New Students, Listen Up: Lawnies Have Advice for You

Lucky for them, residents of the Lawn – home to fourth-year students who have made extraordinary contributions to the University – offer advice and insight for the new first-years.

Nick Chu

Hometown: Chicago

Major: Biology

Favorite UVA tradition: I really liked Rotunda Sing when I was a first year, not only because I ended up joining an a cappella group, but also because it’s really cool as a first year to come in and have everybody get together on the Lawn. There’s a lot of that first-year energy that’s really special.

Go-to Bodo’s order: Everything bagel with a deli egg.

What I wish I’d known: It’s OK to just join a ton of things when you get here, and if you end up figuring out that it’s not for you, it’s totally OK to take yourself off a mailing list or stop going to meetings. Just spread your net as wide as you can.

Pratha Purushottam

Hometown: Elmira, New York

Major: Political philosophy, policy and law

Favorite spot on Grounds: Sunbathing on the Lawn.

Favorite restaurant: My favorite restaurant is actually a bakery, Cou Cou Rachou. It’s by the Dairy Market, and it has the best pastries I’ve ever had in my life.

What I wish I’d known: Everything happens for a reason. I think in the first year if something small goes bad, it seems like the end of the world, but I don’t think I would be here today without the challenges I faced in my first year.

Ben Ueltschey

Hometown: Tupelo, Mississippi

Major: Double major in political theory and sociology

Go-to coffee spot: Shenandoah Joe’s across from the Dairy Market. I get just a black cold brew.

Must-do activity: Rope swing at the Rivanna River.

What I wish I’d known: You can take classes outside of your specific area of interest and try new things.

Annalisa Cintron

Hometown: Houston

Major: Nursing

Favorite spot on Grounds: Now I would say my Lawn room, but I used to live in Lambeth, and Lambeth Field was my favorite spot.

Must-do activity: Definitely go to a basketball game. The energy there is crazy.

What I wish I’d known: Don’t overcommit to everything. You can like a bunch of things, but it’s also OK to just find the few niche things that you like.

Nathan Onibundo

Hometown: Springfield

Major: Double major in philosophy and political philosophy, policy and law

Favorite hobby: Sitting out here on the Lawn. I know it’s cliche, but I have a lot of fond memories either doing fireplace night in some of my friends’ Lawn rooms or reading good books under the shade in some of the trees out here.

A course I’d recommend to all new students: News Writing with professor Kate Sweeney. She is incredible.

What I wish I’d known: The people around me were willing to help. I feel like I came to Grounds determined to figure it out by myself … but I feel like it all came together when I started trusting the people around me. The University is special because of the people who make this place a community.

Ana Aguirre

Hometown: Houston

Major: Nursing

Favorite spot on Grounds: The Nursing School lobby, because there’s always food there. They have a food pantry for us. They always feed us, and the staff always have their doors open.

Favorite UVA tradition: It has to be Lighting of the Lawn, because it’s so beautiful. You see families there and there’s hot chocolate. It’s just amazing.

What I wish I’d known: Everything is going to be OK. I was really nervous coming here, especially being from out of state and during COVID-19, but it’s OK to take your time here.

Jacob Hobbs

Hometown: Virginia Beach

Major: Double major in computer science and women, gender and sexuality studies

Go-to Bodo’s order: I always get the bacon, egg and cheese.

Must-do activity: I might be a little biased, but I feel like a must-do activity is just having a picnic on the Lawn on a 70-degree day. It’s healing.

What I wish I’d known: There’s always so many events to do first year, so my biggest tip is just push yourself as much as you can to be social and go to all these events. Even if you don’t like the event, you’ll meet people.

Stepheney Odom-Thomas

Hometown: Yorktown

Major: Double major in foreign affairs and global studies

Favorite hobby: Reading. I love a good romance novel.

A course I would recommend to all students: Intro to Global Sustainability by (architecture professor) Phoebe Crisman. She will inspire you so much.

What I wish I’d known: Nap spots. I know that sounds ridiculous, but self-care is a nap in the middle of the day, and if you need to find one on Grounds, do so as quickly as possible.

Zoe Jenkins

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky

Major: Double major in youth and social innovation and political and social thought

A course I would recommend to all students: The Resilient Student with (associate professor of leadership and public policy) Timothy Davis. I took it my first semester, and it totally changed the way I thought about college. Now I help teach the class.

Favorite spot on Grounds: The Dome Room of the Rotunda.

What I wish I’d known: It’s OK if it takes you awhile to find your people. I think I had a hard time being an out-of-state student, and my roommate was from Charlottesville, and so I felt like I wasn’t making any friends, and it took me a few minutes.