Emerson College Top Questions

I spend about 20 hours a week working on a play or meeting with my theater group. There are several organizations on campus and always something to get involved in.

Piano Row is great for socializing, despite what people might say. We left our door open the first week of school and probably met 60 people who came in to introduce themselves. If you put yourself out there, you'll meet people. There are a few frats, and some parties are lame but others can be a really good time (Halloween Party in particular). There are other options - there's a karaoke bar nearby and a lot of people have apartments they party in. There always seems to be something going on.

The Emerson activities are next to non-existent. The "film society," Films on the Margin, doesn't even screen actual film prints -- just DVDs. Don't bother, its an absolute waste of time.

there are a ton of activities from sports to working on a film. we have singing groups and theatre groups, anyone can join and if you know nothing it is not a problem. you can host a sho or write a new one.

I live off campus now, but i lived on campus for my first two years. my suggestions: 1st year at emerson live in the Little Building. It is the best place to build your place in a diverse emerson community and the students really have a sense of unity and simple togetherness there. If i didnt live in the LB my freshman year i would not have had all the opperatunities to meet all my great friends i have now. 2nd year: if still on cmapus live in Piano Row: take a group of good friends you know from the last year and get a suite together. It really helps you adjust to apartment living with a larger group plus it gives you a great sense of independence while still sheltered oncampus so food, utilities, rent are not really a problem. Plus it is non-stop the most bitchin time ever. Now that i live off campus i have discovered a awsome new Emerson community off-campus. it rocks. move off campus while you are still in college, or you will regret it.

I'm involved in the Public Relations Studen Society of America (PRSSA). We have guest speakers once a week that are currently working in the public relations field. It is very interesting to hear what they have to say. I am also involved in The Emerson Group which takes on real public relations clients; it is great experience. There are always things going on at Emerson whether it's a weeknight or a weekend. And in the rare case that there's nothing to do you're in a city so you're guaranteed to find something! The one negative aspect about being in the city though is that it can get expensive.

Lots of activities, social life is what you make of it.

You aren't truly going to Emerson if you don't engage in extracurricular activities. Many claim that they learn more from these than they do actual classes. They provide many students - especially film - with the hands on experience that they don't receive initially starting out. It's a great way to make friends, and lots of activities will earn you non-tuition credit. The EVVYs (an entirely student run awards show) in particular are a great way to get involved - nearly everyone in the school participates in them, so it's a great way to meet people, and it looks really good on the resume. Extracurricular activities also provide students with lots of opportunities for networking - I've heard of countless students who have gotten summer internships and even jobs through people they've met and worked with at the EVVYs. I myself am on two literary magazines, and have made lots of friends and gained lots of experience from being on both.

First off, sports at Emerson? Nuh uh. We probably have decent teams, but nobody at Emerson really cares besides the athletes themselves. However, you can always find plays and musicals to see, because Emerson has a huge abundance of musical theatre majors (all the singing in the dorm hallways affirm that). Emerson has dances every so often, but really...those have so much potential to be bad, that nobody really goes. Although, you gotta give Emerson credit for trying. The most popular clubs on campus are probably the film ones. If you decide to go to Emerson, you should probably try to participate in at least one film shoot. The party scene? Not really happenin at Emerson, but you can probably find parties easily enough. An amazing thing about Emerson is the location. It's right in the heart of downtown Boston, so you got Loew's theatre 100 meters away, Chinatown down the road, the Boston Common right outside, the Public Garden down the road, and it's in the theatre district, so there are lots of.... theatres! Emerson is on the intersection of Boylston and Tremont street, very major roads, so there's a lot of activity and car traffic. As a result of Emerson's lack of campus grounds, you're basically living in the city. City life may not be for everybody, but if you're a city person, you'd love it.

The school revolves around its extracurricular opportunities. There are a hundred or more clubs to choose from during your freshman year; a lot of freshman jump into any and all that interest them, get a wealth of experience fast, and then focus in on the areas that really interest them (whether it's working for a film club, literary journal, comedy troupe, social justice group, or musical). Clubs are also the best and quickest places to make friends, many of whom you'll work with repeatedly over the years in and outside of classes. The party scene exists, so I hear, but is easily ignorable. Many people are more likely to go to small gatherings with friends, rather than insane-o house parties. Some students drink and smoke like yer average college students, but in the meantime, there's a substance-free dorm floor called the Wellness Floor, which is fantastic and full of the "high on life" types of students, if that's more your style. Since Emerson's campus is also smack in the middle of downtown Boston, there's more than enough to do in the area--countless movies, shows, shopping, and restaurants within walking distance, plus hot spots like Fenway Park just a tiny T (subway) ride away. It's well worth it to get out and explore the city.

Athletic events are not popular at Emerson, which is pretty depressing. The athletes at Emerson put a long of time and effort into their sports and it would be great if the student body could support them better. We have good facilities for being in the middle of a city, regarding fields and gym space.

The most popular organizations are EAGLE, the GLBT group, and the fraternities/sororities. I'm involved with the school newspaper, The Berkeley Beacon. It's recommended that journalism students get involved with it, so I copy-edit one evening a week. Athletics have never been Emersonians' strong point but a new gym was built in the past couple of years and Emerson is trying to build up its athletic teams to attract prospective students. There are always a lot of speeches, plays, and other events scheduled. I transferred to Emerson at the beginning of my sophomore year so I've never lived in the dorms and can't answer any questions about dorm life. I don't usually hang out with Emersonians outside of when I'm there for class or in the dining hall before or after class, I've never dated an Emersonian and although I do have acquaintances there, none of them are close friends. There's a pretty heavy drinking scene and most people do it. Off campus, I see a lot of movies and go to a lot of concerts.

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Dorm people all hang out and often go to apartments to party. It's hard to meet people if you never lived in a dorm. There are no social events at schools unless it is a performance put on by one of the clubs. No one goes to sporting events. There are like 3 bleachers in the gym. People party pretty often. Not a very beer-pong school. Mostly hard liquor. Lots of weed and other drugs. Everyone is always online. If you don't want to drink you will play video games and watch movies with everyone else. That's what people do drunk too. And dance lots of poeple like to dance. Off campus is pretty much where everyone goes. To apartments. Boston closes early so no one really goes around the city unless they are going to someone's specific apartment.

Biggest groups involve gay, lesbian, trans, women's rights. They're totally into "open-mindedness" and being progressive. Athletics are virutally invisible. There's a shirt that the bookstore sells that says "Emerson Football" on the front, and "still undefeated" on the back, which is funny because we don't have a football team. I'm pretty sure we've got a baseball team and maybe a hockey team. But they slip under the radar of importance. If you're super into sports, you'll have a real hard time finding anyone that cares, or looking for a good sports debate. Partying involves lots of dancing to daft punk, hipster music, or obscure techno. It also involves either cheap beer like PBR and Miller High Life, or energy drinks and vodka. Lots of pot smoking, cigarette smoking, and clove smoking as well.

I haven't made a whole lot of friends because I dont live on campus so I can give you good output.

Parties happen at least once a weekend. Its not the craziest party scene, but it's good.

There is not one blanket group that everyone joins. Most of the organizations have some affiliation with a certain department. Your major plays a huge part in the organizations that would be beneficial and suggested for you to join. All of the organizations however, are run professionally and give you great real world experience. In the dorms we don't leave our doors open (they don't stay open) but most of the time if someone is in the room their door will be unlocked. Athletics are not very popular here, we are not a very big sports school and most students go four years never attending a game. Fraternities and Sororities are not extremely prevalent on campus, we have 1 all male Fraternity, 2 Sororities, and 1 co-ed fraternity on campus. A few of the fraternities/ sororities are professional, and some are your typical greek life experience. Since you are in the middle of Boston, there is lots to do that has nothing to do with drinking and partying, there are always shows going on at and around Emerson, there is a movie theater across the street, and there are other random activities in the city that you can find.

They will tell you that the Beacon is the shit. It is not. It is a great place for you to work, but it's not as competitive as the Times or something, you can start and stop writing any time you want. There's lots and lots of things to get involved with, if you have the time then you'll probably find an organization to join, and if they don't have it then you can probably start it yourself.

Emerson is not a big party school, and if thats your thing than some outsourcing must be done in order to go out and get silly. I'd say less than half people actually drink but if you want to find a party its not too hard. There are lots of theatre events and plenty of speakers but not too many big names. As far as bands and comedians coming through, thats a no go, but there are numerous music venues within walking distance and Boston has a solid scene.