, I took a lab class for geology where we did experiments with salts, rocks, and minerals. The classes are fun and you have to learn a lot of material, but they are only pass-or-fail classes. This means that no matter how hard you studied or worked, the grade doesn’t matter. These labs don’t affect your grade point average, but some majors require them. They are a waste of hard work in my opinion.
5.) The Auditorium
Everyone needs the class they can go to and lay low or do work for another class if they are ever in that “rare” situation. These classrooms are so big that the professor has students sign their names on a roll passed around the class for about thirty minutes.
Universities have thousands of students taking the same classes and sometimes there are too few classes and too many students. If you are a person who needs that one-on-one attention or needs to ask a lot of questions, avoid these classes at all costs. When creating your schedule, you can see classroom size and maximum occupancy.
If you remember these tips, I promise it will definitely make your experience at UNC Charlotte the best that it can be.
David Smith graduated from UNC Charlotte in 2012. The world is what you make it.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you avoid traffic at UNC Charlotte?
- A great portion of students commute, so traffic is heaviest when classes end, especially around 5 o'clock. Park at a nearby apartment complex's visitor parking (such as The Edge or University Terrace, which don't tow) or schedule classes to end before 5.
- What was the geese problem at UNC Charlotte?
- Geese living by the lake near the main entrance ruled the campus, with droppings everywhere and campus warnings to stop for the geese or be fined. One goose nested by the library steps and attacked anyone who came close; the problem was gone by the author's 2012 graduation.
- Do lab classes affect your GPA at UNC Charlotte?
- No. Lab classes are pass or fail only, so hard work doesn't change the grade and they don't affect your grade point average, though some majors require them.
- Why avoid big auditorium classes at UNC Charlotte?
- The rooms are so large that the professor has students sign their names on a roll passed around for about thirty minutes. If you need one-on-one attention or ask a lot of questions, avoid them; classroom size and maximum occupancy are visible when you build your schedule.
- What are the dining options at UNC Charlotte?
- Many on-campus restaurants, including fast food, plus two dining halls. The dining hall food is good but the variety is always the same, and four years of it can drive you insane.