As soon as the bell rung at 2:05 on Friday, October 18, sophomore Meaghan O’Reilly and senior Ana Ruess jumped in their cars and headed for Charlottesville to visit the University of Virginia .
O’Reilly made the trek to visit her sister, former McLean student Jacqueline O’Reilly, currently a first year at UVA. The pair toured the campus and attended Saturday’s football game against Duke. O’Reilly slept in her sister’s dorm. “I really love the campus, and I hope to go there in two years,” O’Reilly said, proclaiming her love for one of the state’s most elite universities.
On Friday night, Ruess attended the Hullabahoos’ concert, one of UVA’s most prominent acapella groups. Ruess’s brother, a fourth year at UVA, is a member of the Hullabahoos. “I have been to every Hullabahoo concert since my brother has gone here, I just can’t get enough of them! They’re fantastic,” said Ruess. The Hullabahoos have gained national prominence in recent years, from a minor part in the hit movie Pitch Perfect to an appearance in NBC’s sitcom The Office.
On Saturday morning, both girls made sure to go to Bodo’s Bagels, an extremely popular place to grab breakfast at UVA. Ruess equated Bodo’s to McLean’s Chesapeake Bagel, stating that although it is good, Bodo’s does not surpass the delectability offered at Chesapeake.
The girls’ trip to UVA is just another example of the increasing popularity amongst McLean and other high school students of visiting colleges for the weekend.
