Wake, Bucknell, and U Richmond

[Anonymous]

We visited Wake not too long ago. We went to dinner downtown (Mellow Mushroom). It was fine. I wouldn't call it "thriving" but I wouldn't call it "burnt out" either. I felt safe walking around. There seemed to be some businesses, hotels and restaurants there.

If you are expecting Boston, NY, DC, Ann Arbor, Chapel Hill, etc. you will be disappointed. But it is far more than a dinky town in the middle of nowhere.

It reminded me a bit of Durham in the 90s, in isolation of RTP, proximity to Chapel Hill, etc. Durham has grown since then.

There is also a decent sized airport not far away in Greensboro. Some concerts come through the area. Not a horrible trip to Charlotte or RTP as necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What sold me on Richmond (my DC is applying) was we had a very earnest and dorky-charismatic tour guide. During the tour, other students kept waving to him, shouting out his name, what have you. One very pretty blonde turned to another and said about him, out of his earshot but not mine, "I LOVE that kid!" Just gave me a good feeling about the school.

This tracks with our experience there.

I know about 15 kids heading to Richmond from Baltimore private schools next fall. They are all very main stream, preppy kids—nearly all high school athletes who aren’t athletic recruits. The ones I know well plan on rushing. They are all nice kids, but I don’t think there is a big culture of quirky kids at Richmond.

The fact that you know 15 preppy non-recruitable athletes says more about your social circle than the school they picked.

I think this is suppose to be an insult? Yes, my 2026 is an athlete at a private school (not going to any of the schools that are the subject of this thread) so I do. I also know two recruited athletes from Baltimore privates going to Richmond. As I said before, all great kids, but all apparently of a type you don’t like. Not sure how else to read your comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What sold me on Richmond (my DC is applying) was we had a very earnest and dorky-charismatic tour guide. During the tour, other students kept waving to him, shouting out his name, what have you. One very pretty blonde turned to another and said about him, out of his earshot but not mine, "I LOVE that kid!" Just gave me a good feeling about the school.

This tracks with our experience there.

I know about 15 kids heading to Richmond from Baltimore private schools next fall. They are all very main stream, preppy kids—nearly all high school athletes who aren’t athletic recruits. The ones I know well plan on rushing. They are all nice kids, but I don’t think there is a big culture of quirky kids at Richmond.

The fact that you know 15 preppy non-recruitable athletes says more about your social circle than the school they picked.

I think this is suppose to be an insult? Yes, my 2026 is an athlete at a private school (not going to any of the schools that are the subject of this thread) so I do. I also know two recruited athletes from Baltimore privates going to Richmond. As I said before, all great kids, but all apparently of a type you don’t like. Not sure how else to read your comment.

Not an insult. Pointing out that your limited social circle does not mean that the school only has that type of student. Just because you don’t know any quirky students going there, you are extrapolating that they don’t exist. But if you don’t know any quirky students period, of course you don’t know any going to Richmond.

[Anonymous]

^well, I should clarify. It wasn’t an insult to your social circle or to those students. Possibly an insult to your logic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We visited Wake not too long ago. We went to dinner downtown (Mellow Mushroom). It was fine. I wouldn't call it "thriving" but I wouldn't call it "burnt out" either. I felt safe walking around. There seemed to be some businesses, hotels and restaurants there.

If you are expecting Boston, NY, DC, Ann Arbor, Chapel Hill, etc. you will be disappointed. But it is far more than a dinky town in the middle of nowhere.

It reminded me a bit of Durham in the 90s, in isolation of RTP, proximity to Chapel Hill, etc. Durham has grown since then.

There is also a decent sized airport not far away in Greensboro. Some concerts come through the area. Not a horrible trip to Charlotte or RTP as necessary.

If you ever find yourself in Winston again, highly recommend the Downtown Grille, the Katherine, and the Young Cardinal (breakfast/ lunch only).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What sold me on Richmond (my DC is applying) was we had a very earnest and dorky-charismatic tour guide. During the tour, other students kept waving to him, shouting out his name, what have you. One very pretty blonde turned to another and said about him, out of his earshot but not mine, "I LOVE that kid!" Just gave me a good feeling about the school.

This tracks with our experience there.

I know about 15 kids heading to Richmond from Baltimore private schools next fall. They are all very main stream, preppy kids—nearly all high school athletes who aren’t athletic recruits. The ones I know well plan on rushing. They are all nice kids, but I don’t think there is a big culture of quirky kids at Richmond.

The fact that you know 15 preppy non-recruitable athletes says more about your social circle than the school they picked.

I think this is suppose to be an insult? Yes, my 2026 is an athlete at a private school (not going to any of the schools that are the subject of this thread) so I do. I also know two recruited athletes from Baltimore privates going to Richmond. As I said before, all great kids, but all apparently of a type you don’t like. Not sure how else to read your comment.

Not an insult. Pointing out that your limited social circle does not mean that the school only has that type of student. Just because you don’t know any quirky students going there, you are extrapolating that they don’t exist. But if you don’t know any quirky students period, of course you don’t know any going to Richmond.

I also visited U Richmond and observed the same. I’m sure there are some quirky kids there, but the majority of kids I saw were like the kids I know. There tends to be less diversity or a type with schools that have 2000 to 3000 kids. 47 percent of the class of 2029 at Richmond attended a private school.

Wake doesn’t release that info but I believe they are around 40 percent private school kids in most recent class. Bucknell around 35 percent.

[Anonymous]

I had the "quirky" tour guide. The point of the story was that he was beloved, not that he was typical. UR has a type. It is intelligent, preppy, sporty and either white or white-socialized Asian or Hispanic. But UR kids are not, in my observation, hyper exclusionary frat snobs. There seems to be a real and broad based sense of community/belonging. That is all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had the "quirky" tour guide. The point of the story was that he was beloved, not that he was typical. UR has a type. It is intelligent, preppy, sporty and either white or white-socialized Asian or Hispanic. But UR kids are not, in my observation, hyper exclusionary frat snobs. There seems to be a real and broad based sense of community/belonging. That is all.

Sure, at schools with around 30 percent Greek population, you aren’t going to find “hyper exclusionary frat snobs.” It isn’t the SEC. Same is true for the other two schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We visited Wake not too long ago. We went to dinner downtown (Mellow Mushroom). It was fine. I wouldn't call it "thriving" but I wouldn't call it "burnt out" either. I felt safe walking around. There seemed to be some businesses, hotels and restaurants there.

If you are expecting Boston, NY, DC, Ann Arbor, Chapel Hill, etc. you will be disappointed. But it is far more than a dinky town in the middle of nowhere.

It reminded me a bit of Durham in the 90s, in isolation of RTP, proximity to Chapel Hill, etc. Durham has grown since then.

There is also a decent sized airport not far away in Greensboro. Some concerts come through the area. Not a horrible trip to Charlotte or RTP as necessary.

Every Mellow Mushroom is an insult to pizza.

Winston is at a crossroads. The local economy has drastically shifted. What’s next is TBD. Whether Wake can find a way to stay competitive remains to be seen.

[Anonymous]

Particularly with The Grounds soon to open, I don’t think Wake is particularly inextricably linked to Winston Salem’s revitalization or lack thereof.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What sold me on Richmond (my DC is applying) was we had a very earnest and dorky-charismatic tour guide. During the tour, other students kept waving to him, shouting out his name, what have you. One very pretty blonde turned to another and said about him, out of his earshot but not mine, "I LOVE that kid!" Just gave me a good feeling about the school.

This tracks with our experience there.

I know about 15 kids heading to Richmond from Baltimore private schools next fall. They are all very main stream, preppy kids—nearly all high school athletes who aren’t athletic recruits. The ones I know well plan on rushing. They are all nice kids, but I don’t think there is a big culture of quirky kids at Richmond.

The fact that you know 15 preppy non-recruitable athletes says more about your social circle than the school they picked.

I think this is suppose to be an insult? Yes, my 2026 is an athlete at a private school (not going to any of the schools that are the subject of this thread) so I do. I also know two recruited athletes from Baltimore privates going to Richmond. As I said before, all great kids, but all apparently of a type you don’t like. Not sure how else to read your comment.

Not an insult. Pointing out that your limited social circle does not mean that the school only has that type of student. Just because you don’t know any quirky students going there, you are extrapolating that they don’t exist. But if you don’t know any quirky students period, of course you don’t know any going to Richmond.

I also visited U Richmond and observed the same. I’m sure there are some quirky kids there, but the majority of kids I saw were like the kids I know. There tends to be less diversity or a type with schools that have 2000 to 3000 kids. 47 percent of the class of 2029 at Richmond attended a private school.

Wake doesn’t release that info but I believe they are around 40 percent private school kids in most recent class. Bucknell around 35 percent.

That is incredible. With only about 100 freshman from Virginia, half boys half girls, that means only about 25 freshman boys per year attend Univ of Richmond from a public Virginia high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Particularly with The Grounds soon to open, I don’t think Wake is particularly inextricably linked to Winston Salem’s revitalization or lack thereof.

All things being equal, I would take a thriving economy and well done mixed used development. Mixed use development absent people who have the means to take advantage of it does not move the needle. In fact, mixed used development is the cherry on top of the functioning economy NOT the engine that drives the economy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We visited Wake not too long ago. We went to dinner downtown (Mellow Mushroom). It was fine. I wouldn't call it "thriving" but I wouldn't call it "burnt out" either. I felt safe walking around. There seemed to be some businesses, hotels and restaurants there.

If you are expecting Boston, NY, DC, Ann Arbor, Chapel Hill, etc. you will be disappointed. But it is far more than a dinky town in the middle of nowhere.

It reminded me a bit of Durham in the 90s, in isolation of RTP, proximity to Chapel Hill, etc. Durham has grown since then.

There is also a decent sized airport not far away in Greensboro. Some concerts come through the area. Not a horrible trip to Charlotte or RTP as necessary.

Every Mellow Mushroom is an insult to pizza.

Winston is at a crossroads. The local economy has drastically shifted. What’s next is TBD. Whether Wake can find a way to stay competitive remains to be seen.

How dare you. I love Mellow Mushroom. Ofc, I'm from the South so didn't grow up around New York pizza and all that. I don't really like normal pizza but love MM. It's the crust.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We visited Wake not too long ago. We went to dinner downtown (Mellow Mushroom). It was fine. I wouldn't call it "thriving" but I wouldn't call it "burnt out" either. I felt safe walking around. There seemed to be some businesses, hotels and restaurants there.

If you are expecting Boston, NY, DC, Ann Arbor, Chapel Hill, etc. you will be disappointed. But it is far more than a dinky town in the middle of nowhere.

It reminded me a bit of Durham in the 90s, in isolation of RTP, proximity to Chapel Hill, etc. Durham has grown since then.

There is also a decent sized airport not far away in Greensboro. Some concerts come through the area. Not a horrible trip to Charlotte or RTP as necessary.

Every Mellow Mushroom is an insult to pizza.

Winston is at a crossroads. The local economy has drastically shifted. What’s next is TBD. Whether Wake can find a way to stay competitive remains to be seen.

I'm the person you are responding to and I've spent 90% of my life in NJ/NYC. So I am a total pizza snob. I have been to other Mellow Mushrooms before. I don't even try to compare what I eat there to NY pizza. It is something totally different. And it is pretty good for what it is. But if you are craving pizza, I agree that isn't what it is.

We tried going somewhere else (I forget where) and for some reason it didn't work out and I was with a very hungry teenage boy so Mellow Mushroom was an easy option since I knew what it was. Plus I figured it was an excuse to go downtown. It served its purpose. They sat us quickly. Food was fine. Pleasant, clean atmosphere. Not too expensive. Happy child.

The Grounds seems like it will be nice. I don't not think it will be the miracle some think it will be. But it will be a nice addition to the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Particularly with The Grounds soon to open, I don’t think Wake is particularly inextricably linked to Winston Salem’s revitalization or lack thereof.

All things being equal, I would take a thriving economy and well done mixed used development. Mixed use development absent people who have the means to take advantage of it does not move the needle. In fact, mixed used development is the cherry on top of the functioning economy NOT the engine that drives the economy.

There are plenty of homes in Winston Salem selling in the $1-2 plus million range, and the condos being built at the grounds start above $1 million. The population is growing twice as fast as the national rate, and the city’s economic growth rate exceeds that of North Carolina as a whole. It’s well located being one hour from both Raleigh-Durham, and Charlotte. There’s much more going on in Winston- Salem now than anytime in the recent past.