Bard College Top Questions

Bard College Step performance at the Spring ASO Blowout 2007

Bard has a large number of clubs, and many are quite active in the social scene. (Membership is a little hard to pin down, though.) I haven't been involved as much in clubs since I joined student government--which has been quite an experience. Bard's student government is quite large (something like 50 total positions), and organized into a Senate, a Central Committee, four standing committees that are subsidiary to the Central Committee, and a number of other, smaller bodies--all of which is augmented by a set of direct-democracy institutions. We squabble with administrators, faculty, occasionally some other student groups, and each other, do a lot of small things behind the scenes, and occasionally pull off something really big--like getting a new student social building or saving the three-day weekend. Very few people go to athletic events. There is no real dating scene. People hook up a lot. Sometimes that turns into a relationship, but usually not. Most of my friends I met during orientation or through other friends. We're into networking here. I'm up pretty much every night until at least 2 Am, regardless of what I'm doing. We don't have much in the way of traditions. There's Spring Fling (lots and lots of things, three weeks before the end of the school year) ... and that's about it. Some people party every night. Some never do. It's very discretionary. There is no Greek life, although some of the identity groups and sports teams fill in the gap to some extent. Most partying here is low-scale, BYOB. Off campus, there's a few nice diners and coffeeshops, in the nearby towns. And New York City, which is close to a five-hour round-trip commute.

Playing two sports doesn't allow me much time for social life, but there are always events on campus. There are no frats or sororities but there are still lots of dorm parties as well as official events at the multiple music and theater venues on campus.

Activities abound! Newspapers, literary magazines, radio broadcasting, t-shirt printing, activist organizations, LGBT communities, Theater/Dance activities, recently sports--it's all at Bard, all the time. It's hard, if not impossible, to not find something you're interested in. What's especially great is, however many clubs there are, their activities aren’t exclusive to the club participants. Modern Dancers and Calculus buffs show up to the Contradancing workshops. Political science majors and sculpture artists show up for talks about the US occupation of the Phillippines. Clubs are unlimited. Students are really excited about sharing their interests and therefore make countless clubs and activities for anyone to participate in. Go to the club fair. You'll be pleasantly surprised when you look over to the corner at the Dance Dance Revolution Club, or the Vampire role playing club. Arts at Bard is HUGE. Everyone, from the biology major to the linguist, does more than merely dabble in some form of art. It is extremely accessible with either a play, dance concert, or museum exhibit every weekend. Lastly - Old Gym is also huge. There's always concerts playing. Anything from Indie to Hiphop to Grrrl Rock and Heavy Metal. Yeah there's alcohol, but there's alcohol everywhere. Everyone's totally cool if you choose not to participate. Dorm doors are always open (although security continues to suggest we keep them closed) the doors are always propped. People are friendly and accepting. We'll even say hi to you while we're walking to the campus center.

There's a big ultimate frisbee thing at Bard. I'm a part of the QSA, Queer-Straight Alliance, which is an amazing group of people really dedicated to spreading and encouraging a queer-friendly atmosphere. Not that our encouragement is really needed at Bard. The International Student Organization (ISO), Jewish Student Organization (JSO), and Black Student Organization (BSO) host a lot of parties and events. Basically, identity-based groups and clubs are popular and common. The Darfur Action Campaign and Free Tibet club have been quite active lately. People party as often as they want to. Weekends here start on Thursday, even if you have a class on Friday. Generally, if you're in the mood to party, you'll find a way to sate your appetite. There is NO greek life at Bard, which is one of the reasons I chose to come here. Some kids go down to the city during the/some weekends, which is pretty fun. We're like 40 min away from Poughkeepsie, and the Metro-North then goes down to Grand Central. If you like to be social but aren't into drinking or drugs, there's almost always music concerts, speakers, dance parties, homework parties if you're so inclined, theatre shows, just hanging out, etc. where you can have a great time. If places are still open in the nearby towns, you can also go to a restaurant or something there.

Bard's social offerings leave something to be desired. Since there are a multitude of different dorms, most of them on the small side, the students you meet your freshman year are often the ones you will stay close with until the end of senior year. It is not always the case, but sometimes dormitories can be on the exclusionary side of things and it is hard to get to know anyone who lives there, because disassociate themselves from the rest of campus. This happens with people who live together as well as people who are similar to each other. I don't believe that anyone does this intentionally, it's just a natural instinct to stay connected to the few good friends that one has and not necessarily try to meet new people. It is fairly common for people to move off campus at the end of freshman year when such a move is allowed, but local landlords prey on the Bard students who support the small towns in the area and overcharge on rent for what would be considered to be worth a lot less if a college wasn't right next door. Thursday night is often bar night, so the Black Swan is where everyone goes to get totally wasted. Other than that, there are a few good food spots around, but not much else unless you want to drive to the train station in Poughkeepsie to take you to NYC. No fraternities or sororities, because they suck.

The various student clubs sponsor social events every weekend often with the same vapid music and ambiance. The social atmosphere can be stagnant since students will often try to avoid meeting new people but at least there is always a lecture to attend or a film to see. One of the great things about the campus is that it is located on the Hudson River close to some prime carp fishing and striped bass in the spring.

Bard has a plethora of cluba to join. Despite, or perhaps because of, Bard's isolation students are extremely creative with their time, and thus clubs sprout up around people's verying interests. I will say, though, that there is a bit of an aversion to religion and spirituality on this campus. I run the Circle, an earth-based spirituality club on campus and it can be hard to get students to come because experiences for some are often very emotional. The club does get regular and larger attendance than some of the other religous groups. Through discussion, meditation and singing we find ways to relax and distance ourselves from the stress of college.

there are more clubs/activities on campus than interested participants

There are over 80 active clubs during any given semester, and they organize all kinds of events, including: parties, speakers, movie screenings, panel discussions, debates, dance-a-thons, service projects, field trips, concerts, fundraisers, etc. The Queer-Straight Alliance, for example, is one of the most active clubs on campus. Each semester, we organize social events on campus (parties) but also host musicians, performers (such as the Sex Workers' Art Show), and speakers. In addition, we organize film screenings, panel discussions, outreach events, and campus forums on sexuality issues.

What are the most popular groups/organizations/clubs/teams on campus? Not sure, the teberculosis club is funny though · Do students in dorms leave their doors open? depends on what dorm they live in · How popular are athletic events? not at all popular Guest speakers? moderately popular Theater? popular · Tell us about the dating scene. there are too many ugly people· How did you meet your closest friends? by chance· If you’re awake at 2am on a Tuesday, what are you doing? homework· What traditions/events happen each year? none I have heard of· How often do people party? often but in small groups· How important are fraternities/sororities? there are none · What did you do last weekend? got drunk and did homework· What can you do on a Saturday night that doesn’t involve drinking? go hear a violin concert· What do you do off campus? escape

The most important thing to know about drinking/drug use on campus is that Bard is a rare environment where people actually don't care what you are doing or not doing on any given night. For example, if you choose not to drink, either as a life choice or just that particular night, no one is going to pressure you into drinking or make you feel that your decision is somehow wrong. The opposite is also true. On a given weekend, you might find yourself attending a gallery opening with wine and cheese and cultured mingling one night, followed by a crazy packed dance party d.j.'d by a Bard student, someone from NYC or perhaps even a live band of your friends. The following night, you might go to an afternoon soccer game, then a theater/dance performance, then a late dinner party with friends in someone's suite with home-cooked meals. Sunday, you might have rehearsals or reserve that time for the library. If its Spring Fling weekend, there will be events and activities for five straight days of concerts, films, bbq, jumpy castles, and sunbathing on the quad. However, there is a down side to the social scene to be sure: Bardians are notoriously socially awkward and evening having a conversation with someone you don't know can get very uncomfortable very fast. This also makes the dating scene very messy and complicated--we're not that big of a school--and by senior year you know everything about everyone, which means romantic notions about the boy whose carrel is near yours start to rapidly disappear.

The entertainment committee here is incredible. The students decide how all the money we get (which is a considerable sum) is allocated, and so we can get big bands if we want. In my four years, they've done quite well. The bike co op is incredible. They'll help you build a bike, maintain it, sell it and all of this for free. They also hold fun races and fun raisers. There's certainly a lot of late night partying and dancing, a good bar that's very friendly towards us students, and a lot of sexually liberating people who are down for whatever. Suffice it to say that there's a lot of romance, even if it's more lustful than romantic. Saturday nights are certainly NOT the night for drinking. Thursday and Friday are. Saturdays are dedicated to movies, trips to the city, recovering from the night before, and, believe it or not, serious library time. Off campus is cool, but you have to explore a bit to prove this point. There are some amazing swimming spots that are well hidden, but locals can point you in the right direction. It's easy to get to the city, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of this. There are no frats. The rugby team is as close as you get, and they're not really the coolest or most prominent group of people on campus. Athletics are for fun, not for competition. The actual Bard teams are kind of silly (the basketball games normally have a couple dozen students, no more) but the intramurals are wildly popular. You should see how intense the indoor soccer games can get.

No frats/sororities. I leave my door propped open for hours at a time--nothing's ever been stolen. Then again, I'm really good friends with everyone on my hall, so I trust them implicitly. If i'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I'm trying to finish work, but there are 10 people in my room and the conversation is too interesting to kick them out. People party pretty frequently, althought it depends on what you deem partying. If you don't want to sit around getting stoned, you might want to reconsider Bard. However, while there are certain groups of people who won't associate with you if you don't smoke, there are just as many who will welcome you with open arms no matter what your tendencies are.

partying. most people (freshmen) end up at the parties clubs throw on the weekend. There's smog, which brings

Social life is boring. VERY VERY BORING. When I went to see a Bard play, what I thought was complete crap, was considered "existentialist art" to another. Theres nothing to do on a Saturday night that doesn't involve drinking. I asked some upper class students about what they do on weekends because my friends and I were so bored, and they told us to burn leaves, graffiti walls, play with nail guns and take Polaroids in bathtubs.

The social life is slower than at most schools, because there are no frats and the sports teams don't usually throw parties (outside the rugby team). The dating scene is like anywhere else. If you don't drink or do drugs, there are tons of events during the weekend.

I have never been to an athletic event and Im not aware of anyone who has. The dating scene is awkward, most people are too caught up in their minds with thoughts of Hegel and Kant to get up actually ask somebody on a date. Staring longingly is the Bard man's favorite way of acknowledging the opposite sex. The average Bard weekend begins on Thursday night with an excursion to the local bar and almost always involves a show at Smog, the concert venue which only seems to play host to indie bands, an intoxicated trip to Tivoli the small student town, a film screening, lots of work, and usually a night in New York City. If you don't want to drink on a Saturday night, Bard can offer you the drug of your choice. If that isn't what you mean by not drinking, you can curl up in bed with a Nabokov novel.

1) I honestly don't know the statistics on which clubs are biggest. There are so many! 2) I founded and ran the Bard Scrabble Club. We're a small group and play mostly for fun, though we've been talking about sponsoring an inter-collegiate tournament. 3) I'd say most students do leave their doors open. 4) Men's volleyball, men's soccer, men's basketball and women's rugby have loyal followings. We're by no means an athletic school, though. The intramural athletic events are probably more popular than the official team games. Lectures are well attended, as are theater events. 5) Students complain that people at Bard don't date, though I certainly have been on my share of traditional dates in my four years here. People generally keep things casual, though. Relationships typically begin by hooking up at a party. When casual sex with a particular person becomes a regular habit, usually a relationship talk will follow. 6) I met my closest friends through my (now ex-) boyfriend. We started dating freshman year, and I befriended most of the people in his dorm. 7) If I'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I'm probably starting my art history reading. 8) Spring Fling (weekend festival coinciding with the due date of senior projects), Halloween parties, Tent Party (part of graduation), Asian Student Organization Cultural Show, Punk Rock Prom 9) People usually party twice a week, on the weekends. Thursday is bar night at the Black Swan in Tivoli. Usually there are a few parties, both on campus and off, from which to choose on Friday and Saturday nights. 10) There are absolutely no fraternities or sororities on campus. The closes thing we have to that is Feitler, the vegan co-op house. 11) Last Friday I went to my friend's birthday party (big house party). I visited my parents on Saturday (rare). 12) Well, a student can always go to a party at which alcohol is served and opt not to drink. Beyond that, there are tons of events to attend. There's always an art show, film screening, theatrical production, or concert to attend. 13) I do most things off campus, as I live off campus. I work, grocery shop, go out to eat, go to movies, shop, bowl, hike, sit around in coffee shops, etc off campus.

The Bard ISO program throws the biggest events on campus (International Student Organization). That's probably because so many of the students are international or of some foreign background that they identify with highly. For fun, night life stays on campus usually, unless you have a flat in the city or friends at Vassar. But even then, most of the partying happens at Manor place (a large old dorm on campus) or in your dorm rooms. You could say that campus security is overly lax when it comes to drunken frolicking. Doors are usually closed on weekends but that's just because there's probably something that shouldn't be going on behind them. Most kids wander from room to room or dorm to dorm and eventually to the big party, wherever it is, for the night. But evenings at Bard are also full of silly games of candyland, apple orchard trespassing, and laying under the stars. Really, you have to make your own fun or you WILL be bored. You don't have drink to fit in, but it is a big part of the nightlife. And every Bard kid knows the schools other reputation for substance use...I will however comment that smoking could be considered an extra-curricular. During my Freshman L&T experience I joked with a pal about how it was soooo hard to make friends since I didn't smoke, except, it wasn't a joke. Most people meet and start hanging out after a few minutes shared huddled out in the cold with a lighter betwinxt them. Parties last from Wednesday to Monday, and sometimes even until tuesday...so basically the whole week. Of course, they aren't big frat parties and there isn't jungle juice to go around, but masks are sometimes involved...

Two schools that are close to Bard (about 25 minutes away) are Vassar and Marist but the three schools rarely interact. Athletics are not very popular on campus but they are increasing in popularity at a rapid rate. The men’s basketball team in particular is raising its standards. It is the most popular team on campus by far. Good parties are hard to come by at Bard, but when there are good parties, they are really really really good. Bard's reputation does not really fit it anymore, there are a bunch of different kinds of people for you to make friends with (not just the same very liberal kids who are exactly the same in every way.)

There are a few schools nearby, but there’s minimal interaction. Students with cars get off campus quite a bit. Though, mostly the only places to go are a diner or Wal-mart. Though, there is a bar and a sushi restaurant nearby. People party a lot. Though as the semester progresses it stays contained more so to the weekends. It's a small school so you do feel kind of like you know everyone. Rumor travels fast, and if you are a gay student, you may feel as though your dating pool is a bit limited. Dorm life depends drastically on where you are and what you make of it. It can be great or terrible. Our social scene is interesting, both exclusive and yet open and friendly at the same time.