Smith College Top Questions

There is always something going on at Smith. So many great events happen all the time its hard to choose which ones to go to.

My house really is my home away from home. My door is always open when I'm home so people can stop and chat. My closest friends on campus are my fellow Talbot 2nd Floor Seniors. We made it through Smith together! If I am awake at 2am on a Tuesday, it would be because I have a paper due and I would be out in the hallway in my folding chair working on it along with my other housemates who have something due. Also, at some point we would all head out for a McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts run. Saturday nights really come down to making your fun. I watch movies with my friends, go to the movies, play Apples to Apples, or get dressed up and go out to eat. I am not much of a party person, but Smith parties aren't that great, with a few big exceptions. As a basketball player and writer for the sports section of the paper, I have become entrenched in the athletic happenings on campus. The athletes are a tight-knit bunch. Most people at games are friends of someone playing. The sports scene is not central to Smith as it is other places. It's been something I've had to get used to, since I come from Friday Night Football country.

Smith offers a wide range of activities and social revenues for the diverse student body. With over 100 organizations on campus, 14 collegiate teams, and 12 club teams, Smith offers something for everyone. There is also always something going on. Art, music, dance, drama, is all going on at Smith casually or formally in weekend shows, house exhibitions, student forums, ext. The calendar at Smith is always full and as diverse as the student body.

We work super hard every day of the week and only stop to party when our work is done. If that happens on a Saturday night, cool, but it's just as likely to get crazy on a Monday after working hard all weekend. Academics come before drinking, and most people are happy to make that commitment. But when our hair gets let down we commit just as much to our play time.

If you want to do well at Smith, you have to do a lot of studying and working, obviously. As an all-female college, we get a sort of lame social rep, but if you like to dance, you can have fun at Smith parties. The Five College system is great-- I've met so many different people, and made so many new friends. My closest group of friends lives in the same house as I do. I have made good friendships with people from my classes and social events.

I think the Smith Activities and Social Life is great. There is always something going on on campus and there is something for everyone.

I was really involved with the party scene at Smith early on in my career. It was okay and I never felt like I had to drink to be a part of it which was important for me. But it gets old quickly. Its important to find other things to fulfill you beyond the party scene on campus.

Athletic events aren't terribly popular. I spent last weekend in my house, watching movies with my friends and doing homework. Some people drink, but there is very little pressure to do so.

Smith offers a lot of activities on campus. Sometimes they can be silly, like arts and crafts, but there are a lot of interesting speakers that come every week and some cool concerts as well. Depending on the house you get into, dorm community is either extremely strong, where everyone is friends and runnng around all the time, or nobody talks to each other and it's like a ghost town. During the week though, most people study study study! There's significantly less drinking than on other campuses, and potheads are practically shunned!

Smith has an organization for everyone and if you can't find the perfect one for you, then you can make it. The houses are like organizations in themselves, with traditions, events, and community. Most people in my house leave their doors open for visitors and don't even lock their doors when they leave because it is a very safe and trusting environment. I made all of my closest friends in my house. There are also lots of parties on and off campus on weekends, especially in the 5-college area. People often go to Amherst or Umass parties to meet guys and the guys come to our parties to meet us. If you want to drink, there are bars, the pub on campus, and parties with free beer. If you don't want to drink, there are many other activities every weekend as well and those listed with alcohol are fun even if you don't drink.