Wesleyan University Top Questions

There are an abundance of athletic club opportunities, political opportunities, social action opportunities and so on... Things I have been a part of... ASHA - aids and sexual health awareness (this group is dedicated to providing sex ed to middle and high school students in the area as well as on campus - they host fair, benefits and offer several teachings) MINDS - Mental Illness and Neurological Disorders (this organization is dedicated to providing and promoting mental health care in rural India) Roosevelt Institute - Student run think tank (progressive think tank that discusses and hypothesizes about policy concerning todays most pressing issues) There are only 3 major fraternities on campus and a few other small ones, there is one sorority not based on a cultural, ethnic, racial or religious affiliation, and the sorority is without a house. Greek culture can become a part of your life or it can not - you will find your scene either way. The frats always throw parties, but everyone is always welcome and you often find a lot of mingling between social groups and different groups of friends on campus. Most kids always seems willing to meet new people and expand their circle rather than close it off once they have made a few tight friends. There are a lot of non-drinking opportunities - there are often plays held by either the student run production group or by the university, there are speakers almost every day of the week and there are campus sponsored parties that are alcohol free - normally music events. In addition, the university shows a film each night of the week some days free and other days $5. people go to sporting events to cheer on their friends and big games come with big crowds but we are not a sport oriented school when it comes to student social activity.

As one of the top liberal arts schools in the country, Wesleyan attracts many aspiring politicians, government and NGO workers, etc. Thus, many students are involved in some form of student government or committee. Most Wes students are also environmentally conscious/eco-friendly, so there are many programs and initiatives for planting trees, starting a self-sufficient garden, buying local produce, etc. Athletics are also popular, and some Wes teams are NESCAC champions and make deep runs into the NCAA post-season tournaments. Lots of students have jobs, whether directly through the school, with some program affiliated with the University, or a job somewhere in Middletown. There is also a great arts scene- there are always dance and choir performances, poetry slams, shows in the CFA (Center for the Arts), and movie screening on Friday and Saturday nights for those who don't feel like hitting up the party scene.

There are more student organizations here than I can count, and a lot of them are very popular and active on campus. I love band, so I've joined the pep band and played in the pit orchestra for a student production of Stephen Sondheim's Assassins, which was scary because we only had two weeks to rehearse, but was also extremely fun and fulfilling. I'm also tutoring kids in Middletown for my work study. I tutor for six hours a week, and I love it. Pep band is my favorite activity. We play at home football and basketball games and occasionally take a road trip to an away game. There's fourteen of us, and everyone's really close. Many weekends, we have pep band parties at our senior director's house. The dating scene is what you make of it. Most people seem to be looking for hookups, but if you want something else, you can find it if you look a little harder. Traditional collegiate things like frats and big sports events definitely exist here, but they're just one of the many facets of campus social life, not the central focus as they would be at a big 10 school. We in the pep band, as well as the athletes' parents, are usually the loudest fans in the stands at games. The frat parties are inclusive--they won't keep non-Greeks out, so you don't need to join one even if frat parties are your scene. If they're not, there's plenty of other things to do on a weekend--concerts, raves, hanging out in friends' homes, getting falafel or grilled cheese at the trucks that hang out here at night, or (yes) doing homework. If you come here, you will have to spend the occasional Friday or Saturday night doing homework to keep up. But not always.

Greek life is smaller at Wes than it is at other more athletically-inclined LACs, but a lot of freshman end of partying at themed parties at Psi U during their first semester. There are a multitude of other events to attend throughout the week; there are always lectures, film screenings, guest speakers, theater shows, improv groups, a capella concerts, etc. A lot of the clubs/activities on campus are coordinated entirely by students, which goes to show how passionate Wes students are about their hobbies and interests and how eager they are to share that with fellow students.

Dorm parties, frat parties, musical performances, plays, concerts, movies...these make up the most of social life. The library is a fun place to be. Everyone's in it together. Good cultural events. Dating happens usually through groups - sports teams, dorms, classes, dance troupes, musical groups, etc. Those who join these types of groups will have the most rewarding time at Wes, both romantically and socially.

House parties make up a lot of the social scene as an upperclassman, but most Freshman turn to Psi U, or their halls before venturing out to the senior houses later in the year. Weekends can start on Wednesdays if you want them to.

Alex shows us a normal day on Foss Hill with people relaxing and playing sports.

Wesleyan strays from the typical college party scene a bit. There are frat parties and house parties, which are pretty by the book, but there are also a bunch of student events that get a lot of people to come on the weekends

- I'm so glad that there aren't more frats or soroities. I think they divide the campus up. - I LOVE THE RIDE. - Students do leave their doors open---but not all of the time. - Athletic events are not popular--and i am ok with that. - I met my closest friends from living near some, dating people and getting close to their friends, bonding in classes/labs. - I had a boyfriend for a year and a half..then he cheated on me again with another wesleyan girl. now i have a new boyfriend who i love. we are all friends. it is a small campus. you need to be able to make peace with some things. - i love concerts at welseyan---I think it's terrible how eclectic has shows, but only secretly sells tickets. i also wish they'd have bigger venues for more popular shows--like the management. - i'm usually awake at 2 am still doing homework or crying about homework. - i used to never party...now i try to go out every weekend. - i wish we had the library open 24 hrs. - something that doesn't involve drinking--you can hang out in someone's room--whether ppl are drinking or not--and choose not to drink. - you can go out to dinner and not drink. - you can go to a show and not drink. - i think when ppl play drinking games...then it's boring if you're not drinking. drinking games are dumb--b/c you're not talking and getting to know ppl better. - i wish there were more spaces to practice instruments. - i wish there were more benches WITH BACKS on campus! Like--in front of Olin.

it is dynamic. there is always so much to do and so many options for week days and weekends. not only are there parties and such but there are many activities involving rich culture, political activism, humanitarian issues, food, diversity etc.

Too Much. Too Much. Pick something. You can probably do it. Sometimes PSafe shuts down our parties mad early. This sucks.

no one cares about football except the football players. many people care about big concerts and plays and even dances. the frisbee team is more respected than the football team. but this also makes the athletes into a pretty ironic counterculture, which is also cool. there are always interesting lectures about everything going on, film screenings, concerts, plays, art shows, dances. people generally keep doors open. lots of nakedness. people generally party three nights a week. there are three frats, that throw good parties but otherwise are pretty irrelevant to life outside themselves. Wesfest is really big and really sweet -- lots of student run festivities. and spring fling is cool too -- the school brings in big musical acts. and 4/20 is like times square on new years eve.

Psi U is unofficial king of parties, even though they only get up a good one every three weeks or month or so. (please don't hate me Wes Psi U. I'm highly opinionated on parties). I'm too busy for social outside of the friends I already know and dance parties; not the guy to talk to.

A lot of students feel peer pressure at colleges to drink, and it's possible to feel that pressure at Wes, but most people here will totally respect you if you don't want to. Some frats push it, but some don't. I've felt most comfortable at parties at Alpha Delt, which is a co-ed literary society... not a frat. The people there will accept you if you just want to drink soda at parties, and they have a lot of events that have nothing to do with alcohol but that are just really quirky and fun, even at prime partying hours. I've heard that Wesleyan students don't believe in love and are really bad about relationships, but I know a handful of people who have been with the same person since first semester freshman year and stay happy. If you're looking for hook-ups or something more serious, it's usually not too hard to find. Some weekends, there are a lot of campus events, and some have very few, but there's always something or another to do. Regarding dorm life, you never know what kind of hall you'll get, but if your hall is particularly social, it's not rare to find people with their doors open all the time to hang out, or chat, or invite you over to watch stuff. A good hall is priceless. I had one freshman year, and it was never a dull moment.

Social life at Wesleyan is just right. There is something for everyone. If big frat parties are your thing, Wesleyan has them. If you like movies, you'll love the Wesleyan Cinema Series. The week days aren't very socially active. Weekends tend to have many activities from frat parties to parties at seniors' houses to just relaxing with your friends. Athletic events aren't very popular at Wesleyan. For example, at graduation, the president of the class said "you know you went to Wesleyan when you've never seen an entire football game." That statement can be extended to nearly every sports event. There isn't much to do off campus besides go to the restaurants in Middletown.

All sorts of types mingle on the Wesleyan social scene. I didn't partake in any substances for a long time and I still went out with plenty of people who did. The school does not impose any specific lifestyle-- as long as you are willing to meet people who want to meet you, it'll be great.

Wesleyan knows how to have a great time. You'll probaly be drunk your first two years. By junior year, your major gets really serious and focused and people cool off a little. The people are lots of fun, the most costume parties I've ever been to. Its rare that a week goes by without one of your friends having a concert, hosting a show, or performing in something. Weekend starts on Wednesday with Bar Night and goes until Sunday night. Few annual traditions outside of the typical halloween/valentines type sexed-out parties for Freshmen. Amazing guest speakers. Few frats and sororities, though this option exists. There are many program houses that fill a similar function: eclectic, well-being house, women of color house, community service house, Malcom X house, out house, open house, chinese house, alpha delt literary soc, etc. Something is going on every night, but it's also ok to stay home and relax.

You should always be able to find someone who wants to party. However, things can get a little old and redundant towards the end of the year.

There's so much to do, and most Wes students do a million things. There's tons of talent here - student bands, student plays, student concerts, student art shows. There are games to go see: basketball, softball, squash. On any given night, there are five University-wide things to do, see, or participate in. There are always way more lectures, performances, meetings, concerts, games, shows and events than you've got time for. At night, there are house parties, frat parties, concerts, dances, substance-free parties, a free movie series in the theater, midnight tag or capture the flag, late-night dining, events hosted by program houses (like community service house, outdoor club, sign-language club, asian-american house, women of color house, etc.), and small gatherings in peoples' rooms. Drugs and alcohol are definitely prevalent on campus. There are people who'll find occasion to drink heavily five or six nights a week, and those who don't drink at all. There is a lot of weed on campus, and there are substantial amounts of other drugs as well. But it's all very relaxed. Campus security is not very strict. And most students drink and use in moderation. We love beirut on this campus, at least in my group of friends. There isn't a whole lot of getting drunk and doing nothing. There's a lot of activity here, all the time, whether students are inebriated or sober. There are annual events and parties happening all the time, and life here is really, really fun.

The social life at Wes has a little something for everybody. If the frats are you scene, rest assured that theres almost always a party at the houses on campus. If you are always on the cutting edge of music and love plastic sunglasses, then Eclectic is your place. Maybe you are intrigued by fire spinning? Join Prometheus, the campus fire spinning club. Or maybe Alpha Delt is more your pace. Whatever your fancy, you'll find it. There are also frequently parties thrown in program housing. I'd say one of the best parties I have been to at Wes was a random dance party (a make-shift rave, if you will) thrown in the living room of one of the houses. And don't forget Fountain Ave! A street full of senior houses often opens up to the masses, with parties in many houses at the same time, leading to a block party. Fountain isn't even the only street with senior houses. If you make friends with older kids, or even if you don't, walk on into a party at a senior house, and you are sure to have a good time. People also enjoy learning at Wes, no matter how "cool" they may be. Nobody is ashamed to attend a guest speaker, and on campus theater, music, and dance productions are almost always sold out. As for dating, it happens, but so do random hookups, which happen a LOT. If you're looking for a hook-up, and you go out with that in mind, you'll probably find it. Most freshman it seems get their random hooking up out of the way and try to settle down later. I personally dated a wonderful person for much of the year, and while that didn't end up being forever, it still provided a nice break from the random scene. Every year, Wes has spring fling, which is when the whole campus is outside on Foss Hill all day in the sun and the school brings in bands to play. It's looked forward to and talked about all year long, and the hype is well worth it. People tend to go out on Wednesdays sometimes, Thursdays very often, and obviously Fridays and Saturdays. That being said, usually one night per weekend tends to be quiet, often referred to as people's date nights. And if you have too much work and can't go out, nobody blames you or teases you. Everybody understands and respects that you gotta do what you gotta do.