"The 'rural' feel of the campus is wonderful: it is so wide open, there are gardens, trees and tons of green spaces which give a relaxing feel to the campus. I think attending a school that looks like a prison ... would just make everything feel more stressful."

"I feel fortunate to be a student at a university where I can get the 'big campus' feel by strolling through our Student Union Building, but if I need time to reflect, there is the Mystic Vale hiking path or university gardens only 20 steps away."

"People think we are all a bunch of hippies and that UVic is an easier school than say, UBC. I think our academics are just as rigorous and while the atmosphere may be more relaxed, we are still a top university."

"The bookstore ... keeps students updated of what's happening through e-mails and advertising, has a monthly book club, regular sales, and goes above and beyond to make textbook purchasing and buybacks as easy as possible."

"The campus location is very isolated. While its self-sufficiency is part of the campus appeal, travel to and from downtown, or anywhere off campus really, is always troublesome."

"It's hard to be in a bad mood when you're surrounded by flowers and fluffy bunnies."

"As an off-campus student the thing that I like the most is the way they organized the teaching online. You can get in touch very easily with all your classmates and your instructor, and we also share online discussions."

"How passionate the professors are about their research and adamant that students pursue anything that interests them."

"Lack of appealing varsity sports teams such as hockey or football equals lack of school spirit ... People don't really care about basketball, soccer, rugby, rowing, or volleyball."

"Our campus is environmentally friendly. It has composting facilities, solar-powered buildings, and energy competitions between residence buildings to see who can use the least energy."