The best thing about Colby is the PROFESSORS! I tell this to all of my tours, and I never have to exaggerate even the slightest amount when I talk about how wonderful the teachers are at Colby. They don't just see their students as grades in a grade book - we're real people to them, and it is not at all uncommon for a professor to attend students' concerts and games or invite the majors in their department over for dinner. Most Colby students take all of this attention for granted until senior year, when they (like I did!) realize that the support and connections of their professors are absolutely essential when applying to grad schools or looking for jobs.

If I could change one thing about Colby, I would move it four hours closer to New Jersey. I hate the long drive home! But most of the time I am glad that I have an excuse to stay on campus for shorter breaks and long weekends.

Colby is just the right size. It is rare that you will ever be in a situation where you don't recognize anyone, but you meet new people everyday.

Anyone who is actually familiar with Colby (which most well-educated people living on the East Coast are) is very impressed when I tell them I am a student here. Otherwise, the usual reaction is, "Colby - where's that? Why on earth would you want to go to school somewhere so cold?"

I spend most of my time on campus in the library or a dorm room - my own or one of my friends' rooms.

Waterville actually has a nice little downtown area with restaurants and shops, but it's still pretty dead at night. Luckily, our student programming board has something planned practically every night of the week, and the new pub is FANTASTIC - great for a relaxed evening of drinking, if you're legal.

My favorite class was Fiction 1 with Adrian Blevins - I never wanted the class period to end. Adrian was an absolute riot, and my fellow amateur writers were also extremely hilarious. I laughed until it hurt almost every class, but I still learned an incredible amount about writing.

Students study ALL THE TIME. I should be studying right now. Thanks, survey.

Most classes are very discussion-based, so participation is essential.

Students have intellectual conversations outside of class, but they usually sneak up on us. One minute we're talking about Britney Spears, the next we're talking about the connections between sex and death in German literature. We're students, so of course we're prone to discuss intellectual things, but we don't purposely have "intellectual discussions" to show off to one another.

Students are competitive with themselves, not each other. It's a cliche, but in this case, it's true.

Both of my departments are on the small side, so I know all of the professors really well - even the ones with whom I haven't taken many (or any) classes. In many respects, we're like happy little families who have the fortune of not having to live together.

The purpose of Colby's education is what you make of it. I chose to make my Colby education about learning for its own sake, which means that I am really only suited for grad school after graduation. However, I am VERY well-suited for grad school and have already been accepted by several top schools. Other students take more practical approaches to their Colby education (*cough* Econ majors *cough*).

I am from New Jersey and attended a high school that was only about 65% white, but I have a MUCH more diverse group of friends here at Colby. For my first two years at Colby, my best friends were a poor, Mormon Dominican and and a reasonably affluent, atheist Korean.

Racists and other varieties of bigot would feel out of place at Colby. We had a comedian perform a show here a few years ago who made racist jokes, and absolutely no one laughed. Prejudice is the greatest taboo at Colby.

Students, for the most part, do not dress up at Colby. It's too damn cold! Sweatshirts, jeans, and boots are the clothing articles of choice for most of the year.

The Colby Outing Club is by far the most popular club on campus, but Colby Cares About Kids is also extremely active.

I am in the Chorale, the largest choral group on campus. One of the music professors conducts it and auditions its members - about 70 students, male and female. We go on tour (usually to Europe) every other year, and not to be biased or anything, but we are REALLY REALLY good. Buy one of our CDs if you don't believe me.

Whether you leave your door open depends on which dorm you live in. Most dorms, especially the smaller ones, are very social, and people leave their doors open for visitors whenever they are home.

There are two types of relationships at Colby: longterm relationships that start to resemble marriages and hook-ups. In the longterm scenario, you sleep over at your significant other's place most nights of the week and are (ideally) exclusive. Everyone knows that you two are a couple. These relationships frequently last until one person graduates or goes abroad. The hookups are self-explanatory. No one really "dates" at Colby because it is impossible. By the time you start "dating" someone, you already know them too well to go on a "get-to-know-you" date. Also, we can't really draw on the "nearby" schools for new blood because they are too far away, and oh, did I mention that it's cold outside? Take my advice, and get yourself one of those longterm relationships so that you have a bedwarmer.

I met my closest friends from living in a dorm with them or participating in the same extracurriculars as them Freshman year. I have met all my other friends since then through these initial friends.

Awake on a 2am on a Tuesday? There's no doubt about it - I am frantically doing homework (or wasting precious time filling out surveys on college life).

Doghead - drinking fest around St. Patty's Day

Loudness - the first and last weekend of every semester

Champagne on the Steps - seniors get drunk on the library steps the last day of class

Last weekend, I ushered at a play for the theater department (it's my work study job) and attended a show by a "Psychic." I also watched a movie with my friends. (It was not an exciting weekend - the weekend before that I held an Old Hollywood Glamour party in my room where everyone dressed up and drank [legally!] and danced.)

That we are all rich, preppy WASPS from New England.

I would be lying if I didn't admit that rich, preppy WASPS from New England comprise a large percentage of our student body, but once on the hill, a lot of these differences fade into the background. Just because I'm on tons of financial aid and my roommate isn't doesn't mean that we aren't good friends or have nothing in common. Extracurriculars, majors, and housing are more likely to determine who you hang out with than where you're from.

The Echo, our school paper, is an embarrassment. There are good writers at Colby - the just don't happen to write for the Echo.