Some things are distinctive to college life: the taste of dining hall food, the chilly air in the library and the smell of beer soaked into the floor at fraternity houses. And the sound, coming from open dormitory windows and the front porches of houses, of guitars playing.
Guitar plays a large part in University culture -- many people play it, even more want to learn. And for every student who already plays, plenty more are willing to listen.
First-year College student Anderson Gould already has noticed the phenomenon.
"It draws a crowd. I think part of it is being able to share, whether your taste or what they want to hear," Gould said.
While many students play just for fun, or to fill their free time, some of these musicians dedicate much of their time to their music.
Gould, for example, began playing when his parents surprised him with a guitar in fourth grade. In high school he played in a folk duo that recorded two albums and toured many Virginia venues.
Fourth-year College student Danny Lee started his guitar career in fifth grade, mainly playing acoustic guitar. During his second year at the University, he played at a number of fraternity houses as a member of the band Fiddler's Green.
Many of these guitarists also find musical outlets other than acoustic strumming or lead guitar.
Third-year Commerce student Rob Ferreri plays bass in the band The Bureau, which formed in his sophomore year of high school.
Third-year Engineering student Wei-han Lai expresses himself through jazz as part of a group that meets in Old Cabell Hall on Fridays.
And Gould, in the four weeks he's spent at the University, already has formed a band that includes guitar, keyboard, drums and cello, called Second-hand Yoda.
Gould said he thinks part of the reason that guitar is so popular at the University is that there are so many opportunities to perform.
"Venues are easy to find here," Gould said. "There are little places on Grounds, there's Rugby Road and there are a lot of clubs."
The abundance of other musicians and venues makes the college atmosphere an attractive place to learn to play guitar.
"So many people do it that you can find other people to play with fairly easily," Ferreri said.
Lee added that the free time that college students enjoy makes them more likely to want to try something new, like guitar.
"Musical horizons broaden when people get to college," Lee said. "Plus, guitar is the easiest instrument to have in your dorm room."
The process of learning guitar lends itself to those who never have played an instrument before, but want to learn quickly and without much training.
"You don't need lessons if you can get someone to teach you the chords," Ferreri said. "You can learn stuff on your own after a while."
For those who played guitar before coming to U.Va., the number of students who share their passion might seem a bit surprising.
"When I started, it had nothing to do with trying to be cool," Lai said. "At college, people say, 'Oh, you play guitar.' You're like every other guy."
Gould also said he was surprised by the number of guitar players at the University.
"It's everyone you meet," Gould said. "You think you're cool 'til you get here. I guess that means you have to get better."
Despite their massive numbers, University guitar players do not reap the usual benefits of their image with respect to the opposite sex.
"I wish it helped out more," Ferreri said. "It's definitely an image that you get. If I tried, maybe I could use it to my advantage."
Gould said that playing guitar has earned him some female attention, but in the end, a guitar player must put in the same amount of effort as anyone else.
"I've had girls say to me, 'You're so hot when you play guitar,'" Gould said. "And I definitely get complaints from other guys. But it doesn't seem like I get the hookups. Maybe I'm not playing the right stuff."
Even if it doesn't help him to woo ladies, playing guitar still is a fantastic way to meet people, Gould says.
"One night I was playing while everyone was coming back from Rugby Road, and 20 or 25 people stopped and were socializing -- it created a gathering," Gould said. "It's good to see people having a good time. It's just as rewarding as people paying a lot of attention."
While a high number of guitar players in the student body might be a phenomenon at many schools, guitar players at the University share one unique characteristic.
They must confront the Dave syndrome.
"If you're at a party and you go into a friend's room and someone asks you to play, you'll inevitably be asked what Dave Matthews you play," Lee said.
According to Gould, Matthews' legacy in Charlottesville helps explain the attraction of guitar to University students.
"The most frequent question is 'Can you play any Dave?,'" Gould said. "Sometimes you want to say, 'No.' He's good, but people want to hear him too much."
All of the musicians are firm in the conviction that they will play guitar for the rest of their lives, whether professionally or for their own enjoyment.
Lai said guitar is part of every moment of his day.
"Everything I do, I think, how is this going to affect my guitar playing?" Lai said. "I had to rebuild my chair because the armrests were in the way. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I know I'll be playing guitar, whether as a hobby or if I'm actually doing something music oriented."
Ferreri expressed similar sentiments.
"The band's going to keep going to the end of our college careers at least," he said. "Maybe we'll take a year off after. It's so much fun, it doesn't seem like it's real. I'll probably play my whole life just for fun."
Gould said the "magical" feeling that results from performing is part of what he loves about guitar.
"I'm not going to be a music major, but I'll always be a musician," Gould said. "It's an amazing feeling to sit on stage with different people. It would be tough to give up."
For these few men, and many other students at the University, guitar is not just a hobby.
It's a way of life.
Who knows, maybe Dave won't be the only musical prodigy from Charlottesville.
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