Middlebury College Top Questions

I don't really know what's popular. I like art. I like the Mill. I like Otters. I like theatre.

Drinking is extremely prevalent on weekends, but it is not the only option. Except it kind of is. Frats and Sors do not exist, but social houses on campus are good about staying involved in the party hosting scene.

My closest friends came from my single-sex freshman hall (in a co-ed dorm), though these friendships really solidified sophomore year. Almost everyone at Middlebury is friendly, and everyone seems to find a group of friends where they fit. I hated and felt very creeped out by all social houses except for the Mill (the "hippier" social house), and didn't attend a "regular" social house party after my freshman year. That year, I never left without getting a beer spilled on my shirt. Lots going on on campus every weekend, students feel little need to venture off campus. Trips to Burlington, Vergennes and Lake Dunmore rounded-out my campus-heavy 4 years.

I'm very involved in athletics which basically prevents me from doing anything else both in terms of organizations/clubs and going to speakers or other events that happen on campus. I probably could do more than I do but it would be extremely difficult.

There are a lot of clubs. It's easy to get involved in whatever you're interested. You can do theater even if you're not a theater major. In terms of activism, the global-warming/environmentalist Sunday Night Group is probably the most popular. There is a surplus of a capella, to the detriment (often) of quality. Lots of intramural sports, though it can be hard to walk on to Varsity sports if you weren't recruited. There are technically no Frats or Sororities but there are four "social houses" which are quasi-frats (they are coed must accept everyone) that throw big parties. KDR and ADP are both pretty Frat-like. The Mill is more of an artists collective and a good place to smoke if you partake. They throw the best parties of the bunch. There are always parties in peoples suites and dorms as well. The Middlebury drinking policy is very lax, imposed by public safety, not by the police. If you don't drink, you can go to parties and not feel pressured, but if you want to avoid drinkers altogether there are always movies on the big screen and in people's rooms. There's great theater, music, and dance shows in the early evening most weekends. And plenty of places to just hang out, drink tea and talk. One night last weekend I walked to the organic garden in the field off campus and had a bonfire and a campout with friends. Off campus there is great hiking and skiing. Middlebury owns a downhill ski area with 3 lifts and a thousand vertical feet and a nordic ski area with 52k of skate and classic trails. Free shuttles go out there every half hour. In the Summer and Fall people lay out to tan on the big grassy quad in the middle of campus called Battell Beach, grilling and playing frisbee and whiffle ball or go to the real beach at Lake Dunmore, about 10 minutes away.

People need organization when they cannot find their people themselves and need a rally point. Otherwise they jut supplement.

The most popular organizations on campus have to do with environmental activism. The most popular teams are the hockey and rugby teams. I'm involved in a group of students that meet every Saturday afternoon to talk about some current national or international issue and figure out what we think about it. Students leave their dorm room doors open. Athletic events are very popular. Guest speakers are moderately popular. Theater is very popular. The dating scene exists, to some extent, but there's also a lot of hooking up. I met my closest friends by living next door to them or playing music with them. If I'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I'll probably be having an intense philosophical or political conversation with friends. Traditions/events that happen every year are: The Quidditch World Cup, Winter Carnival, the Spring Festival. People party every night of the weekend. There are no fraternities/sororities, and the social houses (their equivalent), are not very important to the social scene. Last weekend I went to a concert, had late-night conversations, and spent all night Saturday night out at the organic garden looking at the stars. On a Saturday night you can go to a dance party without drinking, you can go to a concert without drinking, you can watch a movie with friends without drinking, you can go to parties without drinking...I leave campus to go folk dancing or hiking/skiing.

I don't like dorm life and so i scooted away from it after freshman year. even during freshman year i spent little time in a dorm. i found houses to hang-out it or such. they're nicer. i'm a member of a social house and we have our own parties and a house to hang-out in. the pop-parties... with the whole world and their wives attending end at about 2 o'clock and people retreat to quieter-out-of-public-safety's-reach places. people work hard and party hardy. it's their gift to themselves for finishing lots and lots of homework.

you gotta get outside and explore Middlebury is in the between Lake Champlain and the Green Mountians, live it up

I am a member of a Middlebury social house and it has been pivotal in my experience here at Middlebury. I am part of a community, live in a house, and am surrounded by creative individuals that all have something to offer the larger group. The social house scene at Middlebury is, by no means, in the foreground and initiation and social house functions have been reduced to such an absurd level that hazing seems alien to the members. Though certain organizations value tradition and subscribe more to the ideals of conventional fraternities, they are only an outlet for the students who have always wished to participate in such activities. There is always a way to get to a big city as Burlington is only 45 minutes away and the train and bus services are adequate.

There are many different activities. Guest lectures are very succesful, so is the theater. Nightlife is less exciting since students are restricted to on-campus parties and they get repetitive. It is easy to fall into a pettern of getting drunk, partying, and not really doing anything worth remembering, or being creative about having fun.

My improv comedy group is the best thing about Midd for me. We have a big following that comes to our shows all the time, and we have a lot of fun. I've never been to an athletic event, except to tailgate, eat subway and not watch the game. I think people go to theater, but that's my scene. 2 am on Tuesday? I would be watching a movie stoned and snuggling with my best friend. Off campus, I drive around the beautiful Vermont country in my Volvo, and eat things at my favorite places. People party a good amount, but not as much as they should. I know a good crew of kids who holds it down though. People are very generous with their weed, too.

a lot of speakers and performances sports plays a big role in a lot of students' lives social life is ok middlebury is pretty isolated and there's not that much to do off campus unless you have a car

Events, performances, and lectures are always happening on campus. There are so many, I can't attend all of the ones I would like to.

Sunday night group (environmental activists) and a cappella are way popular on campus. A saturday night has many options, but few involve not drinking.

Social life has deteriorated since I came here in 2004. Whether thats the fault of a changing American public or our own administration is a different story, but in my mind I think this deterioration has a little to do with both.

people work hard and play hard, and we're a pretty drunk campus come weekend. you can find fratty parties and hippie kickbacks. there's a big spectrum

I'm really into arts and music so I tend to roll with the art clique here. You might think you don't want cliques - but you do. My sister goes to Williams where there don't seem to be any distinct social communities and she hates it. It's cool to have a community of people who are into the same stuff you're into. I'm also in a social house called the Mill. It rules. It's for guys and girls.

Need more campus-wide parties. Very split up into different groups.

There are no frats, but "social houses." The drinking rules here are getting absurd--partying is getting harder now that parties must be registered, have permits, etc. Lots of beer-drinking. Lots of pot. Its easy to get disenchanted with the drinking scene very quickly. If you don't actively pursue cool ideas for your weekend nights, the social life can stagnate. Student bands. Some smaller hangouts for poetry readings, jam seshs, etc. Athletic events and theater events are well-attended--people are quite supportive of other students' endeavors. Most kids party on the weekends. Some party during the week too. Some not at all. Many students leave their doors open.