OWU is the perfect size for me. I know a lot of people around campus, making it seem more friendly in a way. But at the same time I don't feel like I know every single person on campus. Most of my time, when not studying in Slocum or the library, is spent just hanging out with friends in the dorms or the SLUs. If the weather is nice, it is great to hang out outside of HamWil or Welch. Delaware, OH is a very interesting place. It's both small and big at the same time. Its proximity to Columbus is very nice and sometimes it is just necessary to get out of Delaware and head down to a real city (Columbus). OWU definitely has school pride, like any school, but it doesn't have so much that it's annoying. That's one thing that made OWU more appealing to me, the students aren't overzealous about sports teams or anything like that. There are a lot of little things that make OWU what it is. For instance, during finals week there was chalk provided for anyone walking down the Jaywalk and they were allowed to draw or write whatever they wanted to. This kind of free expression is one of those little things that sets OWU aside from other more typical schools.

Academics at OWu are fantastic. Due to the size of the school, it is common for professors to know not only your name but who you are, too. A professor I had my first semester of my freshman year in a class of about 35 students (which by the way would be one of the larger classes at OWU!) still says hello to me around campus, addressing me by name. It is very nice, because this makes it a lot easier for a student to approach their professor(s) for help in any way. Some students study all of the time. They go to Slocum or the library and just crank away at their books until it's time to eat and/or sleep. And there are students that simply never spend time studying. But the vast majority of students seem to find the right balance between work and play. Some students are very competitive, but I think that comes with the territory of certain majors more than it comes with OWU as a whole. My favorite class, so far, was a history class about Latin America in Revolution. True the subject matter really interested me, but the way that the class was set up was really great. There were only 10 students and the professor and we discussed the readings for that week. It was entirely discussion. And never did I feel that I had to say what the professor wanted. The floor was open for any student to say what they thought about the subject in question. An open mind is probably the first thing that an OWU student obtains at OWU and they are free to use it as often as they can. The academic requirements are rigorous but not so hard that you can't think about anything else except your studies. It's "just right" if you may. I would have to say that the education that one gets at OWU is designed for whatever the student designs it to be. It is so easy for a student to take the classes they want, when they want. Learning is very important for both the students and the professors. I think that learning for its own sake is how OWU has generally geared itself, even though what you learn is great for later careers.

OWU is a liberal arts college. Liberal. This word is there for a reason. However, it isn't so liberal that it becomes annoying. There is a great mix of different kinds of people at OWU that all find comfort at the school. I haven't witnessed or even really heard of any racial, religious, or LGBT issues that would be of concern to anyone. OWU as a whole is extremely accepting of people. Period. Any kind of person. They're all people who want to learn at a good school. At the same time, there are groups on campus for all sorts of interests. There's the House of Black Culture, SANGAM (the South Asia club), VIVA (the Hispanic club), and the EURO Club. There's Campus Crusade for Christ, Tauheed (the student Islamic group), as well as the Women's House (a SLU based on Women's rights and interests). These are just off the top of my head. There is a club, group, or SLU (Small Living Unit) for practically everyone. Most students wear whatever they want to class. Sometimes you see people in pajama pants and a t-shirt that looks like it has been worn for 3 days straight. Sometimes you see guys wearing suits and ties to class (usually has something to do with a fraternity). But on average, OWU students wear your typical college-age student garb. Ok, say there are four tables at a dining hall on OWU's campus. One table is probably overflowing with CrossCountry runners or SwimTeam members who always eat together. The second table probably has a group of international students trying out our deep-fried American food (don't worry there's more to eat than just that). The third table might have a bunch of upper-class sorority girls gossiping about nothing while they sip their drinks with their pinkies up. And finally, the last table would probably have a group of art and music people who don't care what anyone thinks of them. There are plenty of other tables with different people, but those are probably the four most commonly seen tables around OWU. Politics on campus swing the way you probably think they do. Usually to the left. In classes, especially politics classes, the professors don't try to tell you what to think. They show you how to think for yourself when it comes to politics. Politics is kinda big on campus, but if you aren't interested in politics it isn't hard at all to avoid it. People think with their own brains and they like to speak their minds. And this brings so much to OWU.

Greek life is fairly big at OWU, however they do not recruit heavily. For instance, I have no interest in joining a fraternity and I do not feel pressured into doing so at all. The guys are really cool about it in general. Sororities are the same way (from what I've heard). I live in the Creative Arts House, one of those SLUs that people talk about. The Creative Arts House, aka CAH, includes a lot of artistic and musical people that try to spread creativity to the rest of OWUs campus. SLUs have house projects every semester, and CAH always brings opportunities to OWU students to use their creativity. The front door to CAH is usually open and people are welcome to stop by at any time. Dorms are very similar. You need your student ID card to swipe into the dorm buildings and a room key to get into your room. However, many students leave their room doors open if they are in the room. There isn't too much concern over stealing or anything like that. Students generally respect each other and each other's stuff. Students go to athletic events, guest speakers, and theater performances as they like, which is fairly often. The dating scene? Heh heh, well, I mean that can't be too different from any other college campus. There are many kinds of people who like to date people in different ways and they can pretty much all be found at OWU. There are plenty of short-term relationships and plenty of long-term relationships. There isn't too much stress surrounding the dating scene from what I can tell. I've met some great people in my classes and I've met some great people who lived right across the hall from me when I lived in Welch. There are great people around every corner at OWU. If I'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I am probably working on a paper or homework for that Wednesday morning class. But if I'm awake at 2am on a Wednesday, I am possibly partying with friends. I have not participated in this much, but for some reason Wednesday nights have become a sort of party night. Now parties at OWU aren't too crazy in general. For instance, the morning after a big party, there isn't too much to clean up. OWU doesn't have the wildest of parties, but parties do happen and they can be a lot of fun. I think in general, OWU students are pretty responsible, so even the parties don't get to far out of hand. Don't worry non-party-goers. There are plenty of other things to do on campus (and/or off campus) instead of drinking or partying. Sometimes it's just hanging out with friends, but weekends aren't too bad usually. Sometimes, they can be a little slow, but they don't last too long anyways. Gotta get back to work sometime.

I don't think that there is any one stereotype of an OWU student. There are stereotypical college students of all kinds found at OWU, but you would find these people anywhere. I think in general though, OWU students are open-minded people who are there to learn more than they are there to party.

For me, OWU is kind of the perfect mix of students, academics, clubs, athletics, and everything else in between. There isn't one thing that overpowers everything else and there aren't too many things that just flat out don't exist on our campus. If there isn't something for you at OWU, then you can make it happen there without much trouble at all. I would recommend OWU for practically any kind of person, as long as that person has an open-mind and likes learning both in and out of the classroom. Because there is a lot to learn just by being around a college campus, especially one like OWU's. OWU welcomes anyone and everyone.