Life in Clemson S. Novak and J. Wilkinson School of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA AcademicsOn-Campus Activities Housing Off-Campus Activities Other Information Atlanta, Georgia is located about 2 hours from Clemson and offers a big city experience without having to travel too far. Attractions include the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, the High Museum of Art, and Six Flags amusement park. Downtown Greenville is only about 45 minutes away from Clemson. There are many good restaurants and Falls Park on the Reedy River is a popular destination to relax and enjoy the scenery. Hiking and camping are common activities for the weekend, especially in the fall when the leaves begin to change colors. There are several state parks such as Table Rock, Caesar’s Head, and Chimney Rock located within a few hours of Clemson. - One important thing to consider is buying a car. It is possible to live in Clemson without owning one, but it is much more difficult. The research lab is located 10 miles from Clemson University and there is a shuttle that you can ride but most people find it easier to drive. Also, you will probably want to visit other nearby cities and attractions and the United States does not have a good mass transit system. - Weather: The hottest months are June, July, and August with temperatures reaching 85-90°F (29-32°C) or higher. The coldest months are December, January, and February with temperatures around 50°F (10°C) during the day and 30°F (-1°C) at night. On average, it rains the most in March. - Health: Redfern Health Center is located on campus near the Hendrix Student Center. There are nurses available from 8 am-5 pm Monday through Friday. Redfern also has a pharmacy and offers counseling services. - Laptop Support: There are a few Clemson Computing and Information Technology (CCIT) locations on campus where you can go to get software or get any repairs done on your laptop. A.Atlanta, GA B.Greenville, SC C.Location of many state parks D.Clemson University Clemson has many sports teams and attending athletic events is something that a lot of students do. Football games are the most popular and people love to tailgate before the game starts. Basketball and baseball are also fun games to attend. In addition to athletic events, Clemson holds other exciting activities such as the International Festival. Students also enjoy playing frisbee and relaxing on Bowman Field, which is shown below. At the research lab, each student is provided with a desk to work at. There is plenty of equipment at the lab for batching, melting, and annealing glass samples as well as instruments for analysis of the samples. The top photo shows a DSC, DTA-TGA, and TMA and the one below it shows a dilatometer, PPV, and BBV. The photo to the left shows a glove box for batching chalcogenides. If you participate in the exchange program, you will most likely live in an apartment at The Reserve. These apartments are conveniently located just 2 miles from the Clemson University campus as well as downtown Clemson. There is a shuttle pick-up outside of the clubhouse which you can ride to campus. The Reserve has a computer lab, a fitness center, a game room, a picnic area, a pool, and a tanning bed. Through out the year, there are several concerts at Littlejohn Coliseum and plays at the Brooks Center. Sometimes students are given the opportunity to see a free movie. The movies are shown in either the small theater in the Hendrix Student Center on campus or in the outdoor amphitheater. In the picture to the left, the amphitheater is shown with the Cooper Library in the background. Many students gather in the library to study, do research, or work on group projects. There is also a coffee shop, Java City, in the library. Fall classes start in mid-August and end in early December. Spring classes start in mid-January and end in early May. At Clemson, the materials science classes are taught in Sirrine Hall and Olin Hall. Exams are given based on the professor’s preference. Some classes have a few exams throughout the semester while others only have one or two exams. Graduate classes in MS&E include Solid-State Science, Phase Equilibria in Materials Science, and Kinetics. Sirrine Hall is shown below and Olin Hall is shown to the right.