Middlebury College Top Questions

Political activism and outdoors-centered clubs are popular on campus.

the dating scene revolves around a hook up culture

There are numerous extracurricular options at MIddlebury. Most students are involved in at least one (excluding athletics), and many do two or more. There's a group for nearly everything, and starting one up is easy if you can't find what you're looking for. I'm a member of the Middlebury Student Quakers, which is a fantastic community of intelligent, caring, and silly individuals. We meet in the Chaplain's house on Sundays and you should drop by for Silent Meeting and then not-silent hanging out! Sports games are not well-attended, except for Quidditch and ice hockey, the former because it's so fun to watch and the latter because our teams are really good. Theater is better attended, and the student productions that happen in the Hepburn Zoo are pretty high-caliber. The Otter Nonsense improv troupe is hilarious and their shows always sell out. Middlebury has no Greek system, but don't let that fool you. Middlebury has five co-ed "social houses," four of which (the fifth being the sub-free house) serve the same purpose as frats. Three of these four are pretty shameless about this, so if it's beer pong and date rape you're after, never fear. The fourth is the Mill, the "alternative" social house that's home base to the campus population of hipsters. They throw parties that are just like the other houses' parties, but with better music, more fashionable clothing, and drugs. But honestly the difference is manifest more in the Mill members' collective sense of identity than their parties, which get just as boring as the other houses' just as quickly. Between them, the four social houses provide popular weekend outlets for many, and there are numerous open and private parties in suites and rooms on any given night as well. Thursday-Saturday is alcohol time for most Middlebury students, who embrace "work hard play hard" like a creed. If you're not into that, however, there are plenty of options. Take a hike, build a fire, call for owls, dance sober, people-watch, go to a movie, hang out with friends, take a road trip, look up local ghost stories, whatever. Middlebury-sponsored alternatives to drinking tend to be lame, and Middlebury students tend to be uncreative, which leads many non-drinkers to boredom and then to drinking. In truth, there's no shortage of things to do, but not many people here seem willing to dream up more exciting Saturday night agendas than getting trashed, dancing like idiots, and hooking up with strangers. Speaking of which, dating isn't a thing that happens here. You're either celibate, or you're hooking up randomly or casually, or you're joined at the hip with a significant other. There are no in-betweens. If I'm awake at 2 am on a Tuesday, I'm either doing homework or with my friends, watching that episode of the Tyra Banks Show where the popular girls and the loser girls switch identities. Classic.

Enough activities, events, lectures, concerts, etc. are presented to keep anyone entertained. Sometimes people complain (and sometimes I do too), but in that case we're really just being lazy and not taking full advantage of the opportunities provided.

The most popular team on campus is probably Hockey (the games are a blast), but rugby, football and lacrosse are also big. The parties are not the extreme frat spectacles that one might get at a big university, but I have a great time every weekend. For some, the weekend starts on Wednesday, but Saturday is the biggest night because the athletes can let go. Drinking is big for most social events, but there is no pressure for teetotalers. Movies, dances, theater, speakers are all possible options for someone trying to avoid the drinking scene. Micro brews, like the local Otter Creek, are very popular as well. The school has really impressed me with the talent they have brought for concerts: Regina Spekter, Girl Talk, Cake, Talib Kweli, Blue Scholars, Josh Kelley, and many great small acts.

Riddim performance

Environmental movement begun at Middlebury College - among many other climate change intiatives

Social life was great for about a year and then it got really small. Unless you are 21 you can't go out to anything in town past 9PM and if you don't drink there isn't much to do at Midd in general after about 10PM. The dating scene is bad- people are married or JUST hooking up. No one "goes out."

I've only been here one semester and I already feel like I've made friends with some people I'll want to stay friends with for a long long time. The people are so much fun, love to go out and have a good time, and find a good balance between work and play. Frats and sororities don't exist, which doesn't bother anybody. There's plenty of things to do if you don't drink, but there is also plenty of opportunity to drink if you want to.

student activities aren't very popular at all, besides sports, I guess, a lot of people do sports. Most people leave their dorm doors unlocked always. Athletic events aren't popular. Guest speakers are. Lots of people go to acapella concerts because they're always crowded. The dating scene, well, what dating scene, but it'd defnitely getting better; there's a great committee promoting that kind of thing. I met my friends through my freshman dorm and parties and friends of friends. At two am on a tuesday I am usually going to bed, but I might be writing a paper or chilling in a friend's room, talking, or just leaving the Grille as it closes. social houses are for the socially retarded here. Except maybe the mill. The mill is more like people who already kind of hung out anyway and then decided to live together. I guess club sports are popular and similar to what you'd think of social houses, that is they are social groups that suck you in and then you only hang out with each other. These groups would be rugby or frisbee. on a saturday night, you can go to a dance or something...or to a movie? watch tv?

Hockey's pretty big I guess. Student performances usually get a good turnout. People are social, especially in freshman dorms. The dating scene primarily consists of the drunken hook up, with serious outbreaks of coupling. People party on a very wide spectrum of frequency. Some students are more academic, and limit it to the weekend. Others find quite a bit of time during the week. But pretty much everyone goes out at least Friday and Saturday.

Middlebury's nightlife is not as accessible as it should be. That's one of my biggest beefs with Middlebury. There are campus-sponsored events but they mostly flop. Some of the social circles are pretty exclusive and that can definitely get a little annoying. This all being said, if you really want to be a party animal, you can put your effort into and do that. It's really what you make it. As I've said in every category, Middlebury offers you the freedom to do what you want. Also, I have found that you can make really good friends at Middlebury (or maybe in College in general). I've found some really thoughtful folks here who know how to have fun... It's pretty awesome.

It is too bad that campus events do not have a higher turn out; how can the student body create fun events if people will not stop playing beer pong long enough to attend?

There are not always big parties.

If I am awake at 2 am on a Tuesday, I would be in a study hall working on a paper. The Middlebury social scene does not begin until Thursday, and even that is hit or miss. Thursday is bar night, and if you do not have a fake ID and are under 21, than you won't be able to "go out" meaning drink alcohol. There's always interesting school sponsored lectures and events that go on during the week, including live music in the Gamut Room or the Grille, but generally I do not have time unless I work really hard to fit it in. Generally, Midd students go out hardcore on Fridays and Saturdays to make up for all the social interaction they miss during the week when they are studying all the time. Weekends are very sporadic; there is never just one place where people go, as a result of public safety presence you find yourself drifting around campus calling every person you know trying to find the "best" party before it is busted. School sponsored parties are generally fun because everyone goes there after they get drunk and want to dance, so you end up seeing a lot of people that you know. It's a strange system, but you get used to it and I always have a lot of fun on the weekends.

If you have time, opportunities abound. There is always something you could be going to or doing. People always complain about the social scene, but it's no different than any other college - we just get bored easily. No dating scene. Sorry. But that may be more of a generational thing. There are plenty of random hook-ups to be had, and aside from that if you are in a relationship you are basically married. Frats/Sororities = no nos. And outside entertainment requires a 45 minute drive to Burlington or a 3 hour drive to Montreal.

Social life is whatever you want to make of it, whether you want party on the weekend or just do something relaxing. They have lots of movies, excellent guest lectureres, and are always offer parties on the weekend.

It is what you make it. It's Middlebury. But you can do almost anything you want.

Poor social life, but great people on the committee boards!

We drink on the weekends but study hard during the week.