SUNY Geneseo

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Hallmarks and Quirks

Things I'm Good At:

I'm home to over 2000 recognized student organizations. If you're interested in something, chances are I have a group for you. And if not, you can create your own.
My students can raise BANK. The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life is a cause the whole school gets behind, last year raising over $171,000.
Do you think we let the chilling temperatures, whipping winds, and foot of snow stop us from having a good time? You've got it wrong. With over thirty recognized Greek organizations, the winter months don't hinder either their philanthropy or the other thing they do that starts with a p and ends with artying.
If you're more of a Settlers of Catan type, you'll be just as happy as the Deltas. My yearly gaming convention draws world famous authors, webcomic artists, and other esteemed nerds (and I say that lovingly).

My Top 5 Must-Haves:

A fur coat just like Macklemore. Below-zero temperatures are brutal without the proper gear.
Strong calves. Livingston County and my campus are full of hills and valleys. All I'm trying to say is never, NEVER, skip leg day. Trust me, pretending you aren't out of breath when you finally get to the library is a skill you'll acquire pretty quickly.
A mason jar or Birkenstocks. My students have something of a...special style going on here—just make sure you have a signature item that proves you're not completely mainstream.
A backpack, and the bigger the better. You'll have a lot of books. Two-strapping it is essential.
A strong appreciation for pizza after a night out. Here, there are two types of people: those who go to Mama Mia's for a slice and the loyal devotees of Pizza Paul's. Do not try to convince anyone that your post-party snack is better than theirs. Trust me on this one.

Why You Might Have Heard of Me:

I'm known as "The Harvard of the SUNYs."
I've got the friendliest squirrels—this is not a joke. There's a rumor they can talk; take that information with a grain of salt. (From personal experience, make sure no one is around before you attempt to talk to the squirrels.)
Sunsets. While the rumor that ours was once ranked by National Geographic as one of the top ten in the world is just that—a rumor—there is a legend that smooching your significant other in the gazebo at sunset will lead to wedding bells. That one is definitely true.

On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...

One of the best parts about me is that I'm made up of so many different students with different interests. Many of our students opt for a night in on Saturdays, but that doesn't always just mean watching Netflix and eating Ben & Jerry's Moose Tracks alone in your PJs (although sometimes that's exactly what it means).

Geneseo Late Knight offers many programs if you're not into the whole party scene. They coordinate events that include DIY crafts, multi-cultural foods, games, and even musical performances.

There's also always somewhere to hang out with friends on the weekend in a 'non-academic setting' (wink wink nudge nudge). If, after the party, you just aren't ready to call it a night, you can often find groups of friends heading down to the Statesman Bar to dance it out to chart toppers or throwback jams.

Basically, whether you like to stick to one thing on the weekends or mix it up, there is always something for you to do.

Favorite Hangouts:

MacVittie College Union. The Union is basically the center of my campus, home to the most sacred of establishments: Starbucks. Come here to do homework and socialize while blowing meal plan points on fall-flavored drinks.
Main Street is where pretty much all of the essentials are located. Here you can grab coffee at Crickets Bakery (clearly I have a caffeine problem), dine in one of the family-owned restaurants (if campus food just isn't cutting it that day), or splurge in the eccentric shops (with our SUNY tuition, you'll hopefully have plenty of cash to waste).
Rochester. Take the bus there or catch a ride, it's your call. Students often visit on the weekends for concerts, one of the several malls, and obviously there's a Chipotle...need I go on?
Letchworth State Park, one of the largest nature reserves in the country, is just a few miles away. For all of you granolas applying, try to explore the entire thing before you graduate. I dare you.

Quirks:

Here at Geneseo, Quidditch isn't just a fictional game from the famous Harry Potter Series, it's an actual Division I sport. Pretty cool, right?
Every Thursday in the fall there's a farmers market on Main Street where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, and there's even a food truck that makes some unique and delicious grilled cheeses.
Some people assume that not having a football team is a con of coming to Geneseo but the football of upstate New York is hockey. Students spare no effort when supporting the team, whether it be coordinated cheers, the pep band hyping everyone up, or a group of guys painting their entire bodies blue and white.

Famous Alumni:

Chelsea Noble, actress who played Kate MacDonald on Growing Pains
Jenna Wolfe, anchor of Weekend Today
Joseph Morelle, New York State Assemblyman
William Sadler, Actor appearing in Roswell, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and The Shawshank Redemption
Gregg "Opie" Hughes, Radio personality known for the Opie and Anthony show