Haverford College Top Questions

There is a ridiculous number of clubs at Haverford. Haverford has clubs for affinity groups (religious organizations, political networks, ethnic groups, women's groups, the Sexuality and Gender Alliance, etc), sports, dance, improve theatre, and music. There are so many options that you probably won't have time to do everything you want, but it's nice to know it's there. For example, if you want to try singing a cappella, you can join one of the eight groups on campus. Think about it. There are only 1,200 students on campus and still there are eight a cappella groups. Nearly 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of Haverford sings a cappella! Crazy! In terms of sports, leave your football helmet at home. We've been undefeated (i.e. without football) since 1972. Baseball, basketball, cross country, cricket (the only collegiate varsity team in the U.S., by the way), fencing, lacrosse, softball, soccer, squash, tennis, track and field, and volleyball are the varsity sports. Club sports include crew, golf, rugby, and ultimate frisbee. On the weekends there are parties as well as other, non-alcoholic events. Fords Against Boredom (FAB) is a group that works hard to organize events like trips to see plays in Philly, quizzo, and campus-wide games like a photo scavenger hunt and water tag (otherwise known as "Assasin"). There's a dance about once a month, as well as some kind of musical performance every weekend. Late night food is available at the Coop or Lunt Basement. There is also a 24 hour Wawa within walking distance. There are no fraternities or sororities. The dating scene is also notoriously lacking, probably because there are so few people. I know Fords in relationships, but it is not as common as at other colleges and universities. Philadelphia is a short SEPTA (regional railway) ride away, so there are always things to do there. Common attractions include the Philadelphia Museum of Art, South Street, and various cheesesteak places.

Always guest speakers. Always events to go to. Dances and parties and concerts on the weekend. Can have a good time without drinking, depends on your circle of friends. But most people do drink . Go into philly for art/music culture.

If you were voted most popular in your high school class, well then, Haverford might not be the right school for you. On the other hand, if you were voted most athletic, then Haverford might be of interest. Mostly all Haverford students play some sort of sport whether it be varsity or intramural or club. The basketball games probably bring around the most fans, but is not Haverford's strong sport. The cross country and track teams are the star athletic teams consistently bring home conference championships. Men's lacrosse is an up and coming team making the national tournament this year. Bringing in a strong freshman class, it should be really impressive to see what they can do in the next few years. The lacrosse team and baseball team have a

Haverford has no frat life, so the varsity baseball and lacrosse teams take the place of those- providing big keggers and parties for the community. For people that don't like big keggers, there are always concerts and performances every weekend. Bands come to campus, improv groups perform, a cappella groups sing-- there's a whole array of performances to attend. Theatre is growing. The year I started at Haverford ('04), Haverford students created the first student-run theatre program, since the only theatre program fully-established, was at Bryn Mawr. (Of course that's another important thing to mention: Bryn Mawr, the all-women's school right near Haverford, is a great resource for theatre, and other classes not offered at Haverford, as well as good food. For the women of the LGBT community, too, Bryn Mawr provides a lively gay scene, with lots of out women.) At Haverford there are musicals and plays going on-- one-acts are popular, but it's also an option for Haverfordians to audition for Bryn Mawr's plays, since they have a strong theatre dept. over there. In general, as hard as students like to work, they also like to party. As soon as it's the weekend, most of campus is out and about, attending events, and partying. There are people who don't drink, but most people who go to parties drink. However, there are always those other fun events that I mentioned that people can go to if they don't like going to parties. Also, a lot of people head to Philly to go out to dinner, or go to museums, or just walk around and get off campus, so that's always an option, too. Playing on the women's frisbee team was awesome, because not only did I have a fun way to exercise (five times a week, for 2 hours a day), but I had a great group of people to hang out with. The team was filled with openminded, motivated, supportive women, and I had a wonderful time playing on the field with them, as well as partying with them on the weekend. Every spring, too, we traveled to South Carolina and played frisbee for the week, staying in a huge house, with the men's team. Because the team was a super supportive, socially active, comforting environment, I felt really comfortable and able to be fully myself. Finding that community helped me a lot in my time at Haverford.

Lots of different types of people. Avant guard people can see cool bands on weekends. Those who want to save the planet have CPGC. Athletes have friends on their teams and of course, parties.

A capella is huge at Haverford. Haverford has the most a capella groups per capita of any college. With barely 1100 students, we have twelve a-capella groups (counting bi-co groups, which are a-capella groups that both Haverford and Bryn Mawr students are part of). So about 1 in 9 Haverford students is in an a capella group, and it gets a little ridiculous sometimes. Since most a capella groups do skits and parodies in addition to singing, you get a lot of a capella groups parodying other a capella groups. One less-established group drew big crowds by titling its show "Not Another A Capella Show" and having each of its members dress up as singers from different a capella groups. And I have to admit, I really enjoyed the performance. Apart from a capella, Haverford students do a lot of other stuff.

Athletic events are not very well attended. A cappella concerts are very popular, as are band performances and improv comedy shows. The social life is entirely repetitive. Most people find their niches and then do mostly the same thing weekend to weekend. Most of my friends are through my extracurriculars (singing, theater), but some I met through other friends and get to know better at parties on the weekends.

Weekends at Haverford can take different styles. There are always parties to attend but people are often just as content watching a movie with friends or hanging at one of the on-campus eateries. Either way, no one judges and people generally just accept that no one activity is or is not right for everyone.

Because it is a small campus and most people are very focused on academics, there is not much of a party scene except on the weekends. And on the weekends, again because of Haverford's small size, there are only a few large parties. Most of the people on campus who enjoy parties will be at one of these parties. It is nice because you can see most of your friends at one party, but the limitations of the parties can get boring. Especially into sophomore year, it seems that the weekends are all similar. Dances at Founders Hall are very popular and fun. Much of the school is in attendance at these dances.

Haverford has way too many A Capella groups. There are three Co-ed ones, two all-male, and two all-female. In each category, only one group is really any good, so I just wish we slimmed it from 7 to 3 groups. Our literary magazine is a pretentious joke - the people who help organize it, myself included, are more concerned with ripping writers a new one than actually puttnig together a readable, entertaining magazine. And for the most part, if you don't shop, party, or sing, extracurriculars are obsolete.

there's FAB (ford's against boredom) which organizes fun sober events and brings movies on campus. No fraternities and Sororities on campus and no football team. Limited but fun social circles for people who want to go out and drink and dance, themed parties and student controlled alcohol policy makes it great for drinking with your frineds and throwing parties on campus without worrying about police.

The Honor Code not only governs academics but students' social lives as well. For this reason, people tend to get along pretty well and most people are very trusting. Most people do not lock their doors. The first group of friends any new student will have is their customs group. The customs group consists of 12-16 freshmen living on a hall or in an apartment together with 4 upperclassmen plus 5 other upperclassmen who live elsewhere on campus. The freshmen live with their customs people, who are a bit like RAs, but with no policing and more friendship. They are the first resource for new students. Also living with the freshmen is the UCA or UpperClassmen Advisor who helps the students figure out what classes to take and where and with whom. The other upperclassmen who don't live with the freshmen are the PAFs or Peer Awareness Facilitators who hold discussions on topics from race to religion, the HCOs or Honor Code Orienteers who help the freshmen to understand the Honor Code and how it works, and finally the AMAs or Ambassadors of Multicultural Awareness who make the freshmen aware of different speakers and events taking place on or around campus. Together all these people form a family, and generally these groups are very close, going to dinner together, having movie nights and generally having a good time. Thus all freshmen start with a basic friend group which can be expanded through classes, sports and clubs.

Haverford offers so many activities for the student body. On a regular basis there are professional musicians that come and perform in our auditorium. ON weekends there are student improv, comedy and accapella groups that perform across campus. The student's council host numberous dances every semester. THere are no frats/soroities. Every year there is Haverfest, which is the last weekend before finals where the entire campus chills out on the green and has a large celebration.

People are generally said to either hang out at Drinker parties (where the baseball team lives) and lacrosse parties or to go to Lunt (where bands play). There is a tangible divide between athletes and non-athletes, which is to be expected as sports teams spend a lot of their time together and might have less opportunities to see other people. Students often leave their doors open and unlocked. The Honor Code allows for an atmosphere of trust, though I know several people who have had things stolen so this is not always wise. Sometimes good guest speakers and performance groups come, but people generally have to make their own fun. If you do not like drinking or smoking pot you might feel out of place here. The dating scene is horrible for girls due to the ratio. The boys here come to adopt an air of entitlement due to the fact that they have their choice of girls from two schools. People generally do not party during the week because they have too much work to do. HaverFest is usually a great time. Everybody lies out on the green, drinks, and listens to bands play. There are no frats or sororities though the baseball and lacrosse teams kind of fit that stereotype. The track team only parties with each other. People go into Philly to see live music, get good food and visit people they know who have graduated (who often relocate to Philly).

With so much going on at Haverford, all I can say is: its extremely active here. You don't have to look to hard to find something to do. If you cannot find something though, you can start it or do it yourself and the college will help especially with funding. Some students are very active, maybe too much so, while most are only at best moderately so. Most people tend to stick to their own thing but do get out a lot while a small group of students take all of the responsibility for running the place on themselves. They plan and organize pretty much everything and are on every committee, not because they hog it all but because no one else will do it. This is due to a mix of people who like being over involved and also others needs to study much more to do well in their classes. There is the rumor of the Phantom 500, the idea that half the school never leaves their rooms or underground layers to go out or study, but this is just a myth due to the fact there is so much going on and people with different interests and in different circles don't cross over all that often, except for the big campus events. It's been pretty much been disproved because many students that ae thought to be pahtnoms by some while they themselves were listed as phantoms by others. it's a unique place that honestly often feels like a high school with all of its activities but this isn't a bad thing. it's not for the high school age crowd. People are pretty friendly, though their are naturally some cliques that break down pretty obviously. Dating doesn't necessarily exist at least prominently but many people do get in serious relationships while others stick the single life and venture weekend to weekend. People do drink on campus and there are smokers. But people try to watch out for each other and for the most part are respectful to some degree though they tend to be college kids and hopefully they won't being this type of stuff when they leave. 40+{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the college does athletics but it doesn't get too much support, despite what some think. This is about right though for a college it's size though.

Fun.

There really is a lot to do here. For the most part, however, the social scene is whatever you want to make it. It's a really non-pressuring environment, and there's something for everyone to do--drinking, not drinking, whatever. There can be anything from parties and pong to a cranium tournament (you win free gift certificates!!)...really, something for everyone. Some people start partying on Thursday (or even Tuesday) while others will be studying. There is no Greek life, but there are certain dorms that are known for throwing the best parties, such as Drinker. People party here most weekends, though there are those which people just need to stay in and study. There's plenty to do off campus too, though I've never personally felt the need to go off campus to do something. There are clubs, bars, restaurants...

The baseball team and the lacrosse team think they're frats, but everyone is welcome at their parties so it's not too bad. Basically, the social scene is repetitive. You like the people, or you don't like it. If you're a social climber, go someplace else. We are pretty low-key. We're like Cheers- "Where everybody knows your name". Two words: Pinwheel day.

The most popular groups on campus are the lacrosse team, the women's soccer team, the male/female XCountry and track teams. Also, the GLBTQ club (SAGA), customs (which is what we do instead of RCing and Orientation), Street Outreach (preparing food and feeding the homeless of Philadelphia on Wednesday nights) and Student Council/Council of 12. In general there are many clubs, so each one only has a few dedicated students. Dorms tend to be very social, and in general there is a sense that this campus is a community and a safe one, so though you need key card access to enter the dorms or apartments, but most people leave their doors open, and usually unlocked. That is the kind of place we are in; however, most people have singles, and enjoy having private space (or relatively private time) and enjoy that (though there are a few doubles). There also tends to be a lot of communal hang out time: eating with groups of people, or working with others (though many people who ant to work on their own can do that, especially in either of the libraries), and on my hall everyone spends most of their time working, talking, debating, drinking, in the common room. There are always parties, especially on Thursday nights (seniors have no classes on Friday, mostly). There are some campus wide parties (like Lloyd around the world),and every week the men's lacrosse apartment throws a party, but usually there are relatively small parties on every night of the weekend, just friends and acquaintances. About once a month there are dances, and almost every weekend at least one concert in Lunt basement, and usually one formal concert by some sort of professional or student (classical) performance group (chamber singers, chorale, the orchestra, a string quartet, or one of the many, many a Capella groups)

They suck. Plan your own stuff. People here are attracted to anything with food and alcohol, but ill-chosen music will take them away. If you want varied music, good drinks, a good setting for conversation AND dancing AND eating AND drinking AND playing... come up with it yourself. Most people here are just content with a drink in their hand, the music blasting, and not talking to anyone.

Social life at campus is great. One thing you get with highly intelligent students is really creative parties, and these happen weekly if not more often. There is a lot of intermingling within groups on campus, so it is not just the "jocks" hanging out with only jocks and not partying with anyone else. There are no fraternities or sororities, and I think this adds an inclusive feel to the social life. There is so much to do on campus besides these student hosted parties, thanks to the group FAB (Fighting Against Boredom) which shows movies, arranges trips to Pat's cheesesteaks, has bingo and quizzo nights, along with holiday themed events. Mentioning Pat's, Philadelphia is an easy train ride away and has plenty oppurtunities for fun. With that said, you won't be eager to leave campus because you will undoubtedly be missing a great time.

Most popular team probably the mens lax team. people party mostly two nights a week thursday and saturday.

The most obvious clubs on campus are the a capella groups--because there are SO MANY of them. Their concerts are always well attended, as are the improv comedy groups' shows. Having small-scale concerts in the basement of one of the dorms is always a fun time. People don't really date around at Haverford--the majority are either singles that don't mind being single, or super-committed-to-the-point-of-getting-married couples. Very few long-distance relationships seem to last at Haverford. I met my closest friends through my customs group, which is the group of freshmen and upperclassmen that live together and help each other out during one's freshman year.

People have social lives. It's great. We also work our asses off. It doesn't always work out super.

doors are almost always open. dating scene is pretty bad, not enough guys, ratio is against the women. friends are met-classes, customs group, activities. no frat/sororities-thank god can go to philly if dont want to stay here, lots of cool stuff there.

It's a small campus, but there's usually something to do. On the weekdays that usually involves just hanging out and playing videogames, but there are also many concerts and various departments regularly bring in guest speakers. One of the most important aspects of the social scene is the Alcohol Policy, which basically gives free reign to the students to drink as long as they are responsible. This means no RA's and no need for secretive drinking. The lacrosse and baseball teams usually throw some sort of party every weekend and there are regular dances in Founders Hall (the main campus building). If I were to spend a Saturday night not drinking, I would probably watch some sort of comedy show or go to a concert. Then I'd probably watch a movie or something. The social scene on the weekends basically revolves around drinking, but there is a large percent of the campus that doesn't participate (not just the phantoms). Once you meet enough people who don't drink (not hard on this small campus) it's easy to organize some sort of event for the weekend.

The Lacrosse Team and Baseball Team have reputations for being the closest we have to Fraternities on campus, but it's all relative - they only party hard by Haverford standards. The jazz band and Haverford Review, two clubs I'm in, are both very small but filled with really dedicated students, which is a good summation for most clubs here. Students here are very trusting - people leave backpacks and computers lying around, their doors open, etc. The dating scene is non-existent. Couples form through random hook-ups, not actually going out. I met my closest friends through bonding with them on the hall through card games (lame I know) and through being in bands with people. People here love their alcohol, although non-drinkers are totally accepted with no pressure. Few people do harder drugs than pot. People generally like to hang out, play games, talk, or go to parties. Off-campus, guys go to Bryn Mawr for hook-ups or groups of students head to the city for culture/shopping.

My favorite part of the Haverford social scene so far was the freshman program, Customs. Your first year, you live on a hall or in an apartment with around thirteen other freshman and your "customs people", who are like RAs, only better. I made all my friends initially within my customs group and I found that our orientation week was so beneficial in getting to know people and creating a base so I was never left eating alone or sitting by myself. I also play lacrosse, which has been great.

Most students leave their doors open, even when their out. They also leave their backpacks lying around all of over school. It's a very trusting atmosphere. A good number school parties are thrown by sports teams (baseball and lacrosse) although there are a number of school dances and various non-sports team parties. Haverfest at the end of the year is supposed to be an amazing (it's a 2 day school put on party celebrating the end of classes) but I couldn't go because of playoffs.

I've been told we have the most a capella groups per capita of any college campus in America, which actually seems about right. I think we currently have eight, and around 1150 students. I'm a member of the Outskirts, an all female a capella group that was founded in 2003 and is a large part of my life here. Singing with other people for fun (outside of a graded course, that is) is rewarding and makes me feel great. Leaving doors open? You would be considered very protective and uptight if your door was locked. There's a sense of safety and community respect here (mostly because of the honor code) that makes it possible for people to feel comfortable leaving doors and windows open, even when they're sleeping at night. I'm not saying this is wise, considering our campus is not fenced. However, it's the prevailing feeling among students, including myself. As I understand it, theater has always been tragically lacking. However, this year it's really picked up and there are a lot of programs and ideas for next year in terms of theater. I think it's going to be great. My closest friend here is my suitemate (she's not my actual roomate, but lives in my apartment of four that shares a bathroom, kitchen, and common room). Partying starts on Thursdays most weekends, and continues to Saturday night. It's also not uncommon for small groups of people to get together on a Wednesday night. It all depends on when you have classes and assignments. There are no fraternities or sororities, but sometimes the sports teams that live together assume these roles a little, such as the lacrosse team or the baseball team. Last weekend my a capella group had our big semester show and afterward I went a combination afterparty/birthday party for a group member. Saturday was spent doing work and hanging out with friends. Saturday night there was a big hoedown themed party at the house where the baseball boys live. A huge amount of people showed up. It was outdoors and a huge success- so much fun. There was also a spring dance in the dining center which was fun as well. There are plenty events that don't involve drinking, such as school dances and concerts. Also, there's no pressure to drink at parties. It's entirely possible to go out and socialize without drinking, as I and people I know do sometimes. There's also an entire group of people dedicated to creating fun weekend activities that don't involve being around drinking, such as boardgame nights, movies, rootbeer keggers, etc. (I won a gift certificate at one of these events and also hung out with great people while playing a boardgame. It was great). A lot of people also go into Philadelphia to eat or attend events such as concerts. There are a few places to eat in the area, but they aren't very good and are not worth spending money on when you're on the meal plan anyway.

Almost all Haverford students are involved in some sort of athletics, either varsity or club. I'm on the tennis team. I love the tennis team because all of the girls on it support each other both on and off the courts and we have become really good friends. However, while each athlete supports their individual sport, athletic events are not one of the most common. The most common events are definitely acappella concerts and we have over 5 acapella groups on campus. Because of the Honor Code everyone in the dorms leave their doors open whether they are in their rooms or not and I will often wander into the rooms of my friends to study or just to hang out. The party scene at Haverford is very much whatever you make it. Their are concerts by Haverford bands and outside bands at least once every weekend and most times 2 or 3 concerts a weekend. The special events committee also organizes dances such as 80s dance, 90s dance, dragball, snowball, and sundance. Students also create their own parties, often revolving around other events going on on Campus. While many students drink because of the lenient alcohol policy I have never felt any pressure to drink and it is perfectly fine to hang out with people who are drinking when you are not. Also, before game days athletes are not allowed to drink so you will usually find other people who are not drinking. Because there is so much going on around Campus people tend to stay on campus but it is also possible to go into Philly, or to go to parties at UPenn or bryn mawr.

The track team is... an unusual entity on campus. It has long been the case that the men's team is widely regarded as cult-like, but in recent years the women's team has been adopting a more group-think mentality as well. Unless you live and breath running, stay away. Stay very far away. Generally nice people, but something to be warey of.

Basketball games tend to be full for the guys games. When it comes to the date scene i would rate the girls a C+ and a majority of cute girls tend to be taken so its not like you can do what you want. I met a lot of my closer friends either through basketball, class, or though my friends. If I'm up at 2 am on a weekday chances are im doing some late night paper with some friends so I'm half playing around. The honor code helps you be able to feel free to drink on campus but it also states that there is somewhat of a buddy system so no one gets out of control.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BI-CO (with Bryn Mawr) AND TRI-CO(with Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore). When there are 1200 kids, sometimes you just need to get out, and it's nice to take a class or join a club elsewhere.

Haverford parties are some of the worst parties on the east coast, hands down. Thanks to the honor code, they could be amazing. You can drink and smoke almost anywhere on campus. But most people are content to stand around a few kegs of natty until 1 in the morning and call it a night.

Haverford has a lot of different ways to be social. A third of the people here play a sport. I do sound crew and lighting for band's shows, theater performances, speeches, and pretty much anything else that needs sound and lighting. People here have total trust in each other and their doors are open all the time.

The sports teams are always throwing amazing parties. There is so much going on every weekend, life is a blast.

The most popular groups on campus in terms of partying are the men's lacrosse team and the men's baseball team. That pretty much arises from the two groups of guys having housing together (a place to party) and a total absence of fraternities and sororities at Haverford. People generally go out on Saturday nights, and also on Thursdays (no Fridays because all the athletes on campus have meets/games on Saturdays). Those of us that are 21 love to go to Brownies, the best bar scene on the Main Line, on Wednesday nights. The sober activities are pretty well covered at Haverford, too. Most weekends there's a recent movie (not yet out on dvd) showing on a big screen in one of the auditoriums twice nightly Friday and Saturday. There's also Haverfest every year the first weekend of finals, with bands on the green all day and djs in founders at night. They bring in tons of musical acts and other fun things like a huge foam pit. Philly is nearby, but most people stay on campus. Also, the dating scene is pretty pitiful. It's a small school and since not everyone goes out, there tends to be a lot of overlap, which can make the school seem even smaller. Get tested.

The most popular groups are the sports teams and the Honor Council (responsible for dealing with the Honor Code). I played squash all four years and wouldn’t have given it up for the world. My coach was absolutely amazing – really relaxed about everything, and yet he instructed us and we were so dedicated to him. We have lots of sports fans: I was just talking to someone and she said that she hasn’t missed a lacrosse game yet this season. We have a lot of a cappella groups, and I’m in one this semester. Dating? It’s a bit awkward, but I’ve gone out with 3 guys during my time here. Mostly they’ve been really good experiences, and I’ve learned about myself. Half the guys here are mature and datable, half are a-holes who think too much of themselves. Haverfest is the biggest tradition here. It’s the weekend before spring exams, and there are lots of fun outdoor activities. Other people party a lot, including drinking and hookahs; me, I stay away from that kind of thing, but I know that they go on. We don’t have any fraternities or sororities, and that’s part of why I came here. Last weekend my friend from Maryland came to visit, and we went to an a cappella concert with some of my Haverford friends, and then we had a slumber party of sorts (just girl talk, you know). Other things that Haverford offers are movies in the auditorium and game night. I don’t go off-campus much because I don’t drink and Haverford brings lots of stuff to us here so that we don’t have to go anywhere.

There's a lot to do and so little time to do it! Fords Against Boredom (FAB) organizes trips to see shows in Philly, go rock climbing, whatever. I am involved in a lot of stuff around campus and Haverford's proximity to Philly and all the cute little suburbs nearby means you're right in the midst of civilization! Also we're a $20, 2-hour bus ride from New York City!

Students by and large leave dorm doors unlocked and open; this is because of the honor code. Athletic events are fairly popular. Guest speakers are also popular, but only within each discipline. There is interest in theater, though facilities for theater and dance are lacking; however, this is a major concern of the Student Council and we are working towards a solution. Frats and sororities are nonexistent. The dating scene (For guys) is relatively good, girls are the majority on campus (at least last time I checked), and Bryn Mawr (our sister college), which is a Girls-college makes it easy to find your significant other. Haverford is definitely a "moist" campus, whereas drinking is permitted as long as one does not harm oneself or the community.

I leave my doors open, I fence, walked onto the crew team, started the cigar society and head the business club. I am involved with the alumni association as their student representative and president of the student arm of the organization. i have loved getting involved. There are more opportunities than you will ever have time for. Dating Haverford students can become an experience I consider dull and boring, but when one gets lonely there is Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, Villanova and Penn within 20 minutes of campus.

The social atmosphere and activities here are very energetic and relaxed. We don't have as many or as large parties as other schools might, but students (myself included) combat boredom by making things happen rather than looking at a social calendar. There's almost never a weekend without some kind of show (I'm on the student light and sound tech crews- trust me, I KNOW) and at least one party a weekend. No fraternities; the campus is so small they're almost redundant. The dating scene is reputedly bad, but there definitely is one, whether for the casual hook-up type or the person wanting a serious relationship. And I never, ever lock my dorm room. There's so little theft here it's easier to not chance being locked out while I shower. Meeting my closest friends was a gift of the EXCELLENT freshmen orientation program, which puts you on a hall with a dozen other freshmen, a couple of sophomores, and an upperclassman. This corps of living companions became my closest friends, even after I no longer lived with them. Off campus? Like... off?

Students don't lock their doors, ever. They don't even close them. The theft rate is so low it's practically non-existent, and there is a general atmosphere of trust and camaraderie on campus.

Students in dorms leave their dorms open, mailboxes open, showers open (only sometimes), backpacks and laptops in the front of the Dining Center, the whole thing. We love talking about trust on campus but sometimes I worry that students are too trusting. We don't have any fraternities or sororities so the campus social scene is all over the place. The closest we come to fraternity is the baseball house appropriately named Drinker House. The best event of the entire year is Haverfest. Students sit on Founder's Green listen to live music, go into a foam pit, get meals served outside, and have two days of relaxation and mayhem (not mutually exclusive during Haverfest) before finals begin.

Haverford provides funding for any extracurricular activity you can dream up. If a club doesn't exist, you can get money from student council to create it. It is the one luxury my social hellhole of a school provides. Unless you enjoy drinking to the point of blacking out and awkwardly hooking up with people, do not come to this school. You will probably meet everyone within your first semester. Athletic support doesn't exist and to be a student athlete is just not worth it. The teams are soo terrible anybody with any background in sports or any athletic ability can play any sport. The dating scene is more trouble than its worth. Individuals are so awkward that people cannot communicate without being inebriated. If you don't drink, you must go off campus to have any fun. The train is close but most people don't take advantage of it. People get trapped into the Haverford bubble!

We have groups on campus to promote concerts, safe drinking, and sober alternatives for the weekends. Parties mostly happen on thursdays and saturdays, but definitely decrease in number around midterms and finals. Parties are either in the basement of a dorm, on a freshman hall, or within a group's suite. All of these situations can get pretty crowded. We do not have a greek scene. Most freshman and upperclassmen living in suites spend time in their rooms with the doors open. Random singles draw leaves some sophomores living with people they don't know, and definitely does not promote open doors. Most students even leave their doors unlocked when they are gone, unless they're in a high traffic area (i.e. a dorm with a party planned). Haverford dating tends to be pretty sparse. Most people either date someone off campus, pursue random hookups (which turn awkward when you see them the next day, and you will see them the next day, because the campus is small), or engage in "Haverdating," which is a long term relationship characterized by spending all their time together.

There really aren't any popular groups on campus. I'm not really that involved with any groups on campus. A lot of students do leave their dorm rooms open. Athletic events go highly unattended, as do guest speakers and theater events. The dating scene is very weird and awkward. I wouldn't be awake at 2am on a Tuesday unless I had to do a paper or decided to smoke or drink randomly. People usually stick to partying on Thursday through Sunday nights. There are no fraternities or sororities. If you aren't drinking on a Saturday night, you are either bored or off-campus. Haverfest is a really big yearly party.

My social life is great. I hang out with my friends every weekend. We usually do a lot of running together. We get looked down on for running together, but we do not care.

The dating scene is almost entirely detrimental, due to the terribly skewed demographics. In my years of being there, I almost can't count how many female friends or acquaintances I have seen be upset at maltreatment by a boy: the dynamics just set up women that way. That is my biggest complaint. Haverford has made me more strongly feminist than I ever have been, just because I feel like I've had to stand up for my toes being stepped on--not just in the dating scene, but in the social scene in general. People do leave their doors open, and, by and large, look out for each other. If a kid is drunk and sick, for instance, there will be a small entourage helping her home--even if none of them know her that well. It's very safe. There are a ton of events happening every weekend, both school-sponsored things and student-thrown parties. Again, the options feel limitless when you're a freshman and a little stale by senior year. However, kids at Haverford tend to be sharper, more thoughtful, and more surprising than your average bear. I've known people for months before finding out that they used to compete, say, in figure skating in elementary school. That's pretty great.