Grinnell College Top Questions

Mock Trial and Model UN are both popular. There are many music ensembles, including Collegium Musicum, a medieval and Renaissance group that I happen to play harpsichord in, three a cappella groups, three large choirs, a symphonic orchestra/band, chamber ensembles, and Javanese Gamelan, which is a group that studies and plays the music of the island of Java. There is an improv troupe and a theatre troupe that writes its own plays, as well as 3 official theatre productions each year and a dance ensemble. There isn't Greek life here so the most popular parties happen at the Harris center, and many are themed. We really get into theme parties here at Grinnell! Frequently the Harris center also shows films. Every weekend you can probably find a concert of some sort. Athletic events are not super popular, but people do go to basketball games because we are apparently pretty successful at basketball.

IF you're not liberal, your gonna have a hard time. If you don't like getting shitfaced, your gonna have a hard time. If you are either awkward at dancing or don't like it, your gonna have a hard time. The problem is that although it is quote on quote diverse, the social scene really isn't. IT's as singular as you get. Saturday nights consist of going to the one college party on campus...Harris, which is getting shitfaced and dancing to techno every Saturday. Those who don't are studious freaks who do nothing but study. If you are neither of those, your in an alienated gray area. Since there's nothing to do in the town (wal-mart, which sells ammunition, is an hour walk but that's it), students compensate with politically charged initiatives and high school kind of stuff like extra-curriculars such as mock-trial. IF your not an extra-curricular guy, your in trouble. Nothing to do on campus, nothing to do outside of it. Without extra-currics, YOU WILLL DIE OF BOREDOM!

Grinnell students like to leave their doors open and then complain when someone's laptop inevitably gets stolen. The climate is generally unsupportive of dating relationships, and much more conducive to awkward one-night stands. It is not uncommon on weekends to find a string of wild parties held in dorms across campus but if you elect to live in substance-free housing people are generally respectful of the policy.

Our environmental group, FTP, is quite large, as is yoga. Student Government Association is pretty big. Students leave their doors open when they're there, and also don't really lock their doors a whole lot. It's Iowa. Some of our athletic teams are good. There's usually a decent turnout. Not the whole school or anything by any means. There are a ton of yearly parties that occur that are big for community building, like 10/10, Disco, and Block Party. We don't have fraternities or sororities.

Social life at Grinnell is what you make it to be. Grinnell has a social culture that it likes to keep alive. Major parties or social events are passed down through organizations, so the leaders who take over each year know what is expected. Such as the campus unity party is put on by the men's Frisbee team each year. The 2 am pancakes during hell week, the week before finals two weeks before the end of the semester, are always made by the Grinnell College Cristian Fellowship. Love you body week is organized by Feminist Action Coalition. The MuliCultural Talent show is put on by Concerned Black Students. And, this list could continue for all the organizations on campus.

Socially, Grinnell is a good fit for students who don’t mind getting a little wild and rowdy. People say we embody the quote “work hard, play hard.” Since there are no fraternities or sororities, campus parties are sponsored by clubs or by interested students (who are reimbursed by the student government.) Again, the Grinnell twist is an integral part of our traditional parties. One favorite is called Mary B. James (named for the dorm with the same name) in which girls (Mary) dress like boys (James) and vice versa. Surprisingly, almost everyone on campus cross dresses, even the most feminine girls and the most masculine guys. Another party with a twist is Fetish, where the party requires you come dressed as a “fetish.” Grinnellians also get really into the party 10/10, which has a much-debated history. It’s big party that travels around campus, and involves an all-campus shot (of whichever liquid you chose, alcoholic or non-alcoholic) at midnight. Of course, parties like Disco, 80’s, and Halloween, are big too. In my experience, many Grinnell students drink. However, clubs sponsor dry (no alcohol) parties as well, and alternatives to the pre-parties, where there is almost always alcohol. And even if you don’t want to go to an alternative party, if you are not interested in drinking, it is totally okay and no one will pressure you.

Here is our choir (the Young Gifted and Black Choir of Grinnell College) singing this wonderful and inspirational song by Youthful Praise. This video was taken on Sunday April, 19, 2009.

There are no sororities or frats at Grinnell. Parties mostly take place in Harris, where they're open to everyone, and then break up after. The campus feels very safe. The girls across the hall left their door unlocked the whole year, and had nothing taken or bothered. Some people don't drink- they're respected, and that's fine. There's always something to do on the weekends. Bob's Underground Cafe is open, a movie could be playing in the Harris theatre, there are restaurants in town, or just chilling in a lounge is normal. In addition, Iowa City is an hour away in one direction, and Des Moines is an hour away in the other. Guest speakers normally lecture during the week, and usually they're interesting.

Grinnell has a very large list of activities for a small school and better yet, anyone can be involved. Beginners are always welcome to anything. If you have an interest and its not available, the school will fund you to start and lead a group dedicated to that interest. There is anything ranging from intramural sports to improv. Many people would say that the ultimate frisbee team is one of the most popular groups on campus. On the weekends, there is so much to do that does not involve drinking. The college brings professional music and performing arts groups to campus and students see all shows for free. New release movies are also played on campus and student music group concerts abound. There is also a game room in the student center and there are so many odd-ball events going on that you can choose between things like dive-in movies at the pool or observatory open house nights. On the other hand, even though there is no Greek life at Grinnell, students are always up for a good time.

Grinnell is in the middle of Iowa, so the number of things to do in the town of Grinnell is sort of limited. However, every weekend there is a party at the Harris concert hall that is free and open to all students. The college also does a really good job of bringing musicians, lecturers, etc to campus so that even though Grinnell is in the middle of nowhere, there are still a lot of interesting things to do and see on campus, and all of it is free. There are no fraternities/sororities so everything on campus is basically open to everyone. And every weekend the school puts on fairly recent movies with free popcorn and has a weekend wellness activity for students that don't want to drink.