Kenyon College Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Laura

I absolutely love it! The community is close-knit, your professors will all know you by name, and the athletic facility is gorgeous. There are so many things to do here, even though the community is secluded: I love to go hiking at the Brown Family Environmental Center, go swimming in the Kokosing or in the athletic center's awesome pool, and go to plays. Academics here are of the utmost importance, classes will stretch your mind and challenge you, and your peers will be brilliant. Overall I believe Kenyon provides an atmosphere that encourages you to be your best self, and is well worth the cost.

Madeline

It's nice to not be at a huge school but I definitely could do without seeing every single person I know when I go to breakfast in sweats and no make up on on Sunday morning. If people have heard of it, they're impressed. Otherwise they think you're in Africa. The worst things are the isolation, drinking culture, and weird social vibes. Best are the professors.

Andrew

I love this place. But then again, what I looked for in a college is different from what many other people want. The size is intimate, the town of Gambier is charming, but limited to a few restaurants and a single market. The smallness of both bothers some people. It doesn't bother me at all but it comes down to personal preference. The campus often wins or does very well in "Most Beautiful Campus" rankings, and rightly so. There are a lot of trees, nearby farms, bike trails and dusty country roads through all of it. And the stars are AMAZING. Being in a rural area (albeit a quick free shuttle ride away from the much larger town of Mount Vernon, complete with Wal-Mart and fast food) annoys people. It's certainly a change from living in an urban or even suburban neighborhood. But it's also a great way to focus on four years of study and sort of hide away from the rest of the world until an entire lifetime of manically running around cities. Again, goes back to personal preference. In my opinion, this campus has a terrific atmosphere that needs to be experienced in person in a visit before anyone can make an educated decision about its merits. A key part of this is EVERYONE IS SO POLITE AND FRIENDLY. It's really difficult going back home and getting used to not being able to smile and say hello to every stranger I walk past in the street. It bothers me not being able to relate to many people back home--people who haven't heard of Kenyon or think the liberal arts isn't worth it...again, personal preference is important concerning this.

Gene

Kenyon is a small school which makes making friends really easy but also can get old if you don't decide to make the most of the opportunities available to you e.g. get involved with a bunch of student groups, study abroad etc. There are always great people you have yet to meet, even after living in such a small town for four years. Time on campus is spent studying at the library, working out at our amazing athletic center, partying in old kenyon or getting involved in some activity or others. There are a ton of relatively unknown beauty spots where you can swim in a nearby lake or the Kokosing river or go sledding. Being bored at Kenyon doesn't really exist as there's always something you should or could be doing. People complain about the food just because its something to complain about but alumni cannot wait to come back and visit somewhere where you can eat as much as you want for every meal without having to worry about wristbands, meal tickets etc. Kenyon kids have a ton of school pride and for good reason, for the most part they have the best 4 years of their lives there.

Jerry

The best thing about Kenyon is getting to know people so well, so quickly. This can be a good thing and a bad thing. I'd change its location and size. The size, to me, is stifling. I think that it is too small, but coming from a large city, this has been quite an adjustment for me. People tend to react positively--if they know what Kenyon is--once I tell them where I attend. I spend most of my time either in my dorm, at the dinning hall, or at the library. There's no college town. The campus is the college town.

Jamie

Kenyon's REEEEEEEALLY small. But in spite of that, I often see a bunch of people I have never seen before, which is always nice but very confusing. Theres more Kenyonites than Gambier-ites, so I don't think it's really a college town. It's more like a college nook. It's quaint.

Laura

About Kenyon. Something that I absolutely adore about Kenyon is that it is so well organised. I mean academically speaking in particular. I came from an IB school, a United World College in fact, and one thing I hated with a passion was the IB's absolute inflexibility with anything. EVER. At Kenyon, it is so obvious that a professor teaches a subject exactly as they want to. There doesn't seem to be any interference from above, and the freedom for them to give students what they are passionate about, makes it so easy to maintain an engaged class environment. I have never, in both my completed years at Kenyon, had one class that I didn't adore. The Anthropology department is my baby now, and I found it just by going to an academic fair in orientation, and later on remembering one of the professors who seemed like fun. Now I am a junior and just got back from Kenyon's Honduras field program for Anthropology, and it has changed my life. In addition to academics being just wonderful (in my opinion), I love all the other staff members too. The dean of admissions is my best friend and we gossip and go out together, all of the directors and high positions seem to be women (yes!), the dining hall staff are so friendly and really appreciate talking to students and making friends (if only more students would take that initiative), the staff of all the offices I have ever entered (oh the accounting ladies are lovely), the health Centre is well run and I have always found that they have provided for me in every way I needed, the same goes for the Counseling Centre, where there is a lot of support. No matter the problem, whether it be alcoholism, drugs, sexual abuse, any kind of abuse, depression, over-stress, or what have you, there is something set up to help. It is all very personal too. It is so easy to get to know all of the staff who make the place run as smoothly as it does, and when you do, they are always so happy to do you little favours (like going easy on you for getting caught with something naughty in your room for example) and be as helpful as possible. There is so much to get involved in if you just give it a chance. I do a lot of work with the environmentalist and sustainability organisations, and the local food movement in Knox County is HUGE. Kenyon has a large portion of local food in its dining hall (ALL meat and chicken), and with the PEAS organisation parading itself all over, this is becoming something people are more aware of. Walking down middle path, people greet each other. Kenyon is small enough that you can be a well-known face if you so choose, but it is small enough that you can disappear off the radar for a while too if needs be (trust me, I know). I am sure it is not the place for everybody, and it took me a while to settle in, but I adore it now. I babysit for my advisor's loud and gorgeous little boy, I can talk on the phone to Jennifer Delahunty about anything, I exchange gifts with the Gund Gal's (dining hall ladies), I gossip with the ladies from downstairs in admissions where I work, and generally I just enjoy softly observing people going about their business in peace.

Adrian

It's a little small, definitely too small for some people, also too isolated for some people. the campus can get boring if you are unable to create your own fun. however, because it is so isolated there is a really strong community and a lot to do on campus. the food is not great, i'll admit that, though I'm certainly picky. The administration is small and approachable, the professors are great and extremely connected to the student body. I spend a lot of time working (I am a studio art major) but I also have plenty of time to spend with friends and thus develop myself on more than one level.

Matt

Kenyon is amazing. It gives you so many opportunities to take classes that you normally wouldn't. For instance I came there thinking I wanted to be pre-med but now I'm in the honors economics program. Also you can be friends with everyone, including the faculty who are so nice. They want to teach you but more importantly for you to find the desire to learn within yourself. The campus is beautiful and everyone seems to be happy all the time (excluding maybe 2 weeks in february(ohio winters).

Anna

I love the campus feel here. It is so beautiful. Everyone knows each other. It is a cute little college town. We are sortof out in the middle of nowhere. Polaris mall is a little less than an hour away. We have a movie theatre, bowling alley, walmart, and good restraunts like LA FIesta in nearby Mount Vernon. If you need the city life, Kenyon is not the place for you. Kenyon is having a big problem with communication right now. There is a disconnect between students and adminstration, professors and administration, and in some cases involved students and uninvolved students. We are working very hard on ways to get information out to people in a better way. We are holding more community forums, where students can come and ask questions of staff members, and we are working on sustaining the student government memory by having those in office mentor their successors.

Ann

Kenyon has a gorgeous campus, its easy to walk everywhere (except the wal-mart). There are no swipe cards for meals, and until this year there were no locks on any doors--its a very open community and very safe. For many people Kenyon is too small, but you would be surprised how many people you don't know, and there is always a chance to get off campus with a semester abroad. Most people will either have no clue where or what Kenyon is, think its in Africa. However, those that do know Kenyon always mention what a good school it is academically. The academics are excellent: small classes, great professors, plenty of out of class discussions, and a wide variety of classes. Most of my memories are from the dining hall, the library, or the dorms. There is no student center, so most kids just hang around those places, or if its nice outside in any of the picturesque spaces on campus. The town is engulfed by the college, its only one block long, but it has 2 fun bars and a fantastic grocery for students. The administration has gone through major changes lately, and although somewhat well intentioned don't always see eye to eye with the students on a number of policies. The installation of proxy cards for dorms this upcoming year was quite the stir, but hopefully it won't be to big of a problem. Everyone has lots of Kenyon gear--but there isn't too much school spirit for sporting events. People are more into the Kenyon belts and nalgenes. There are some wonderful traditions at Kenyon, like the Freshman and Senior sings on the steps of Rosse Hall. You sing the same songs the day you begin school and the day of graduation, creating very nice book ends. I have so many fun experiences, but some of the best were the costume parties--there are a TON. Almost every all campus party has a theme, and a good number of people always have fantastic outfits. Also--kind of random, party nights are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The biggest complaints generally are about the administration and the food.

Allison

The Big Picture? Strong academics, intimate academics relative to bigger schools, motivated students; Small setting, isolated setting, semi-incestuous, but every student is endeared to those potential shortcomings, creative individuals make up for lack of established nightlife selection...

Nina

Kenyon is like another world. Its place on the Hill gives it a sort of oasis-y feel, and Gambier's main drag is tiny and intimate enough to appear almost fabricated, like a theme park's Main Street. When I visited Kenyon as a prospective student, I was honestly kind of put off by how strange the campus felt, how secluded and Pleasantville-like it was. Of course Kenyon has its imperfections--there are at least three power outages a year, the housing can be dicey, Middle Path gets mercilessly icy in the winter--but its beauty and cohesiveness as a campus makes it unlike any other school (in my highly biased opinion). Kenyon students have a fierce sense of loyalty and affection towards their alma mater, and it's showing itself most strongly in the controversies regarding the changes that Kenyon is going through as it becomes a bigger, "better" college. We worry that the integrity of the college will be compromised as the administration seeks to solidify its "New Ivy" position--most of us (myself included) curse the day Kenyon was called that, because having the most AP credits and the highest ACT isn't at ALL what Kenyon is about. Kenyon is about community, plain and simple--at Kenyon you will find yourself in the midst of a student body with diverse viewpoints, upbringings, and origins, but I think there's a common thread that makes us who we are. I can't put my finger on what it is, but I'll say that it takes a very unique person to think that spending four years in the depths of rural Ohio with 1600 other kids is a good idea.

Harper

The thing that amazes me about Kenyon, and, admittedly I'm a part of it as well, is the students' ability to talk the place up for hours at a time. I love it here. Within 5 days of being here it felt like home. It's a very small school, so it's not right for everyone, but it's not so small that I can never meet new people. Every week I make new friends. It's also amazing to see how many people know someone who went to Kenyon. It's a school of around 1,600 and yet every time I turn around someone is or knows a Kenyon alum.

Sophie

Kenyon is a bit small. You'll begin to recognize everyone, if not know everyone, by the end of your freshman year. But that is what makes it so interesting. We're in the middle of corn fields. There is a serious lack of things to do. However, instead of sitting around, the lack of things to do propels people to both focus opn their studies and get to know people in an extremely honest and deep way.

Devon

I fell in love with Kenyon for its small community feel and because Kenyon students seemed really engaged and involved. They weren't there for the grades, they were there because they really loved what they were studying. While this is still true, I feel like the make-up of the student body has changed over the last few years due to the "New Ivy" stuff. Kenyon now seems to attract students who wanted to go to an Ivy but fell a little short. I students in general have become less diverse and less interesting. Another big change in the works is the installation of key card locks on all the residential buildings. While this is the norm at most schools, I have always liked that I lived somewhere where the dorms never locked and I didn't even have to bother locking my room most of the time. To me, that made Kenyon unique. Oh, well.

Phan

Keyon is a wonderful College. It is a great place to spend four years of college. The seasonal changes give the school completely different feel. The spring was so beautiful so as the fall and winter. If one get the chance of staying for the summer, it is also very different. People don't know of Kenyon. I told many of my friends about Kenyon but I have to explain to them where Kenyon is. I love it that way. I spend most of my time with friends all over the campus: in the library, in the chemistry lab, on Middle Path, etc. That's one of the major past time here and that's also when most of the interesting discussion spark up.

Kristy

I was walking back from the KAC one day....I was walking down Middle Path one day....I was walking ( actually, stumbleing) home from a party one night....I was holed up in my rom against the frigid temperature one dreary evening...and in all these cases, my heart litterly swelled with happiness that I am here. Kenyon is an amazing place, for a whole bevy of reasons, and every once in a while ( in in my case, quite often) it will hit you ...I am So glad I go here! It's cliche but true: its the people. By virtue of the fact that we all decided to come to this little known school out in rural Ohio, we immediatly have soemthingin commonv-- not everyone is wiling to do that, and we all get here, adn decdied that we're all in this together...not that its like some sort of hardship or whatnot, but its like we're all embarking on this weird little Kenyon adventure.

Maria

Kenyon is a great school. The professors are there to assist you in any way possible. The faculty and staff are very warming as well. If they see you around, outside the school environment, they do not let you pass by unnoticed. If you thought seeing your high school teacher at the store was weird, then college will change your mind about that. The students too are very approachable. They all understand that your are there for learning and for knowing and meeting new people, and in this small school, you do not know everyone directly, but their face, I will assure you, you have once or twice before.

Sarah

When I decided to go to Kenyon, few people recognized the school. Today, it is more recognized, but with increasing selectivity the unique character of the school has been diminished. There are still cool experiences, like the Sustainable Agriculture class that allows students to work on a local farm for five hours a week, but the student body does not seem different than one you might find elsewhere. The biggest recent controversy has been over proxy cards, which the Board of Trustees approved to be installed over the summer in every dormitory. Kenyon students like to leave doors to apartments and dorm rooms unlocked, and the dorm buildings themselves are never locked. Now they will require a proxy card to enter, and many students are upset at this seemingly un-Kenyon, unfriendly decision.

Cassidy

Kenyon College is becoming more and more of an enigma to me. Some days, I don't know what the hell it's "about" or why I'm even here. But the sense of community, as I said before, is really the best thing about it. It's great to be able to ask your friend, "Hey, did you hear that so-and-so did this?" (Not that my friends and I are gossipy--another bonus), and know that they will know who you're talking about. This community might seem stifling to some, but the campus itself is spread out enough that I've never had a problem with it.

Laura

When I tell people I go to Kenyon I most commonly get two reactions: either they're instantly impressed or they know nothing about the college. The most common complaint is probably the food, but only because there's nothing better to complain about. It's really not that bad. There's definitely a sense of community here at Kenyon. Since it's a small college you get to know a lot of people really quickly, which is great since most people come here knowing no one. The campus is gorgeous!! It really lifts your spirits.

Melissa

I like the school size. I enjoy the remoteness of it. I wish there was more of a finance or accounting department at Kenyon, rather than just the economics department. I do not like the typical college partier, and so sometimes I wish my fellow classmates were more academically serious.

nate

the best thing is by far the professors here. they unbelievably dedicated to each and every student. i would like for there to be more school spirit. there is little loyalty to the school here. i spend most of my time in my room studying. we have too much work. freshman year is fun because everything is new. after that the fun is taken out of learning and you do nothing but work. you are lucky to have a break during the day to watch a movie or have fun. there is no college town; it is a street that was promoted to being called the town of gambier. THERE IS NOTHING TO DO HERE...but drink, and if you are not the partying type, this can be a problem. the deans are nonexistent. we hear what they decide will happen at the school, but never see them at sporting events. the only time they appear is when trustees come, or parents are visiting. they focus solely on the business aspect of the college. the food is terrible mainly because they make us pay so little for room and board. they have to make room and board cheap so because the tuition is one of the highest in the country. this results in small rooms, bad food, and an overall below average living experience.

Robert

Kenyon is a bit like camp. Except with classes. It is small, beautiful, and has exceptional athletic facilities. And did I mention beautiful? I wonder how many students just love to walk around campus and look at the trees. Especially in the Fall. Everyone is nice, though the sports and singing groups form cliques.

Quinn

There are some great things about Kenyon. Summer Send Off is really tight. Long day of hanging out, partying, and music. The current implementation of proxy cards on the dorms has caused quite a ruckus, since by and large most students don't want them. Most people complain about things that happen but don't get involved in Student Government. Currently a plan is being implemented that will cause us to pay for printing, also a not popular item. The Administration (Specifically President Nugent) is not thought of very highly by the student population. One of the best things about it is how nice the people are and how relaxed it is. Everyone is just really chill and it's not competitive here for grades.

Alex

The academics are incredible here. I visited a number of other colleges in high school and last year when I considered transferring, but I didn't visit any classes that were as thought provoking and insightful. The small class size allows you to really get to know your professors, which makes them much more willing to help you when you need it. Obviously the classes are a lot of work, but if you take the recommended course load and go to class, you should be fine. Kenyon is in a very small town, if it can even be called a town. If you're looking for anything remotely city-like, I don't know if I would choose Kenyon. It's nice that the campus is small so you can walk everywhere (especially nice in fall and spring), but the town of Gambier is the college. To go anywhere else you need a car, which can be frustrating. Luckily I think they're setting up more fruquent shuttles to Mt. Vernon/Columbus/airport. The student body is very, very small. This has it's pros and cons. It's nice to walk down middle path and see people you know. It really adds a sense of community to the place. I think the smallness of the student body helps to counteract the feeling of isolation one might get from being in such a small town. There's always someone you know around. Unfortunately, this makes it difficult to avoid people. It also helps to fuel gossip since everyone knows each other. Gossip is at any school though.

Chris

The big picture is pretty small. Kenyon is set in the small village of Gambier, OH. Students outnumber residents, which means pretty much all the entertainment is student created, but there is plenty of it. Whether it's sports, theater, stand up comedy, a musical group, or something else almost all students are involved with some sort of group that enhances student life. Professors are interested in students as individuals; there's no shortage of individual attention here.

Pete

Student complaints deal specifically with the administration of the school. Most of us feel that because we go to a smaller school (as opposed to a state school where administration can't really get complete student feed back) it is not too much to ask for the administration to be more open and communicate with us. Currently, Kenyon has open dorms, there are no swipe cards or security locks, but most everyone locks their doors when they are not in the room. This will soon change with the implementation of swipe cards on all dorm building doors. While this may seem like a no-brainer it really conflicts with what many students see as "kenyon." Also, this action would have been taken without any student input because the administration and board had passed it without any student council consent, and when they did bring it before the student body it was more of "this is what will happen..." rather than "We what your feed back..." Without much else in the way of city entertainments we really care about our school and its maintainance.

Tristan

I believe that Kenyon is known for its academics. When people hear that I go to kenyon they are impressed because they know the reputation that Kenyon has for being a very selective school.

Kelly

Kenyon is TINY. I wanted a small school, and many liberal arts colleges (like Bates, Hamilton, Pamona) are about the same size. This is wonderful academically; classes are small and you are not a number on a roster but professors know you by name. Office hours are often and very helpful at such a small school. However, the social life becomes a little like High School. If something really terrible happens to you...everyone will know within 24 hours. That being said, it's great to walk into the dining hall and to know someone there!

Devin

Kenyon's awesome, great faculty. Really sleepy place, very chill and relaxed. Just a bit too unknown, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, Kenyon's changing--the new administration is suspect, admission guidelines are getting more and more lax and some un-Kenyon types are changing the school to meet their needs.

Bevan

The best thing about Kenyon is that you can pick whatever it is you want to study--as long as it is offered--and you are encouraged to think things through yourself and internalize what you learn. I don't think most people think about that because it is more common in colleges here than elsewhere, but it is the main reason I am here. One experience I will always remember has been to be in a class during an exam, and to have the teacher walk out--without leaving a supervisor--and to see no one cheat. It would take me very long to explain and to make you understand why this means so much to me; but I love Kenyon for having accepted me and allowed me to learn in such a healthy and encouraging academic environment. Where my friends go to school back at home, students cheat when the professor is there--and sometimes he/she sees them and doesn't even do anything. Needless to say what would happen if there was an emergency and the teacher had to let everyone take the exam unsupervised.

Phil

To be honest, I love everything about Kenyon. my only advice is, if you don't like or want to try out a very small school where there isn't whole lot to do (things that a city might offer for example) then don't come here. Though there is not a lot to do, it is relaxed and full of great and interesting people (students and faculty). My only other comment, which shouldn't really affect your decision to come or not, but is absolutely necessary to be made public, is that the food is AWEFUL, and even more awful when I know my parents are looking at a 42 thousand dollar check each year. We are in the process of building a new dinning hall that is supposed to be a huge improvement, but with the same food carrier, how can it be?

Charlie

When I tell someone that I go to Kenyon The response is either "What?" "Oh, I haven't heard of it," or "Ah, yes. As in the Kenyon Review?"

Will

Small--at some points too small, when one wants to avoid some people, but it also works to advantages with registration and classes There are not enough restaurants around. Well, there are enough, but most students come from places with many more options. Also, there are practically no food options late in the night, which annoys me. I like the isolation because it's a new experience, though at times it gets to me. Students send dozens and dozens 'AllStu' emails that the whole campus can read each day, which often create controversies that students like to argue about. The new administration is not well-liked by the campus, in regards to social life.

Katy

Going to Kenyon is like living in a snow globe--whether it's snow, rain or cherry blossoms falling down only depends on the season. It's a great college to attend because you can find your family here, find yourself here, find yourself having midnight conversations about the merits of libertarianism or how /Paradise Lost/ is applicable in everyday life. You apply your education here, and it's a great education to apply. Even the kids I know who avoid homework at all costs end up leaving their classes knowing something, and the kids who go above and beyond will graduate here being prepared to face the world. Admittedly, Kenyon is tiny. Everyone will know your business, even if you don't tell anyone. Thing is, most people won't really judge you--mock you a little, sure, but in the end they'll support you. And there's really no way to get away from it all, since Kenyon /is/ it all. The school is bigger than Gambier, the town surrounding the college. Quaint it may be, but sometimes you need to get away. The school knows this, and provides the occasional shuttle trip into Columbus, where you can watch a movie and do some shopping. Not to mention that there are some great concerts in Columbus, and you can usually find someone either willing to lend you their car or going to the concert anyway. Kenyon people are just that friendly. When I tell people I go to Kenyon, I get one of three reactions. The blank look dominates--where is that? Why are you going to school in Ohio? Following that is the semi-confused look, the "that sounds kind of familiar but I can't place it" look. You do get some people who know what Kenyon is, and all of those people are impressed. They give you the "wow, that's a great school, my friend's daughter goes there or I read something from the Kenyon Review or isn't that one of the new Ivies" look. That's a great look to get, because it's someone recognizing that you were prepared enough, smart enough, looked good on paper enough, worked hard enough to get into a great school.

Sara

Kenyon is a tiny school in a tiny town - it's too small and isolated for me, but that's obviously something of personal taste, though that tends to be the feeling after four years. This lends itself to an excellent academic atmosphere in which students and professors interact outside of the classroom when they bump into each other getting coffee or at performance, etc. Unfortunately, this also creates a very intense social situation in which you live in closes quarters for four years just over 1000 people. The best thing about Kenyon is the small classes and the professors. I would change the Greek system, either by getting rid of it, or adding legitimate, NATIONAL sororities to give girls an option equivalent to the entrenched fraternity system, which controls much of the social life (basically, the school needs to make up its mind, since it is very Greek, but pretends not to be). When I tell people I go to Kenyon, they either have never heard of it (most often), or know someone who went there/have no strong reaction. Well, I spend just about all of my time on campus, like everyone, and on campus, I am outside when it's nice, in the coffee shop, bookstore, or study lounge working and socializing, or in my room trying to snag a bit of time alone. The town of Gambier and Kenyon really aren't separated; in fact, Kenyon's campus exists on either side of the main drag of town, so it's all basically the school. It has a couple of bars and a deli, coffee shop, etc, but nothing else. You NEED a car, even just to go to a movie or to buy toiletries. Kenyon's administration seems to be a bit out of touch with the reality of the school, maybe trying to make it into some "New Ivy" cookie-cutter school. The most recent campus controversy was over the proposed addition of swipe-card entrances to dorms, which was loudly and overwhelmingly opposed by students. The administration wanted to appease parents, and students want to keep Kenyon the small-town kind of community that it is. There is a certain kind of school pride - not in athletics, except for from athletes, but in its quirkiness. I'm not sure if Kenyon is all that different from a lot of small, rural liberal arts schools - they all have their traditions and quirks, but I will say that that experience is very singular and bonding. You could take two kids from the same class who are different and never meet, and in ten years, they would have very different memories.

Caroline

I think the size is great, but my high school was tiny. Gambier is more of a "college village" than a college town, but there's something going on just about every weekend, and a reasonable variety of places to eat when the dining hall food just gets too bad. That's a common complaint--the food company, AVI. My friends call it "AVItus". One thing to remember: if you tell people you're going to Kenyon, they'll either ask "you're going to Africa?!" or give you a blank stare before asking "where?". Kenyon has a great email system. You can send an email to everyone in your english class (and the prof...), to all employees, to all students (the "allstu"), or to any organization. The allstu is everything from rideshare, to lost and found, to event advertisement, to general forum for debate. don't worry, you don't have to get allstu's, but it makes it easier to know what's going on. The winters are cold--be prepared. I brought a silk undershirt, and that really helped. You'll learn how to layer! Also, it rains. Bring rainboots.

Peter

When I tell people I go to Kenyon, I am usually replied with "oohs and ahs" and strong compliments about the school.

Terry

The best thing about Kenyon is the professors that take the time to get to know you personally, especially a student's academic adviser. The village of Gambier is small. There are three restaurants, the bookstore, an overpriced small grocery store, and the post office that mostly comprise "downtown." In order to do real shopping, you have to go to Mount Vernon, which is about 5-10 minutes away. The administration think they have a handle on things, but I feel as though they are completely separate from the school itself. Our last big controversy was a scabies outbreak, and that was hilarious but scary. Not everybody buys into the Kenyon mentality, and there are some weird people here, but it all balances out.

Karen

Kenyon's community- the students, the professors, bookstore workers, Safety and Security, all of them- is the best thing about this place. We're a friendly, supporting, warm group of people. Sometimes we're awkward, sometimes you walk down Middle Path and hear people very seriously discussing the deeper philosophy of Garfield. It happens more often than it probably should, and we're kind of proud of it. Kenyon is also prone to those "Oh! I'm actually in college!" moments when you're sitting out on the quad and discussing the idea of a meta conversation, or something equally useless and wonderful. The biggest problem right now is that there is a feeling that the administration isn't listening or responding to the needs and desires of the students and professors. Part of it is the ongoing construction projects that don't seem to make a lot of sense, and part of it is the students not wanting anything to change. There are real complaints, but sometimes it isn't as bad as student think.

Gina

Kenyon professors are fantastic! Well, some are better teachers than others, but I have yet to meet one that doesn't really care about their students and won't go above and beyond what I expect of them. They invite students into their homes, extend their office hours as long as possible if students need it, really care that we understand what they're trying to teach us, bring treats into class, let us play with their pets, socialize with students, and buy us coffee. I really respect all of my professors. That said, they have very high expectations of our work, which can be exhausting. For some reason, I find it hard to relax and forget about my impending schoolwork on this campus (although I don't drink, so maybe that makes a difference.) I like Kenyon's size. It's easy to walk everywhere, and it's quiet. The student body is big enough that I don't know everyone's name or face, so I can still meet new people pretty regularly. But, it's small enough that I feel comfortable because I usually know someone whereever I go, and we can bond together as a student body pretty easily. I'm a huge fan of the allstu email system- students have to subscribe to it, so not everyone receives them, but anyone can send out uncensored allstus at any time. It can be a pain when everyone's asking for a ride to the airport, or when people send mean, obscene, drunken emails. The allstu is an excellent means for learning about free food, events on campus, funny Youtube videos and other internet sites (particularly during exam time, when the campus wants to procrastinate), important news from around the world, writing bad poetry (like haikus about the scabies outbreak of 2007), and complaining about the administration (for example, why the dorms shouldn't get a swipe card system.) Most people don't know anything about Kenyon, where I'm from, and it's frequently misheard as "Kenya." But people who do know about it are generally impressed. There's no real athletic pride- Kenyon doesn't have a pep band or marching band. Apparently we do have a dance team. But the teams don't usually do very well, and nobody really cares. I like that. Apparently the athletic situation was much the same back in 1950.

Chris

Kenyon is a great place where you can really be who you want. There is little or as much pressure in every sphere of college life as one would like. I couldn't imagine myself anywhere else. I have been able to do everything I wanted to and even more. I have multiple groups of friends who are very different, but just as fun all the same.

Emmy

The best thing about Kenyon is the academics. Come rain, come shine, the academics make everything else worth it. I spend most of my time in my room or at the library, alternately doing homework and taking a break from doing homework by chilling with friends, watching movies, etc. Then on the weekends we spend a lot of time at the coffee shop, MiddleGround, which is sort of a social hub, or out at parties in dorm lounges and apartments. There is often a lot of drama surrounding the administration--I think the student body feels that they don't listen enough to student input in making decisions, but really I just think that Kenyon tends to be afraid of change. For example, the whole school is in an uproar over the pending installation of a proxy card security system on the outer doors of the residence halls. It's really just to quell parent fears after stuff like Virginia Tech, but everyone's got their panties in a twist because it's going to be tough to get used to carrying a card everywhere. We LOVE the whole "Kenyon community" thing. We love being able to brag that we don't have to lock our doors at night. I think that's one thing that people have a lot of pride about. The small town close-knit community thing is really what makes us Kenyon. I swear, the admissions brochures aren't lying. We have so much school pride. Nearly everyone who's ever been affiliated with Kenyon--students, faculty, alumni--we don't just like Kenyon, we LOVE Kenyon, and we will talk to you about it all day. If you meet a Kenyon grad on the street, you're automatically best friends. From talking to friends who go to other schools, I think it's rare and very special to love your school as much as we do. And you'll see more spirit wear on campus than you can shake a stick at. We love that purple.

Alex

The best thing about Kenyon is how students stick together. It's a small community , and the students are definitely their own little group within it. Unfortunately, the school is trying really hard to be an Ivy-type school with less personality. It used to be that most people at Kenyon were really unique, smart, and usually quirky people, but now it's pretty cookie cutter students from New England prep schools. Again, most people haven't heard of Kenyon, so when I tell them I went there, they kind of go blank. It's OK, I know how good of a school it is, even if they don't. There have been a LOT of recent controversies at Kenyon, most of them to do with the administration making unilateral decisions about student life. I spent most of my time at Middle Ground, the coffee shop on campus, or at the Cove, which used to be the only bar in town. There are a lot of unusual things about Kenyon -- its basically in the middle of a corn field, so you're going to have your unique experiences.

Austin

One of my favorite things about Kenyon is the community environment fostered by the relatively small size of the school. This provides for an excellent classroom experience, plenty of opportunities for close interaction with professors, and close relationships with peers.

Alex

See above

Harper

It's a little too small in my opinion, but overall it's fine. We need an environment to live in pretty badly though, for this time in our lives, corn fields don't cut it. Iffy and conflicted school pride abounds, irony is usually employed when love of the school is expressed, but most people seem to feel it deep down. Irony is employed in regard to absolutely everything else, so it's hardly a reflection on our commitment to the institution. I'll always remember the various antics of my friends: public recitations of "Love Song of J. Alfred Proofrock", filming pumpkins being thrown out of a window on the 10th floor of the ugliest dorm imaginable. We make something of this place. Frequent student complaints are nonsense: students seem to believe that the school had soul which it is in the process of losing, but this is nostalgic and delusional. It's always in a state of transition, as is every other place. We can look back on the past with pleasure but it's just silly to expect it to stay the same. There will be new and different good things to come, we just need to have a little imagination. We're writers, it shouldn't be that hard.

Anna

Probably Kenyon's best quality is its people- students, professors, and most of the staff- who create the atmosphere so associated with the college. If I had to change one thing, it might be the lack of trust that's grown between students and members of the administration in the past year or so. I love the size of the campus, it's wonderful to walk anywhere and 98{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the time see someone you could wave and say "hi!" to. A lot of people have never heard of Kenyon, but those who have generally smile and say good things about the quality of education, as well they should! I usually spend much of my time with friends, so that means a lot of time in dorm rooms, the Atrium of the library, and some at Middle Ground or Earnst/Gund (none of us can wait until we can eat a leisurely dinner in Peirce again!). I don't think it matters much to those of us who have chosen to come to Kenyon that it's in the middle of nowhere- by the time you're in your second semester, freshman year, it becomes somewhat of a private campus joke that we're surrounded by cornfields and no one knows where we are. Kenyon's administration is a controversial topic on campus; I think a lot of the older students resent the recent paternalistic approach that we feel has been taken towards matters which directly effect the student body. Interestingly, with the new swipe card and alcohol policies, the controversy really hasn't been so much that they are proposing such plans- many other colleges, including ones comparable to Kenyon have these already, and some of us can see the benefits, even if they are maybe less needful in the Kenyon environment- but rather the problem has been in the way these policies have been introduced to the student body without our input. We've resented the unilateral decisions which seem so antithetical to the sort of community feelings the administration is always touting in our guidebooks and encouraging us to foster once we arrive; such treatment feels very disrespectful and disdainful of the students, and I think maybe really hurt some of the upperclassmen's future dealings with the college.