Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA, Earth

Virginia Commonwealth University, pronounced (oddly enough), "VEE-SEE-YOO." Located in the Fan Area of Richmond, Virginia, VCU is an urban university. Consulting with the elders of the community, a group of disaffected 27-year olds still pursuing their undergraduate degrees, I learned of the near- mythical formation of VCU out of the dregs and detritus of the Richmond Professional Institute, or something else just as inappropriately named.

As of the writing of this article, VCU is divided into two camps: the Art Department, and Everyone Else.

The Art Department stresses non-conformity (in accordance with thoroughly documented regulations - posted in Room 119a of the Cabell Building) and music appreciation. What about artistic training? Well, that's the way it goes sometimes...

Everyone else? Well, you'll recognize them. They might not look like you, but they definitely don't look like the Art majors. They're characterized by the haggard, trapped look in their eyes, probably resulting from the fact that they've all recognized they're suffering beneath the mind-numbing mediocrity of the instruction and classes.

Any positive points?

Supposedly, people leave and never, ever come back.

Mixing some of these phrases into conversation has been known to get you out of a few tight places:

• "I only have about one more year..."
• "Uh, I think I saw them play live once..."
• "Just trying to get a band together..."
• "Just trying to get published..."
• "Yeah, I got accepted at few other schools too..."

See also

• Richmond, Virginia, USA, Earth
  /articles/2R208.html
• University Of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, Earth
  /articles/7R6.html
• Earth
  /articles/1R1.html