It’s been over a month since I moved from England to Virginia for my year abroad. American chick flicks are my guilty pleasure. So, I automatically assumed I’d be walking onto the set of “Mean Girls” — navigating different cliques, figuring out American boys and desperately trying to find something pink to wear on Wednesdays. It’s safe to say my expectations were set relatively high. Even though I knew that not all stereotypes are real — come on guys, Brits don’t actually bathe in tea or play croquet with the Queen — I still had many preconceived notions for my university experience in the United States.
Expectation No. 1 — Huge frat parties
Reality — Huge frat parties
I found that this assumption was entirely accurate on one of my first nights in Charlottesville, as I waded through mountains of red cups, discarded from what seemed like the largest beer pong tournament to ever exist — heads up to the Guinness World Records, Charlottesville is a real contender. After finally making it into the kitchen, now drenched in sweat from the overwhelming number of people that spilled out of the house, my eyes fell first upon a huge American flag that hung from the wall and then on the two huge kegs that took up most of the floor space. To my disappointment, no one was doing a keg stand — I blame “American Pie” for that one. Just as I thought it couldn’t meet my expectations anymore, a guy jumped through the window shouting “God bless America.” At this point I was questioning whether I was dreaming or not.
Expectation No. 2 — Similar student life to England
Reality — Much, much more intense student life than England
How University students manage to keep up with work, exercise, sports games, extracurricular activities and still have time to hit Boylan Heights with their friends is beyond me. My days are a blur of studying and classes, stressing about midterms as I battle my way down McCormick Road, struggling to push through the swarms of other stressed-out students that surround the entire path — somehow moving both too slowly to overtake, and so fast that you feel like you might get trampled if you stumble — as fights break out, children cry and sirens wail in the distance. It feels like you’ve run a marathon before you even get to class.
Expectation No. 3 — A small degree of university spirit
Reality — Live and breathe Wahoowa
The love that students have for the University is unlike anything I expected. In England, it’s not that common to wear clothing from your school or go to sports games to support your team. Here, it’s an unspoken rule that everyone must carry at least one item with the University logo on — I’ve gone along with this rule out of fear of my visa being revoked. T-shirts, umbrellas, hats — I’ve even seen dogs sporting tiny little Cavalier scarves.
Expectation No. 4 — Big passion for sports
Reality — Overwhelming passion for sports
My stereotypical expectations were reinforced when I attended my first American football game. My knowledge of the rules were pretty limited — despite half-heartedly watching the Super Bowl for the last two years — and so I expected to give up halfway through the game and go home. However, the production that goes into American football games is so incredible that I just had to stay for the entire thing. I even learned the rules! The entire stadium consisted of a sea of orange — students dressed in Cavalier gear from head to toe — who chanted and gestured in unison. There were cheerleaders doing flips, a marching band that moved in time, students waving flags — I didn’t know where to look. Then they brought out a horse, which blew my expectations out of the water.
Expectation No. 5 — Falling in love with Aaron Samuels
Reality — So far, no sign of Aaron
The many chick flicks I’ve seen have promised me romance, love and a happy ending, complete with amorous music and cheesy pick-up lines. After not finding my Prince William at school in England, I decided to expand my horizons to Virginia, so I’m still hoping to meet a rich American husband named “Dwight” or “Chuck.” So far, I have been unsuccessful, but I haven’t given up yet.
As much as I try to blend in — I even have the “University of Virginia” shirt to prove it — my British accent is the first giveaway. I haven’t been met with cries of “She doesn’t even go here!” yet, but perhaps this is because of everyone’s Southern hospitality — another unexpected, yet delightful reality of University students. When you travel to a new place, it’s important to stay open-minded and remember that expectations are not always accurate.
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