Wesleyan University Top Questions

People think that wes kids are ALL either dirty hippies, American Apparel Wearing Hipsters with the newest dj music pouring from their ears, crazies who protest ANYthing and EVERYthing, or extremely artsy.

1. More into mind-altering substances and left-of-mainstream philosophies and lifestyles than peer schools. 2. Politically active, in a 1960s protest and picket sort of way 3. High population of queer, trans and sexually questioning people 4. Forward thinking, avant garde artistic community 5. High population of both hippies and hipsters 6. Cutting edge in all sorts of lifestyle issues, for instance acceptance of veganism. 7. Whiny.

that we're all huge anarchist hippies.

Overly Liberal Large Scale Drug Use Wealthy and Pretentious

They are far lefties, activists, and potheads.

Really liberal, hippies, lots of gays/lesbians, weird, not normal, smoking pot 24/7, bad at sports, politically correct, rich white New England kids living off their mommys and daddys, whiny, lame, etc.

One of the major stereotypes about Wesleyan is that it is full of hippies, activists and general weirdos. Some people visiting the school allow themselves to be fooled by this stereotype, and by nature of self-fulfilling prophesy walk away with exactly that impression of the school.

One of the most common stereotypes to run across (especially when talking to parents) is that Wesleyan is some sort of giant commune run by SDS, riddled with Acid and in a constant state of uproarious protest.

All the girls are ugly, the jocks suck at sports, the hipster-jock divide, students are incredibly liberal

That we're all (smart) naked hippies who love experimenting with mind-expanding drugs all day every day. That we all join the Peace Core or Teach for America after we graduate.

hippies, techies, diverse

In general, I think people perceive Wesleyan students as super liberal-minded earthy crunchy hippies and New York hipsters. At Wesleyan, most stereotypes are represented--the jocks, the dorks, the stoners, the prep school grads, a few Republicans--and they often intersect

I think there's a stereotype that Wesleyan students are a collection of privileged stoners and hipsters who care more about criticizing and intellectually deconstructing mainstream society that with actually changing it for the better.

that we are all pot smoking, tree hugging, hippies

People think that Wesleyan is all about Hippies and Hipsters. People either too peaceful or too ironic to function.

we're ultra liberal, politically correct hippies.

Hippies, Weed, and Activism

Some might say that the Wesleyan student body is obnoxiously liberal and overly politically correct. Potheads.

There is a stereotype that Wesleyan students are a bunch of privileged hippies, trust fund liberals who are activists largely to piss off their parents. There is another stereotype that Wes students are major activists and that Wesleyan is generally a hot-bed of activism.

Wes is commonly referred to as "diversity university," which I believe refers to the student body's range of backgrounds and experiences, from racial/ethnic/international to class to sexual orientation. Wes students also used to be, if we aren't still, thought of as activists.