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Shaded by rows of live oak trees, rolling lawns with St. Augustine grass brilliantly green, and graced with architecturally harmonious buildings (with an Italian Renaissance look?), this is a truly beautiful campus. It's hard to believe that Downtown Houston is nearby and the huge Texas Medical Center is immediately adjacent. Beautiful Campus ... - Review of Rice University, Houston, TX - TripAdvisorRice is beautiful in that as it expanded, the original Mediteranean architecture is maintained. New buildings fit an overall vision, not added haphazardly. The style resembles certain buildings at the University of Southern California, which however show no consistency. While it is located near the huge Texas Medical Center, the school is secluded by arbory.The 100 Most Beautiful College Campuses In America18. Rice University – Houston, TexasThe campus of Rice University may be relatively diminutive at only 295 acres, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in lush green expanses and stunning wooded areas. Threaded through the grounds is the Lynn R. Lowrey Arboretum, which with its approximately 4,200 shrubs and trees is a treat for any budding botanist – or indeed those who just love to bask in the beauty of nature. On the architectural front, Rice doesn’t disappoint either, thanks to splendid buildings like the iconic Lovett Hall. This Mediterranean-inspired stone and brick edifice was constructed in 1911, based on the designs of noted American architect Ralph Adams Cram and Princeton faculty member and inaugural Rice president Edgar Odell Lovett. The university itself was established in Houston, Texas in 1912.2017's Most Beautiful College Campuses | The Best Colleges.org42. Rice UniversityLocated in downtown Houston’s Museum District, Rice University has still found a way to provide plenty of green space for its students. Priding itself as an environmentally responsible campus, Duncan Hall, the Math and Science Center, is one of the favorite buildings on campus. Two newer residential dorms, McMurtry College and Duncan College, are LEED Gold certified. Based on the request of the University’s first president’s watchful eye, nearly every building on campus was crafted in Byzantine style featuring sand and pink-colored bricks, large archways, and columns.America’s Most Beautiful College CampusesCourtesy of Rice UniversityRice University: HoustonDon’t be fooled by Rice’s urban address. A double row of majestic oak trees encloses its perimeter—a harbinger of the lush 285-acre campus to come, divided into quadrangles and planted with 4,300-plus elms, hickories, maples, and other trees (a ratio of more than one for each undergrad). The oldest buildings, like the standout Lovett Hall, borrow elements of medieval southern European architecture, including grand, arched passageways and rose-hued brick.—Ratha TepAmerica’s Most Beautiful College CampusesTake a crash course in architecture at the country’s most beautiful college campuses.Dan Addison/ U. Va. Public Affairs by Travel + Leisure Staff“If you ask freshmen why they chose their colleges, they usually say one of two things,” says Baltimore architect Adam Gross, who’s worked on projects at the University of Virginia and Swarthmore. “Either they got a good financial aid package or they thought the campus was beautiful.”America’s most beautiful college campuses have the power not only to sway indecisive high school students, of course, but also to attract tourists. Their appeal comes through varying combinations of awe-inspiring architecture, landscaping, and surroundings. To choose among more than 2,600 four-year American colleges, we considered these three key factors as well as architects’ expert opinions.“The most important thing to realize is that how landscaping and buildings interconnect is as important as the buildings themselves,” explains Boston-based architect Mark deShong. At Princeton University, for example, “It’s really about landscape,” he says. The campus connects its ivy-covered gray stone buildings with footpaths, idyllic small greens, and courtyards that create an intimate village-like scale.Architectural coherence also plays a role in making a campus beautiful. Take the University of San Diego, which sticks to one architectural style: the Spanish Renaissance, with its elaborate façades, delicate ironwork, and carved wood. Ocean views and palm-tree-lined courtyards are extra selling points.Yale can’t compete when it comes to location, but it has embraced one architectural movement after another. As Robert A. M. Stern, dean of Yale’s School of Architecture, puts it: “Our campus is a living history of the architecture and urbanism of its three centuries in New Haven.” Whatever your taste, you’ll find a structure to your liking on a campus stroll, perhaps dorms designed by 1960s starchitect Eero Saarinen or James Gamble Rogers’s imposing Gothic bell tower.But no assessment of America’s campuses would be complete without the University of Virginia. “You might think it looks like all these other campuses, but it’s the first to look like that,” says deShong. He cites founder and architect Thomas Jefferson’s then-novel concept of flanking a lawn with pavilions linked by colonnades and a grand library at its head. New York-based architect Alexander Cooper concurs: “UVA remains the masterpiece of American campus planning.”So plan your own trip to check out these campus masterpieces. Think we missed a beautiful campus? Tell us why it should make the grade by posting a comment below. —Ratha TepTina Case of Case Rust PhotographyStanford University: Palo Alto, CAThe entryway to Stanford’s 8,180-acre campus is arguably the grandest of any college campus: a mile-long, tree-lined Palm Drive leads up to the expansive green oval Main Quad, surrounded by red-clay-roof-tiled buildings, and the campus’s crown architectural jewel, Memorial Church, with its striking mosaic façade. Beauty continues at the Cantor Arts Center's collection of 170 bronzes by Auguste Rodin, one of the largest beyond Paris, including the Gates of Hell and The Burghers of Calais, one of twenty pieces in the outdoor sculpture garden. The view of campus—and all the way to San Francisco on a clear day—is best captured from the Hoover Tower observation platform.—Ratha TepBerry CollegeBerry College: Mount Berry, GAThis rural college holds a lofty record: it’s the world’s largest contiguous college campus in the world, with more than 27,000 acres of fields, lakes, forests, and mountains. Berry makes prime use of its setting too, with numerous reflecting pools and fountains situated nearby its beautiful English Gothic–inspired buildings like the Ford Dining Hall, Ford Auditorium, and Mary Hall, made possible by the school’s largest benefactor—Henry Ford. A new, 800-square-foot welcome center, planned to be a "simple but beautiful structure" is in the works. —Ratha TepDennis MacDonald / AlamyUniversity of Notre Dame: South Bend, INIt’s hard to miss the glistening golden dome of the university’s Main Building, not to mention the neo-Gothic Basilica of the Sacred Heart that defines this 173-year-old Catholic school. Besides gorgeous architecture, the campus is chock-full of lush quads, where students congregate to kick back when they’re not in class—or at the football stadium. A sculpture park of granite, steel, and bronze works appeared in 2014.—Joshua Pramisimac/ AlamyFlorida Southern College: Lakeland, FLWhat do Ellis Island and Florida Southern College have in common? They’re among the 40 U.S. spots that have recently been put under watch by the World Monument Fund as endangered cultural sites. You might also be surprised to learn that Florida Southern—on a hillside overlooking Lake Hollingsworth—has the world’s largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, including the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel with its colored pieces of glass and wrought-iron tower. It was dubbed the "first uniquely American campus" by Wright himself. Other accolades? It was dubbed a National Historic Landmark in 2012.—Ratha TepCourtesy of University of CincinnatiUniversity of Cincinnati: Cincinnati, OHA decades-long renewal topping $1 billion is paying dividends for Cincy, which has cultivated a strikingly modern look—and proven that “it doesn’t need ivy-covered brick walls” to be beautiful, as UC Magazine put it. Notable architects Michael Graves, Charles Gwathmey, Frank Gehry, and Peter Eisenman have each made their mark on the campus, whose Main Street leads to the prow-shaped Steger Student Life Center and the Tangeman University Center, which, in 2005, dramatically repositioned the original clock tower atop a skylight in a 90-foot atrium.—Kate AppletonCourtesy of University of San DiegoUniversity of San Diego: San DiegoSome campuses are an amalgam of styles; the University of San Diego sticks to just one, and what a glorious one it has chosen—the Spanish Renaissance, with its elaborate façades, delicate ironwork, and carved woodwork. Ocean views and palm-tree-lined courtyards only add to the paradise-on-campus appeal. The Immaculata Chapel, with its piercingly blue dome and solid bronze front door is visible from much of the city, and is a photo-op worthy landmark on the campus. Walk around the Garden of the Sea, behind the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, and linger alongside the serene reflecting pool and gardens overlooking Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean.—Ratha TepPeter Aaron/EstoBard College: Annandale-on-Hudson, NYFrank Gehry’s Fisher Center—an undulating work of glass and brushed stainless steel—showcases Bard’s thriving arts scene throughout the year (current college president Leon Botstein himself is an accomplished conductor). The center is on the contemporary side of the rural campus’s architectural spectrum, which goes back to the 19th-century Blithewood Mansion and its manicured Italian garden. Pathways make for easy exploring, with the Catskill Mountains visible in the distance. —Kate AppletonCourtesy of Lewis and Clark CollegeLewis & Clark College: Portland, ORSix miles from downtown lies this 137-acre parklike campus of verdant forests, sweeping pathways, and stone walls. A tree walk with native species encountered by the two explorers for whom the college was named on their epic journey west surrounds the Frank Manor House—originally built as a 35-room private mansion. The landmark estate gardens house a terraced Reflecting Pool, bordered by a wall of wisteria, which boasts a stellar view of Mount Hood.—Ratha TepCourtesy of Rice UniversityRice University: HoustonDon’t be fooled by Rice’s urban address. A double row of majestic oak trees encloses its perimeter—a harbinger of the lush 285-acre campus to come, divided into quadrangles and planted with 4,300-plus elms, hickories, maples, and other trees (a ratio of more than one for each undergrad). The oldest buildings, like the standout Lovett Hall, borrow elements of medieval southern European architecture, including grand, arched passageways and rose-hued brick.—Ratha TepCourtesy of Cornell UniversityCornell University: Ithaca, NYAmbitious campus planners wanted to create a main quad over dramatic Cayuga Lake, the longest of the Finger Lakes. “It’s the idea of putting education on a high platform,” says architect Mark deShong. That original plan evolved, and the beautiful setting now accommodates both historic structures (McGraw Tower) and contemporary ones like the I. M. Pei–designed Johnson Museum of Art—whose walls screen movies on summer evenings—and the new Milstein Hall by Rem Koolhaas. Prospective students (and their parents) are always impressed by Cascadilla Gorge, whose eight waterfalls drop more than 400 feet from Cornell’s campus to downtown Ithaca, the 25-acre botanical gardens, and Cornell Plantation’s 150-acre arboretum. Climb to the Newman Overlook for a sweeping panoramic view.—Ratha TepUniversity of the South, SewaneeSewanee, The University of the South: Sewanee, TNThis 13,000-acre rural campus on the Cumberland Plateau overlooking the Tennessee Valley combines Gothic-inspired architecture with magnificent surroundings: forest, lakefront bluffs, and a garden ravine that follows a stream through campus. In spring, it blooms with daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips. The univresity's All Saints’ Chapel draws inspiration from the University Church at Oxford and Notre Dame in Paris. Catch a performance at the on-site Tennessee Williams Center, named after the Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright who left his estate to Sewanee.—Ratha TepUniversity of Washington/University PhotographyUniversity of Washington: SeattleThe eye-catching Collegiate Gothic Suzzallo Library at UW’s Seattle campus has 35-foot-high stained-glass windows and elaborately gilded vaulted ceilings that soar 65 feet in the air. But come spring, the Quad’s 31 Yoshino cherry trees steal the spotlight with blooms of delicate pink petals set against red-brick buildings (peak cherry blossom season, mid-March to early April). The Drumheller Fountain is a great spot for views of snowcapped Mount Rainier, and musical acts are best seen at the newly renovated Neptune Theatre, which debuted in the University District in 1921. —Ratha TepPrinceton University; Office of CommunicationsPrinceton University: Princeton, NJGray stone buildings like the University Chapel and Cleveland Tower are pure Collegiate Gothic splendor. But the 500-acre campus’s beauty extends beyond their doors. “Princeton has beautiful buildings, but the exquisite landscaping amplifies them even more,” explains Boston-based architect Mark deShong. Courtyards, idyllic small greens, and crisscrossing footpaths dot the campus. The handsome ivy-covered Nassau Hall is not only the oldest building on campus, but also a former home to the Continental Congress.Don't miss the Princeton Art Museum's varied collection, which ranges from remarkable Mayan Jaina figures to Andy Warhol’s Blue Marilyn.—Ratha TepCourtesy of Kenyon College Office of Public AffairsKenyon College: Gambier, OHKenyon’s hilltop setting in tiny Gambier makes for one of the country’s most idyllic campus walks: the 10-foot-wide Middle Path, which spans the length of the college and through town, shaded by massive trees that glow fiery orange in the fall. Veer off the path for Kenyon’s castle-like Victorian Gothic Ascension Hall and the Greek Revival Rosse Hall with its elegant columns. The college’s first permanent building, Old Kenyon, stands out with its multicolored spire.—Ratha TepCourtesy of Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore College: Swarthmore, PAJust southwest of Philadelphia, Swarthmore’s Scott Arboretum nurtures idyllic gardens of hydrangea, lilacs, and tree peonies and a courtyard devoted to fragrant trees and shrubs. The highlight is its outdoor amphitheater, a series of cascading lawn-covered stone tiers shaded by tulip trees and surrounded by Crum Woods and its holly and rhododendron collections.The Dean Bond Rose Garden has 200-plus varieties and views of stately Parrish Hall in the background.—Ratha TepCourtesy of Indiana UniversityIndiana University: Bloomington, INTo explore IU’s flagship campus, follow the meticulously kept red-brick path that starts at the Sample Gates and winds through Dunn Woods, filled with 80 varieties of mature trees, and the Old Crescent Historic District with its carved limestone structures. Among the most impressive is the Student Building with its soaring clock tower. In spring, the flowbeds bloom with bright red tulips along the limestone Sample Gates. Yearround, I.M. Pei’s IU Art Museum displays more than 30,000 works of art by the likes of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. For a more controversial look at the human body, tour the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction. —Ratha TepDan Addison/ U. Va. Public AffairsUniversity of Virginia: Charlottesville, VAHow’s this for honors? UVA is the only university in the U.S. to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and Thomas Jefferson chose its founding to be one of only three of his many accomplishments noted on his gravestone (being president wasn’t among them). Jefferson designed the campus’s since-copied layout and even hired its initial faculty and planned the curriculum. Highlights of this elegant campus include the Neoclassical domed Rotunda, modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, and the Small Special Collections Library, which showcases the most comprehensive collection of letters, documents, and early printings of the Declaration of Independence.—Ratha TepMichael Marsland/ Yale UniversityYale University: New Haven, CTWhile some campuses hold stubbornly onto their pasts, Yale embraces changing architectural movements. “Our campus is a living history of the architecture and urbanism of its three centuries in New Haven,” notes Robert A. M. Stern, dean of Yale’s School of Architecture. The collection spans from the Georgian-style red-brick Connecticut Hall (whose construction predates the Revolutionary War) to the Postmodernist (is it a turtle? a whale?) Ingalls Rink by Eero Saarinen and the School of Management's new Edward P. Evans Hall: a Norman Foster project completed in 2014. Duck inside the wondrous Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, which houses volumes in a six-story glass-enclosed tower, set against translucent grained Vermont marble panels.—Ratha TepChris Hildreth, Duke PhotographyDuke University: Durham, NCMuch of this Collegiate Gothic wonderland, including soaring Duke Chapel, was designed by Julian Abele, one of the country’s first prominent African American architects. But Duke’s campus isn’t all Gothic-inspired marvel. Among its newest architectural gems are the glass-walled Karl and Mary Ellen von der Heyden Pavilion and the Rafael Viñoly–designed Nasher Museum of Art—five pavilions shaped in a loose radial pattern that house contemporary works by Andy Warhol and Kara Walker.—Ratha TepGeorge Rose/ Getty ImagesUniversity of Colorado at BoulderThe flagship university of Colorado combines sweeping views of the snowcapped Rocky Mountains and Flatirons, a gorgeous natural setting that includes a serene lake and two creeks, and ruggedly beautiful buildings to match. Most, including the grand Norlin Library, feature a distinct Tuscan-meets-the-West architectural style of local sandstone walls, red tile roofs, and limestone trim.—Ratha TepImages-USA/ AlamyUniversity of Wisconsin–MadisonThere are a number of campuses set on pretty lakes, but none commands its lakeshore setting quite like the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Its august Memorial Union and outdoor stone Terrace, dotted with bright green, orange, and yellow starburst chairs, practically hug the shores of Lake Mendota. Another building on campus occupying prime real estate: the white-columned hilltop Bascom Hall. —Ratha TepCourtesy of Wellesley CollegeWellesley College: Wellesley, MAOnly 12 miles west of Boston, Wellesley’s 500-acre campus is another world entirely, with pathways that meander through sprawling meadows, groves of conifers and hardwoods that surround tranquil Lake Waban, and 19th-century brick buildings tucked into the wooded hillsides. Sixteen greenhouses, lush with tropical, subtropical, and desert plantings, stay green straight through the long northeastern winters.—Ratha TepJoel Pattinson/ The College of William and MaryThe College of William & Mary: Williamsburg, VANamed for its royal English founders, William & Mary is the second-oldest college in the U.S. (Harvard came first) and is anchored by the brick Wren Building, whose weather vane bears the founding date of 1693. Students sprawl on the grassy Sunken Garden, which stretches from the Wren to Crim Dell Pond. Duke of Gloucester Street links the 1,200-acre campus to the town of Williamsburg—a throwback to the college’s colonial days. —Kate AppletonCourtesy of St. Olaf College, Marketing and CommunicationsSt. Olaf College: Northfield, MNNorwegian-Americans opened St. Olaf in the late 19th-century amid wetlands, woods, and prairie grass—and the college prides itself on environmental stewardship. A wind turbine supplies up to a third of its energy, and LEED Platinum–certified Regents Hall has a plant-filled greenhouse that overlooks two of the campus’s earliest, loveliest landmarks: the Old Main and Steensland Hall, with its Greek Revival columns, porch, and dome.—Kate AppletonIan BradshawScripps College: Claremont, CAThe Mission Revival–style buildings—popular in California when Scripps was founded in 1926—and campus landscaping are artistically connected thanks to the careful coordination of architect Gordon Kaufmann and landscape architect Edward Huntsman-Trout. Unlike many other palm tree–lined southern California campuses, Scripps also has an abundance of deciduous trees that turn rich shades of red and orange in autumn. —Lyndsey MatthewsiStockphotoUniversity of Chicago: ChicagoLocated in the South Side Hyde Park neighborhood, this campus blends traditional English Gothic style with the modern designs of Eero Saarinen and Mies van der Rohe—across 215 acres that include an official botanical garden. Be sure to pay attention to details: many of the gargoyles on the ivy-covered buildings date back to the end of the 1893 Columbian Exposition, when the campus was constructed. —Lyndsey MatthewsJim RoeseBryn Mawr: Bryn Mawr, PAThe first example of the Collegiate Gothic style created by architects Cope and Stewardson (who drew influences from Oxford and Cambridge universities) is found at this women’s liberal arts college. Campuses across the U.S., including Princeton and Washington University in St. Louis, went on to emulate the look of Bryn Mawr’s Pembroke Hall. But the buildings aren’t the only lookers; Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Central Park, helped with the layout of the campus’s 135 tree-covered acres. —Lyndsey MatthewsCourtesy of Furman UniversityFurman University: Greenville, SCThe serene landscape of this 750-acre wooded university is focused around a lake and the landmark Bell Tower. From a Buddhist temple beside the school’s Asia Garden—full of irises, bamboo, and camellias—to a replica of Henry David Thoreau’s home, the setting on this campus is as diverse as its student body. Oh, and did we mention the 18-hole golf course and miles of walking trails? —Joshua PramisVespasian / AlamyVanderbilt University: Nashville, TNSure, it might be planted just outside of downtown Nashville, but you certainly wouldn’t know by looking around. The campus actually doubles as a sprawling arboretum. With some 170 species of trees scattered across 300-plus acres and sightings of hawks, owls, and cardinals, it’s easy to forget you’re actually in the middle of a city. Italianate-style Kirkland Hall is an orienting landmark and helps give the campus an atmosphere that T+L commenter blevins called “civility personified.” —Kate Appleton2017's Most Beautiful College Campuses | The Best Colleges.orgWhen choosing a college, many students overlook one of the most important factors: quality of life. At The Best Colleges one of our goals is to emphasize to students the importance of the context and learning environment in which they choose to get educated. In polling that we’ve conducted of recent college graduates, there is one thing in particular that stands out as playing a vital role in how a student perceives her last four years of education. The campus setting. And beautiful college campuses rule the day.Because students who graduate from beautiful campuses typically report higher overall satisfaction with their college experience, we decided to put together these rankings of the 50 prettiest college campuses of 2017 in the United States.50. University of MinnesotaNot only is the main campus of the University of Minnesota located in the “Happiest City in America” it also starts our list of the prettiest college campuses in the country. Ranked as a Public Ivy school for its excellence in academic standards, this campus boasts great facilities like the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, and the oldest building on campus, Pillsbury Hall. Students will enjoy the view between the East and West sides of campus as they cross the Mississippi river via the Washington Avenue Bridge.49. Wake Forest UniversityConsistently ranked among the Top 25 universities in the country, Wake Forest boasts the T.K. Hearn Plaza (the Quad) as a hub for student life. This feature allow for plenty of social gathering opportunities and is also the site of the infamous “Rolling the Quad” after major sports victories for the Demon Deacons. The Reynolda Campus area hosts all of the Undergrad programs as well as a few of the Graduate programs, in buildings that pull from regional architectural influences. The Z. Smith Reynolds Library, named after the foundation for which major funding was dispersed during the early 1900s, features views of the 350 acres designated in the Carolina hills for the campus.48. University of Colorado-BoulderAmong the top public universities in the country, the University of Colorado also features great facilities to round-out student life and benefit social experiences. The main campus west end features The Hill which includes lots of shopping, bars, restaurants and some prime residential spots for students wishing to not live in a dormitory setting. One of the most well-known buildings on the sprawling campus is the Mackey Auditorium. The building houses most performing arts programs for the University and was fashioned with a Neo-Gothic style. Most buildings on campus incorporate local products like sandstone and multi-leveled roofs that feature red tiles. Campus also features the Center for Community AKA the C4C a state-of-the-art facility for students which features commonly used student facilities as well as a 25% more energy efficient dining hall for the students. It’s not just the views that are great from the C4C, you can also eat there 24 hours a day.47. Northwestern UniversityWhile everyone loves a good weekend in Chi-town, students attending the suburban campus of Northwester in the Evanston, Illinois area will tell you that the historical importance of their campus adds to its charm. Located on the edge of Lake Michigan, the campus offers great spring and summer breezes but may also see a few feet of lake-effect snow in the winter! Students will be greeted by “The Arch” as they walk onto the main campus, introducing you to the late 1800’s architecture. University Hall is the second building constructed on campus (1869) and the oldest building still standing. In a vast difference from the “historical” side of campus don’t miss the University Library, built in 1970, which features a Brutalist style.46. Scripps CollegeRanked as one of the top private college’s exclusively for women in the country, the gorgeous California campus features mostly Mission Revival-inspired architecture including the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery and the Margaret Fowler Garden area. The campus, which prides itself on sustainability, also features lush landscaping throughout the campus, that features tulip trees, sycamores, almond and orange trees. The Claremont campus has been featured in The Princeton Review for accolades such as “Dorms Like Palaces” (#4), “Most Beautiful Campus” (#17), and “Best Campus Food” (#19).45. Bryn Mawr CollegeNamed for the town it’s located in (itself named for a Welsh word meaning “big hill”), this Pennsylvania campus features beautiful buildings such as the M. Carey Thomas Library which is surrounded by the Cloisters area, an open area of the campus that includes a fountain and green space. Much of the campus was designed by noted landscape designers Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted. Some of the women’s college’s other notable buildings include the beautiful Great Hall building and the Marjorie Walter Goodhart Theater, full of ornamental ironwork designs by Samuel Yellin in the Gothic Revival style.44. Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M boasts one of the largest campuses in America at 5200 acres. When you think of Texas A&M you think about the 12th man and Kyle Field. Steeped in tradition, the crowds at Aggie Football games are some of the best in the land. Spread out on the vast campus is the library of former President of the United States, George H. W. Bush, as well as the Corps Arches in the Quadrangle, an area featured to honor and welcome Cadets to the campus.43. Florida State UniversityThe Tallahassee chop has a long history in college football but exploring the gorgeous campus is as good a way to spend a Saturday as taking in a Florida State football game. The Florida State campus features several historical “Southern Style” dorms and buildings as well as the stoic Heritage Tower and the signature Spanish moss sprawling over the campus. The Heritage Grove is one of the most noteworthy areas of Florida State, featuring several interesting buildings and sports complexes as well the Westcott building, one of the most prominent on campus.42. Rice UniversityLocated in downtown Houston’s Museum District, Rice University has still found a way to provide plenty of green space for its students. Priding itself as an environmentally responsible campus, Duncan Hall, the Math and Science Center, is one of the favorite buildings on campus. Two newer residential dorms, McMurtry College and Duncan College, are LEED Gold certified. Based on the request of the University’s first president’s watchful eye, nearly every building on campus was crafted in Byzantine style featuring sand and pink-colored bricks, large archways, and columns.41. Sweet Briar CollegeLocated at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Sweet Briar College is another women’s college on our list of beautiful campuses. Most of the campus buildings feature the architecture of Ralph Adams Cram. One of the highlights of the campus is the Equestrian center (situated on approximately 130 acres) which hosts the schools 7-riding teams. 21 of the 30 campus buildings have been designated by the National Historic Registrar’s office as historic buildings.40. University of California-Santa CruzWhen you compile a lists of the most beautiful campuses in the country, you could in theory list dozens of schools up and down the Pacific Coast that get a huge boost for their beautiful settings but for our list we’re only including the best of the best. The campus of UC Santa Cruz certainly fits. It’s nestled near Monterrey Bay and boasts natural wonders like Porter Caves, a hiking trails and open space reserve called Pogonip, and multiple views of California’s trademark Redwoods.39. University of San DiegoThe small private University of San Diego features stunning Pacific Ocean views from the Alcala Park corner of campus but of course, with the campus being in San Diego it’s all gorgeous. If the Alcala views aren’t enough for you, stroll around campus and you’ll be able to take in breath-taking views of the San Diego Harbor, the Coronado Islands, and La Jolla. Nearly every building located on the campus features a 16th-century Spanish Renaissance architectural style, of course keeping close to the founders Catholic roots.38. Wellesley CollegeLocated just 12 miles west of downtown Boston, one of the top women’s institutions in the country has loads of charm. The 500 acre campus offers elite female students opportunities with over 50 bachelor degrees as well as the opportunity to compete in NCAA Division III sports. The campus was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., who hailed from Boston, and was determined that the look of the campus would not be average but far superior to any other campus. Some favorite spots on campus designed by Olmstead and his team include the wooded areas surrounding Lake Waban and the open meadows contained within the limits of campus. The designers made sure to design the campus so that it was well integrated into the topography of the area, instead of following the typical quad surrounded by buildings set up that was popular and ubiquitous at the time.37. Rollins CollegeNestled just outside of Orlando, Florida, Rollins College sits along the banks of Lake Virginia. This small private college boasts great year-round weather and keeping with the Florida lifestyle, even offers something called “Fox Day” every year, a time when all students are encouraged to miss class and enjoy the local community (i.e. Disney!). In 2000, the New York Times did a feature on a campus standout, a memorial called the Peace Monument, which was constructed of a German artillery shell surrendered by Germany at the end of the First World War.36. Whitman CollegeWhile you may have heard of Whitman College, you may not realize that it is located in Wall Walla, Washington. The campus, built around the natural beauty of Walla Walla, features miles of trails, streams, ponds, and numerous outdoor sculptures. Many of the buildings on campus cling to a Victorian design scheme, but several of the new facilities have been erected with more modern designs. One of the largest areas of the campus is known as Ankeny Field, which is the main quad area. The campus also holds the deed to a local nature preserve, the Johnston Wilderness Campus, which is used for social events and research purposes.35. Duke UniversityWhile Duke is commonly recognized as a top institution of learning, it can also claim beautiful grounds. The 8600 acre campus features highlights like the Duke Chapel and the Perkins Library. Nearly every building on the west side of campus was constructed with Collegiate Gothic architecture in mind. Some of the east side campus buildings, including several dormitories, have been designed Georgian-style, including the famous Baldwin Auditorium. For the nature lovers, the Duke Forest is a must see. The over 700 acre-wood contains a variety of trees and is an active area for science research. The Sarah P. Duke Memorial Gardens is also a must visit.34. Sonoma State UniversityOne of the top “green” campuses in the country, nearly every building on the Sonoma State campus has set the standard for small universities to give their students the best overall experience. The nearly 59,000 square foot student center has been a model for colleges around the country, as it was built with sustainability in mind. The facility was constructed using UV ray reflective roofing, recycled rubber indoor track, recycled glass reinforced structural brick, recycled seat belts to upholster seating, and reclaimed water plumbing non-potable water systems. The campus is not just environmentally friendly with it’s buildings, it also has a wonderfully close relationship to local nature, with miles of walking trails and fantastic access to Redwood trees.33. University of AlabamaThe 1800 acre Alabama campus features many Greek Revival buildings. Several buildings (4) on the campus, including the President’s home, were all built pre-Civil War, survived the conflict, and are still used today. The center of the campus is the Quad, fronted by a campanile equipped with a 25-bell carillon. The campus includes many cultural centers, including an art museum, a Natural History museum, the Allen Bales Theater, Marion Gallaway Theater, Morgan Auditorium, and the Frank M. Moody Music Building. The University also runs an arboretum.32. United States Military Academy (West Point)A campus filled with Neo-Gothic inspired buildings, all constructed from gray and black granite, must be the home of a prestigious campus. About 50 miles north of New York City you will find the United States Military Academy. The campus, which educates and trains some of our armed forces bravest, is considered a national landmark. The 15,000 acre campus offers stunning views of the famous Hudson River and Highland Falls. The famous cemetery on grounds is the final resting place for some of the most prominent members of our country’s military including George Armstrong Custer, Winfield Scott, William Westmoreland and many Medal of Honor recipients.31. University of the PacificOriginally founded as California Wesleyan College, the now named University of the Pacific not only operates as a top institution in California but also a make-shift movie set. High Time, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and The Sure Thing are just a few of the films that have used the picturesque campus for a backdrop. One of the most commonly recognized symbols of the campus is the Burns Tower. The bell tower can be seen all over the campus area and hovers over common student gathering places.30. Washington University in St. LouisLocated in one of the quintessential “All-American” towns, St. Louis, Missouri, Washington University is one of the most prestigious research universities in the country. While the campus is divided into multiple locations, the total 11 million square feet of buildings include many notable and beautiful buildings, including Seigle Hall, Francis Field (site of much of the 1904 Olympic Games), and Danforth University Center.29. University of Wisconsin-MadisonWith a main campus located in the center of two massive lakes, Mendota and Monona, it’s no wonder that Wisconsin-Madison can offer 4 seasons of extra-curricular activities for the student body. With a little over 900 acres to offer, Wisconsin is proud to host 4 national landmarks, including Bascom Hall, which is a hub for student life. The campus, which is located just a mile from the capitol building, operates like a small city, offering students countless outdoor activities to round-out the student experience. The views from campus overlooking the lakes are some of the greatest in the nation.28. University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)Ole Miss is the quintessential southern university, with beautiful classic buildings and a campus steeped in tradition. Football Saturdays here are a religious experience, and tailgating before a game in the Grove is one of the coolest college football experiences one can have. The Grove is populated with oak, elm and magnolia trees, and tents are added on fall Saturdays. Notable buildings include the Lycecum, which is the oldest building on campus (1848). It is pictured on the school’s official crest. Another interesting building, and piece of history, is the School of Medicine, which was used as a Civil War hospital for both Union and Confederate soldiers.27. University of North Carolina-Chapel HillWhen we think of UNC we all think of the Dean Dome, the baby blue jerseys, and of course Michael Jordan but there’s much more to Chapel Hill than basketball. The 700+ acre campus is divided into two sections, Polk Place and McCorkle Place. Some of the most famous spots on campus are the gorgeous Old Well, a rotunda based on the Temple of Love in the Gardens of Versailles, which nurtures gorgeous landscaping and is the spot of many romantic moments for students.26. Cornell UniversityThe small town of Ithaca is the site of Ivy League school Cornell. The quaint New York town overlooks the picturesque Cayuga Lake. The campus features 6 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and access to local gorges, Fall Creek Gorge and Cascadilla Gorge, both of which provide spots for hiking and swimming. The University also owns a 2,800 acre botanical garden, Cornell Plantations.25. Amherst CollegeRanked consistently as one of the top three institutions for higher learning in the country, Amherst College is also among the most beautiful. College Row is the centerpiece at Amherst, consisting of multiple halls and Johnson Chapel. The Quad is beautiful and a popular hangout spot in nice weather. Students at Amherst are also eligible to attend other beautiful colleges, including Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts without any addition charge as they are all members of the Pioneer Valley institutions.24. Yale UniversityYale is of course at the top of the Ivy League, but there’s just as much to say about the campus nestled in the town of New Haven, Connecticut as there is the education offered. Many of the buildings are built in the Collegiate Gothic architecture style but a key building on campus, Connecticut Hall (built in 1750), is in the Georgian style. The campus has a decidedly Middle Ages feel to it. While the campus is gorgeous, Yale has even made inroads towards putting it’s stamp on the community also, by purchasing several mansions in the surrounding area, especially on Hillhouse Avenue. Yale is moving steadily towards an environmentally sustainable campus with eleven campus buildings as candidates for LEED design and certification.23. Gettysburg CollegeLocated adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg College is a highly selective institution that pays homage to one of the most important battles in our nation’s history. The quaint campus is often referred to as one of most gorgeous in the country. The quad area of campus which sees a great deal of student social interaction is called Stine Lake. It is not actually a lake, but the campus regularly experienced drainage issues in the early 1900s, often causing the quad and library to flood, hence the “lake” moniker. Something of a confusing situation for freshman.22. Occidental CollegeWith gorgeous Mediterranean style buildings, Occidental College in Los Angeles, consistently ranks as one of the most gorgeous campuses in the country. The campus features gorgeous tree lines and superb social gathering areas also ranks as one of the top universities in California. Several original buildings built in the early 1900s are still used today. One of the most notable campus buildings is the Johnson Student Center, built in 1914. The designer of Occidental’s original buildings, Myron Hunt, was also the designer of the Rose Bowl.21. Princeton UniversityThe “Gray Stone” of Princeton is renowned. The campus is one of the oldest in America, and the oldest building on campus, Nassau Hall, was built in 1754. The southern edge of the campus faces Lake Carnegie, and as you’d guess from the name, was donated by Andrew Carnegie. The lake was originally was designated for rowing but has since been transformed to a campus gathering point. Another famous building located on campus is the Princeton University Chapel, the third largest college chapel in the world.20. University of Washington-SeattleThe University of Washington at Seattle has easily one of the most stunning natural settings of any campus in America. The campus boasts great views of Mount Rainier, the Cascade Range, and the Olympic Mountains. One of the favorite spots for students is the blooming cherry trees on the campus quad. The oldest building on campus is the French-inspired Denny Hall built in 1895.19. Stanford UniversityThe 8000 acre campus nestled in the San Francisco Peninsula features stunning views of the San Francisco Bay. Most of the campus was destroyed in the powerful 1906 San Francisco earthquake but was originally designed in a Spanish-colonial style, commonly known as Mission Revival, featuring red tile roofs and sandstone masonry. Some buildings survived the 1906 earthquake such as the Quad, the old Chemistry building, and Encina Hall. The 1989 earthquake inflicted further damage to the campus, and the next two decades saw the school spend over a billion dollars to renovate and update the campus for better earthquake protection.18. United States Naval AcademyThe US Naval Academy is a small campus, but packs a lot of beauty into a small space. The Chapel is breathtaking, and Bancroft Hall is the largest dormitory in the world. The campus features many memorials and monuments, including a Pearl Harbor memorial and Battle Ensigns from famous ships that are displayed all over the campus.17. University of VirginiaThe beautiful grounds of the University of Virginia has always been admired for its unique Jeffersonian architecture, which includes the famous Rotunda. The campus draws thousands of visitors every year. The American Institute of Architects called the rolling landscape and gorgeous buildings, “the proudest achievement of American architecture in the past 200 years.”16. University of Notre DameBelieve it or not there’s more to Notre Dame than Touchdown Jesus and Rudy. The campus is quite beautiful, and includes many interesting areas and buildings. The statue of the Virgin Mary can be seen blessing the Grotto, and was built in 1896 as a replica of the original in Lourdes, France. The 1250 acre campus is divided into the “Old Campus” area and new. Old Campus is now controlled by the two seminaries connected through the Catholic church, the Congregation of Holy Cross and current Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The Golden Dome sits atop the main building, and is the inspiration for the famous golden Notre Dame football helmets.15. Indiana University-BloomingtonThe town of Bloomington, Indiana is the ultimate college town. A campus filed with over 1,200 miles of bike and running trails, this quaint town not only encourages students to embark on a sense of community it nearly demands it. Student can visit “off” campus stores, restaurants and coffee shops just a few steps from the limestone buildings in which they will live and learn. The student building on the IU campus is listed on the National Historical Registrar. The Sample Gates welcome students onto campus. Most of the campus is made of Indiana limestone sourced locally, and was built during the Great Depression by the WPA.14. University of ChicagoThe University of Chicago is an urban campus located in the Hyde Park area of Chicago, seven miles south of downtown. The campus features the Rockefeller Chapel, donated by the “Rockefeller” family, as well as some of the best architecture you’ll find in a college campus. Most of the older buildings feature Collegiate Gothic architecture that mimics their English rival Oxford. With several buildings landing on the National Registrar of Historic Places, you can enjoy the history of Chicgao with a short stroll around campus.13. Mount Holyoke CollegeMount Holyoke is widely credited with leading the “green” initiative among elite college campuses. With five buildings LEED certified, the Holyoke campus is not only providing sustainability for the region but protecting the natural environment and the Connecticut river. Most of the campus is located within the Skinner State Park, providing amazing opportunities for students to hike, jog and bike.12. Furman UniversityWith a campus full of Georgian-style architecture, Furman University ranks among the top campuses in the country. Several buildings on the campus surround a gorgeous lake, and iconic views of the campus Bell Tower are a must see. Amongst the standout buildings, the James B. Duke Library encourages study, research and community. The lush South Carolina campus has been named several times as one of the most beautiful places in the USA (Campus or Not) by the American Society of Landscape Architects.11. Harvard UniversityEstablished in 1636, this campus is the oldest in America. The campus might be surprisingly urban to some, located just a few miles northwest of downtown Boston. Students live in one of twelve residential houses, and each house is basically self containing, with a dining hall, space for tutors, undergrads, and grad students, and a library and other student facilities. Notable buildings include Sever Hall, built in Richardsonian Romanesque style, and University Hall, built from 1813-15 of white Chelmsford granite.10. University of Hawai at ManoaHundreds of thousands of tourists flock to the Hawaiian islands annually to embark on the vacation of a lifetime but what many people might not realize is that Hawaii contains a prestigious university with a long waiting list. The campus features views of the famous volcano Diamond Head and is located just a few steps from the famous Waikiki Beach. This campus location is one of the most beautiful places in the United States. Students are treated to extraordinary experiences studying at the campus run Lyon Arboretum and have unbridled access to the Polynesian Cultural Center, a hub for the history of the Hawaiian islands. Good luck getting any studying done living here!9. Dartmouth CollegeThe history of Dartmouth (founded in 1769) will make all of the history buffs very excited to check out Wentworth and Thorton Halls. Two of the original campus buildings, these facilities were constructed in 1820. While Dartmouth has continued to offer extraordinary educational opportunities, they also work to complete the student-life experience by offering amazing access to the arts at “the Hop” the Hopkins center for the Arts. The technology available to student in the Baker-Berry Library will make even students at MIT jealous. And for those students who need to step outside and enjoy some fresh air, walking and hiking trails in the Upper Valley along the Connecticut River offer great year-round views.8. College of William & MaryThe College of William & Mary may be considered an “old” campus but they are leading the way for elite East Coast schools in the global sustainability field. The campus has over 1200 acres full of cozy wooded areas such as the Crim Dell pond. Most buildings on campus consist of Georgian and Anglo-Dutch architecture, and the highlight is the Christopher Wren building, the oldest collegiate building in the United States. The campus also profits from tourists flocking to the historic Williamsburg, Virginia area every year.7. Loyola Marymount UniversitySitting on top of a bluff in the Del Rey Hills, Loyola Marymount offers one of the top campus locations in the country. This classic California school boasts picturesque views of both Playa del Rey and the Pacific Ocean. Loyola’s campus is covered in architectural and art-inspired sittings including the Sculpture Gardens and even walk-ways between educational buildings offer students glimpses to amazing artwork.6. Emory UniversityWith an awe inspiring classically gorgeous southern campus, Emory is easily one of our top campuses in the country. This gem in the heart of Atlanta can offer students both an exceptional education as well as countless opportunities to expand their horizons. The Michael C. Carlos Museum on campus houses the most extensive art collection in the Southeast, with pieces from around the world. For the adventurous student, you can spend countless hours at Lullwater Park, comprising over 100 acres on campus that is dedicated to preserving the south and its natural environment. Lullwater features walking and hiking trails as well as a view of the president of the University’s home.5. Lewis & Clark CollegeThere are many excellent universities in the Pacific Northwest but none can claims the title of “prettiest campus” like Lewis & Clark College can. With extraordinary view of Mt. Hood, Lewis & Clark’s campus will inspire its students to get outside. The 130+ acre campus sits at the top of Palatine Hill, in Portland, Oregon. Attached to the campus is the Tryon Creek State Natural Area, an area which has inspired the college to continue “green” efforts working to make buildings on campus LEED certified. The unique architecture of the campus has been named the best by design experts as well as one of the prettiest campuses by the Princeton Review.4. Pepperdine UniversityMany visitors flock to the Catalina Islands every year for the views of the Pacific ocean but students attending Pepperdine University can wake up to those views everyday. Pepperdine has some of the best student dorms in the country, and you can’t beat living right on the Pacific ocean. True to the spirit of the Pacific, several buildings on campus, including the Keck Science Center, feature Mediterranean architecture. One of the most recognizable buildings on campus is the Phillips Theme Tower, surrounded by lush landscaping that provides a welcoming environment for students.3. Sewanee: The University of the SouthSewanee: The University of the South is the ultimate experience in southern living and education. With nearly every building paying homage to classic Goth-style architecture, the campus oozes southern charm. One of the most notable buildings is All Saints and of course, the Tennessee Williams Center. The Williams attraction on campus provides funding for many student experiences, through royalties from the family endowment. Sewanee has been featured in countless magazines as one of the most beautiful campuses in the country.2. Kenyon CollegeKenyon College has been recognized for its superior swimming and diving teams but many people around the country may not realize this college in Ohio is one of the most picturesque in the nation. Known for its Gothic Revival architecture the campus features several buildings that have inspired designers around the country. Ascension Hall is an imposing and impressive structure and Old Kenyon Hall, built in 1827, is believed to be the oldest Gothic Revival building in America. The setting for Kenyon is wonderfully rustic and the college was named one of the most beautiful in the country by Forbes.1. Elon UniversityThe wooded grounds of Elon were designated as a botanical garden in 2005, making the beauty of the campus a contributor to the educational experience, as the landscaping is used as both an aesthetic and educational resource. Located in the heart of North Carolina, this campus not only offers an exceptional education but has been the site of several films, including Spike Lee’s He Got Game. Elon has been named the prettiest campus in the country on multiple occasions, including landing at the top spot in rankings by the Princeton Review and the New York Times. We can’t argue, and Elon takes the top spot in our list of the prettiest college campuses.​College RankingsOnline Colleges For Public Administration10 Best Film Schools In The United StatesE-Commerce / E-Business Degree Programs10 Best Grad Programs In Urban & Regional Planning10 Best Landscape Architecture Programs10 Popular Online DegreesLatest Blog PostsThe Best Colleges for STEM “Nerds”The Best Foods for Body and BrainTop Online Video Game Design Degree Programs of 2017Best Online MBA Degree Programs for 2017Top Online MHA and Healthcare Management Degree Programs of 2017© 2017 The Best Colleges | Privacy Policy | Sitemap

At 42 I met a woman of 22, “Ms X” at the local rock climbing gym. For some months we joked around whenever we’d meet, and I suppose did something like flirt. But this woman was a serious participant with a sharp wit, also something of a tomboy, and I imagine she found the idea of flirting moronic. Especially with a man two years shy of twice her age.I gradually got to know her on a platonic basis; we’d belay each other at the gym, go on climbing-camping trips, usually with 6–8 other climbers aged 20–50. We had nothing going on between us that I was aware of. We were just two folks out of large group of climbers who knew each other and sometimes traveled far, overseas included, to climb. It was rare for climbers at our gym to sleep together, because no one much wanted to shit where they ate. But it had happened to me once before, and though making for some uncomfortable moments, had passed, and that woman and I were able to remain cordial.So it went, until one hot summer night, when Ms X, a mutual female friend around her age, and I went for beers and burritos after a hard climb. We had a hilarious old time, talking openly about our various failed relationships and countless idiots and psychopaths we’d all dated.At around 1am, I invited them back to my bachelor pad. I lived on the ground floor of a cool old house a few blocks away, and they came up. It was a school night, but no matter. We smoked a joint, got well baked and the mutual friend was soon snoozing on my sofa, leaving Ms X seated at my computer, doing something useful to it for me — she worked as an IT tech at a downtown white-shoe law firm.I should back up here to explain what else had already caught my imagination about Ms X. Not only had she fled her religion-stupefied parents back east in the Maritimes at age 20, but had come to Toronto more or less penniless, on her own, having only attended secretarial college post-high school. Once here she’d realized that being able to type, use MS-Word and file alphabetically does not a great career make, and so had worked crap jobs and taken to going to the local big-box book store to crib notes from computer manuals for the various software programs used in the legal industry. This was in about 2001, before the internet had everything under the sun freely available on it.With the knowledge gleaned from doing that, she’d managed to get herself this job at this firm, a place with hundreds of the smartest, attack-dog litigators and so on in the country. Ms X was that driven she’d BS’d her way into a good paying gig there with no paper qualifications. I loved it.Moreover, she spoke in complete, articulate sentences, read law books and the classics — meaning she actually sounded enough like an intelligent young female lawyer that she fit right into the firm’s highbrow culture. She also dressed well, looking comparatively snazzed up in that professional environment, in spite of her far lower (than a lawyer) income.The most remarkable thing about her, however, was she did all this while also being a chronic pothead. By chronic I mean, wake and bake, blunts at coffee and lunch time in the BMO tower’s underground parking garage with another woman on her tech team — the full-on daily stoner package.I had a lot a respect for all of it. I’m no stoner, but I’m self-taught, a high school dropout, and had gone through my share of struggles to achieve what I had. I could barely handle more than a puff of weed before either falling asleep or drifting off in my own thoughts to the point of social isolation or embarrassment.She was, of course, very attractive: Blonde, with wild curly long hair, very fit and perfect skin, ever-so-slightly bucktoothed such that she flashed her clean ivories whenever she smiled, which she didn’t often do, being already toughened up and self-protectively cynical about the hard old world as she was. Oh, and she was perpetually clad in Lululemon when at the gym. Youch.As she gazed into my computer screen, I tapped her shoulder, then lowered my face to hers, lips ajar. She looked up, a bit shocked at the gesture, set her lips in a similar pose and moved her face toward mine. In an instant we’d crash-landed into my bed. I heard the other girl let herself out at some point later. We went nuts on each other for hours. It had been ages for us both.She roused herself early the next morning, scooting off home to shower and change, making it to work on time.I assumed it would be a one-off event, me being 42 and not at all believing that a female her age and I could seriously amount to anything like viable. Problem was, I already liked her, cared about her, felt invested in her welfare — at first as a friend and now as her (potential) lover. The other aspect of her that was lust-inducing was that prior to our tryst she’d had almost no sexual experience, and certainly none that was remotely good — according to her own descriptions of things. And boy, had she risen to occasion that night, beyond any fantasizable expectations.Hell yes, I felt more than a little dirty that next day. I am not naive about how the world views these things. I have a measure of self-respect. I also have a lot of old friends who’ve known me since I was a boy. I knew if I went ahead with this, it would be huge arse-pain explaining and defending it, especially to my single female friends in my age range. Except there were none of the classic extenuating circumstances that usually infest such relationships; I had no serious money, no house, no car, nothing fancy to offer this woman by way of a lifestyle upgrade. If she was going to be with me, it wasn’t going to be on any sugar daddy platform.Thus, I decided that next day to let her hold all the cards in terms of any continuance of our dalliance.She’d asked for my number though. And sure enough, after I climbed with her and our gang a couple of days later at the gym, she’d called late and asked to come over. I welcomed her in and we dove into another otherworldly night of unhinged weed-fueled fornication. She was a fast and aggressive learner, wanted to catch up on everything she’d been missing, and I was keen to stand and deliver as best I could. Our physical chemistry was on the order of “once in a lifetime”. There was no resisting her from my end, and she seemed to be of similar mindset.And so it began. I was soon sleeping with her 3–4 nights a week. And, naturally, when such a thing rolls out, there’s more than sex going on. Two parties necessarily begin to get know one another. After several weeks, I could not find a single good reason to end it. I was having the time of my life. She’d come over, roll up a few joints, get me absolutely wasted, then rattle my brains out — sometimes ‘til dawn. She even had some kinky black lingerie she’d picked up working retail at La Senza, prior to joining the firm.By now, other climbers had become aware of things, not by way of my flapping mouth, let me reassure you. None of the climbers had a problem with it. No, the shit only hit the fan when I took her up north to an island owned by a family I knew. I’d been going there since the 1960s, sometimes spending my entire summer there as a kid. I’d also had history, some 20 years’ prior, with one of the two sisters, “Ms Y”, in that family. They were wealthy, but all fun, bohemian artist types, so I thought “Ahh, they’ll let it go.”No sir, they did not. As soon as Ms Y pulled up in the boat and saw me waiting on the dock with Ms X, the claws came out. Worse still, this was to be a big three-day party weekend, with lots of people staying on the island in the two houses, the boathouse and in tents, a great many of whom I knew, men and woman my age, plus Y’s entire family, her mother included. Yes, I’m an idiot.It was tense. Especially when Ms Y’s sister showed up (she was around my age) with her two daughters, both older than Ms X. These were some pissed off ladies. And I suppose rightfully so.Until, that is, Ms X once again rose to the occasion. First she charmed and made everyone laugh with her rapier wit, then set to helping out in a big way in the kitchen with the preparation of a massive dinner for around 25 people and also in the postprandial clean up, as did I.By the next day she was being treated as one of the girls, though I was still on everyone’s shitlist. I kept my mouth shut, made myself useful, chopping wood, doing dishes, making sunset sangrias and helping launch the various boats, canoes, etc. It could’ve gone a lot worse, plus we ended up with the private room in the otherwise crowded boathouse so we were able to make quiet sweet love nights.It went on for several months. A certain part of me knew it couldn’t last. I was finally cluing in on where the trouble might rear its head; she had barely lived, I had lived a very large life of global adventures, overseas residences, big relationships, with all the alleged maturity that ships along with that. This thing I had with her, while fun and exciting, lacked substance and maturity.But damn it if it wasn’t half-bad at the same time. Put it this way: I’d had far worse relationships with women my own age.The inevitable happened on a camping trip with a bunch of climbers, when Ms X and I shared a tent and she informed me over a giant reefer that she had strong, “serious relationship” feelings for me. She asked how I felt about her. I can’t recall exactly what I said, but remember thinking that I’d best be honest. I meant not to hurt her, but whatever I said didn’t go over too well. It was the beginning of the end, an end that took several more months.Now that the “this won’t last” cat was out of the bag, I decided I should support her moving on from me. I told her outright if she wanted to see other guys she had my blessing. And she did. She started a very slow-growing relationship with a guy near to her age, another climber, a man I didn’t know who was new to the gym. She had the nous not to tell me much about it. We slowly parted company, occasionally spending nights together until she decided she liked him and wanted to make something of it. And so tapered off our sleepovers.I gave her my full thumbs up, though doing so did cause pain. It’s hard to explain the feelings I had for her by then, but above it all, I decided the only class move was to be selfless. I wanted her to have a great life — whether or not her time with me counted as a stepping stone to it.She took off on a weeks-long climbing trip with him, gently letting me know upon her return that he was now her man and that we were 100% officially done. I’d see them in the gym and found myself tongue-tied and aching of heart. I suppose that indicates that I did love her. I know I certainly cared for her; still do.She’s in her early forties now, lives near Vancouver, BC, is single and a serious mountain woman — ultra-fit climber, mountain biker, skier, hiker and yoga beast. She’s self-employed as a project manager in the tech industry, living alone in the house she recently bought.I‘m happy she carved out an interesting life, on her own terms. None of it surprises me. I have no regrets. I hope she doesn’t either. Why would she?I hooked up with my wife about three years after Ms X and I ended it, some 16 years ago.A couple of months ago, two of my old male climbing mates visited her to climb. They sent me a selfie of the three of them, her with a big old grin. She still looks 100% as fabulous and they tell me she’s as tough as a redwood and suffers no fools.I love a happy ending.

Read the full Course Catalogue- Don’t just skim through the sections you think you are already interested in. Read absolutely everything that the college is offering this year. This will (a) give you clarity on new areas to explore and (b) help you better understand the areas of interest being explored by your new friends and dorm mates.But then:Request a syllabus in advance of registering for a course.- Especially if you are not sure about taking a particular course, just write to the professor and department admin and request the course syllabus. You can save a lot of time and make more informed decisions by pre-registering for courses only after you’re seen the syllabus.Yet, ultimately:Take any class you want.- Seriously. If you are absolutely drawn to a particular course, there is no reason not to take it . If it is totally full, just show up. Keep coming back and see how many people drop the class — a spot might unexpectedly become available for you. If a spot doesn’t open up, or if you are not entirely “qualified” to take the course, just ask the professor if you can “audit” the class. When you “audit” a class, you are basically sitting in on all the content but you won’t be receiving credit. You also are not obligated to do any of the assignments. I audited a senior film seminar during the second semester of my freshman year. It was brilliant.Get a campus job where you can learn practical skills- I worked in the Media Cloisters (now called the Digital Media Zone, I believe…) in the library, supporting students, faculty, and staff with developing fluency in various multimedia tools (video, graphic design, book layout, web design, audio production, presentation production, etc.). This job enabled me to learn marketable skills — I have no idea why anyone else would rush to take a campus job where they couldn’t also learn similarly valuable skills that just aren’t being taught in Vassar courses. Today, I operate my own business, but the skills I learned in my campus job are relied upon daily. I’m not so sure I could say the same it true for the soft skills I learned in the classroom… Those are important, too, but the campus job was critical for supporting me with more “day-to-day job skills.” Choose your campus job wisely.Get a writing coach.- Don’t assume you are a good writer. Don’t assume that you are going to naturally become a good writer over the course of the next few years by churning out a bunch of papers. You need coaching. You aren’t going to get that in any of your classes.After you’ve completed a few writing assignments, take them to the writing center and ask to meet with someone who can coach you on improving your writing. Even if you think you are decent, just get some coaching. After college, writing is an extremely difficult thing to get support with. Take advantage of the writing center — it is an incredibly underutilized resource.Moderate alcohol consumption- Too many college students waste their time pursuing alcohol, drinking, recovering from drinking, and dealing with the consequences of drinking too much. All of this is a waste. Get a firm grip on exactly how much you are able to handle and be mature about how you consume alcohol.Join a club that is outside of your comfort zone- Biggest regret that I have from my time at Vassar: I never joined the outdoor club because I hated the idea of “giving up” my weekends and having to wake up early. I wish I would have pushed myself to explore the beauty of the Hudson Valley — I also think it would have been healthy to expand my social circle beyond the familiar faces of my typical weekend. Challenging yourself doesn’t just have to be limited to the classroom. There are plenty of VSA organizations to choose from. And if you can’t find anything that seems absolutely terrifying, create one.Do all of your assigned readings.- Try it for at least the first semester. Read absolutely everything you are assigned. No exceptions.Explore the lesser-known parts of the campus- Vassar Farm: This property is insanely beautiful. It may seem like a long long distance from campus, but that makes is all the more special. Take a date there. Go for a run out on the farm. Go on a picnic with your dorm friends. Go for a walk by yourself. Forage for ramps and morels.- Campus Greenhouses: There is a somewhat hidden greenhouse near campus security. They grow special plants in there just for the campus and alumni house. When I was a student at Vassar, the maintenance staff that ran the greenhouse were extremely welcoming. Stop by, especially on a cold day, to warm up and see all the wild things growing in there. Another greenhouse is over by the new science building. More accessible, still interesting but not as magical.- Golf course: there is a ton of land out on the edges of the golf course that most students never explore. Check it out.- Meditation room in the library: Right above the main entrance. Kinda tricky to find, but very nice to duck into when you need a little study break.- Skinner Music Library: great place to study when the Main Library gets too distracting.- Forest behind sunset lake- Ask staff to tell you about their favorite secret or lesser-known places.Write ten ideas each day.James Altucher has a brilliant daily practice that involves writing ten ideas every day. Check out what he has written on this topic. Start writing ideas down — share these with other students, use them as paper topics, bring in ten ideas to discuss with a professor during office hours. Use this as your fuel. And save everything. It will be hilarious to look back on a few years later.