Mount Holyoke College Top Questions

What are the most popular student activities/groups?

Morgan

A lot of the major events on campus that students go to are when the school invited speakers to talk about their experiences either within the working world or in life in general. In the past MHC has had speakers like Martin Luther King and Katherine Switzer, In addition Conferences are held often at the school that students choose to attend, like The Women in Public Services Conference, Historical Talks, and Research Presentations.

DJ

If a MOHO is awake at 2am on a weekday she is either doing two things 1. writing a paper or studying for a quiz or 2. hanging out with friends in her room or common room space.

Stephanie

The great thing about a small Division III school is that for many teams you can join without too much experience, like crew, swimming, and a few others. Club sports make up a huge part of campus, especially rugby and dressage. I am heavily involved in Student Government Association here, so of course I love it :) We get a lot of freedom. There are theatre performances almost every week through clubs or the department, and dances held that are open to the Five College community (including creepy guys, but hey, you get that anywhere). I tend to go off campus to meet friends at Amherst on the weekend, though there is a nightlife on campus - only on the weekend though. Mount Holyoke prides itself on SO MANY traditions - just look them up on the site, too many to list, but they rock. There is no greek life, though UMASS has plenty of that and you can go visit, I guess.

Kelsey

Biggest groups on campus (ones that you will notice right away): Crew, Rugby, all of the equestrians. Rugby is the loudest group of people in any given area of campus. They're also some of the nicest. I usually leave my door open if I'm in the room. I forget to lock it most of the time, and have never had a problem. You can leave your shower stuff in the bathroom most of the time, and nobody will screw with it. The dating scene is what you make of it. If you're looking for someone, girls you're surrounded by, or if you want a guy, you just take a 10 minute bus ride. It's not that difficult. A lot of girls are on okcupid as well. The traditions on campus are probably what really /makes/ the school. Orientation 101, Convocation, Elfing, Diso, Las Vegas night, J-Show, Faculty Show, etc.

Maia

When I was reading reviews as a prospective student, a lot of people were saying that there's nothing to do here, that South Hadley is How Sadley. My experience has been completely the opposite. How much you enjoy yourself here seems to be dependent on what your expectations are and how you personally define social life. As for me, I find that there are so many things to do any given week on campus. I'm not really a party person, but there are parties on campus every few weeks, and there are constantly parties at other colleges in the area (accessible via the free bus system). MHC is well known for Las Vegas Night in the fall, and Drag Ball in the spring. The latter is soooooo much fun. There are constantly speakers, student-run events, student organization meetings, and shows on campus. If, for some reason, none of this interests you, there are a world of events in the Five College consortium. The cultural shows and events are particularly exciting. The only one I got to attend was African Caribbean night, but there are also Korea night, Hawaii night, Chican@ week, and VariAsians, for example. If you're into sports, there are plenty of opportunities to play! We have common sports such as basketball, tennis, and soccer, but we also have rugby, ultimate frisbee, squash, and horseback riding. There's even a group that's trying to make quidditch official. As a Division III college, sports are not the priority of most students. They're just for fun. Plenty of women's colleges are known for their traditions, and Mount Holyoke is no exception. A common theme with many of them is that they involve reflecting on youth while preparing to move forward in life. Milk and Cookies (M&Cs) is one example. It's essentially snack time. Every school night, there are snacks set out in the dining halls or kitchens. The selections change every night, and they include cupcakes, granola bars, tortilla chips, fresh fruit, and, of course, cookies. Mountain Day is another good one. It's a surprise holiday. One day in the fall, the clock tower chimes more times than it should. That is the signal that classes are cancelled for the day! There are buses that periodically travel to Mount Holyoke (the mountain, not the school, of course)! You climb the mountain, and when you get to the top, the president of the college is waiting with ice cream! The Big Sister/Little Sister tradition is my favorite. Members of the junior class and the first year class get paired up to be sisters. This is not a formal or enforced tradition at all. You can decide who your sisters are on your own, or you can ask the junior class representatives to pick one for you. The relationship can be as deep or as shallow as you make it. I chose my own. I technically have two big sisters, but I consider all of my close friends to be family at this point. All in all, deciding what to do can sometimes be a challenge, and sometimes I have too much work to do anyway. But if there's something in which I'm particularly interested, I'll take a break from my work to enjoy myself!

Marion

Mount Holyoke has a lot of student organizations on campus, and if you still can't find one you like, you are encouraged to create your own! We definitely are not a party school, those who do want to party go to UMASS Amherst, which is a free bus ride away! Mount Holyoke is part of the 5 Colleges Consortium (Smith College, Amherst College, Hampshire College and UMASS Amherst). They are connected via a free bus service that runs 24/7. Students can cross-register for classes and social activities.

Ariel

My closest friends are my roommates and those who live on my floor, except for a few exceptions. I feel safe and comfortable here. I am not involved in the party scene, but there are plenty who are! Mostly, I hang around with friends just talking or watch movies or go to the campus parties. You can do whatever you want to do on the weekends although Sunday is STUDY DAY!

Sasha

There is so much to do on campus. There are endless amounts of service orgs, sports teams, singing groups, theater opportunities etc... and if you don't find something you like at MHC you can take advantage of the 5 college consortium! I have met my closest friends in my dorm and at chorale. In terms of social life, I love just chilling on campus with friends on weekends, or going into Amherst for dinner. Before I got here I thought I'd be spending all my time over at Amherst, but I enjoy staying on campus so much more!

Ryan

sports are fun, clubs/activities are important if you want to stay active and feel included, and most likely if you are straight you will travel to UMass or Amherst on a weekly basis. I partied 3 times a week on average - Thurs, Fri, and Sat. The older crowd (juniors/seniors) may even go out on Weds nights (bar night). MHC parties are fun too, if you enjoy drinking and dancing with your girl friends only, but do watch out for those off-campus creepers.

Andy

Mount Holyoke is a very politically active campus, so there are many groups designated to politics, but our organizations are by no means limited to that. We have many different clubs, organizations, groups, and teams on our campus.

Barbara

There are some shops across the street and a small movie theater. We have a huge array of clubs, groups, and activities available for all interests. For an even larger selection, check out the other four schools in the area, Northampton, or the Holyoke Mall. It all depends on what you want to do. If you are looking to volunteer, Holyoke has many opportunities, including bilingual ones. Amherst, Northampton, and South Hadley have theaters, ice cream shops, novelty shops, books stores, cafes and hangouts. To many students here, it doesn't particularly matter where we are hang out. What matters is that we are having fun, which comes in many forms.

Maudie

Your social life is as busy/active as you want it to be. If you don't want to party, it is easy to avoid, but it is not terribly difficult to find things to do on the weekend if you want to.

Mickey

No one, other than the athletes, goes to athletic events. The only good parties are at UMASS Amherst. It is almost impossible for strait girls to find dates unless they go to Hampshire, Amherst College, or UMASS. Long lasting friendships are usually made in the dorms or in smaller, discussion-based, classes.

Meredith

The social life is practically nil on campus. Unless you like drinking in your room or going scantily clad to a dance full of guys with only one thing on their mind the social life leaves something to be desired. A typical Friday night includes quiet music, mild studying, and loads of food. If you want a social life you absolutely have to get off campus. The activities are typical nothing extraordinary.

Dale

There are something like five girls to every guy in the Five Colleges so don't count on dating because guys don't need to ask girls out on dates. Without fail, there will be a drunken Mt. Holyoke freshman who will hook up because she's terrified that she's at an all girls school. It is possible to make plutonic, off-campus friends but it's difficult. You're best bet is to take a class off campus and engage sober people in a setting where you know you have common interests.

Rosie

The social life at MHC is vibrant. The college, being rather isolated, tries very hard to make things interesting for students. There are parties and dances very often on weekends, and almost any night of the week there are various lectures covering everything from social justice to career opportunities.

Christina

Political and activism groups are quite popular, though these groups never really do much. There is a big problem at MHC where many people will join groups/clubs to put on their resume, but dont actually care much about the cause. Thus, little is actually accomplished in most groups. However there are certainly many people who do care and who are active. Students in dorms are somewhat stand-offish. Most keep to themselves and stay in their rooms or the library doing homework. The work load is really not much bigger than most schools, but people think it is and somehow drag their work out so that they can not socialize. Unless you are gay, there is virtually no dating scene at MHC. You must go to UMass, Hampshire or Amherst Colleges to meet men... and then they just assume you are easy because you are desperate for men. If you are looking for a social life, MHC is not your place.

Allie

You can have a social life but you have to balance that with your academics. Their is drinking but this isn't a party school. Girls go off campus to do that. I have never felt pressure to drink. People respect your choices. Get to know the people in your dorm. THat ho i got to know some of my best friends. Also, even though some of the orientation events seem lame, i met a ton of amazing people there. My two best friends were in my orientation group.

Shelby

there are a ton of popular teams on campus-every sport is popular, and a cappella singing groups are definitely big on campus. i didnt lock my door all last year, it's really pretty safe to walk around campus without locking anything. dating? you can meet guys at frats, and you can hook up with them, but you will probably not meet the guy of your dreams at a drunk crazy hookup party. the best way is to take classes off campus and talk to a guy while they're not intoxicated and looking for a hookup. i met my closest friends because they either lived near me last year, took a class with me, or were at the same party as me at some point or another. if i'm awake at 2am on a tuesday, i'm either just talking to friends or my boyfriend or cramming. i can't tell you about the traditions...they're a surprise. but trust me, they're worth it :) hmmm what did i do the last weekend of school? i went to get fried ice cream in northhampton, and then i partied after the last day of finals with a bunch of my friends all over campus. if you dont want to drink on a saturday night, you can definitely go to a concert or just hang out with friends and watch a movie or go out to a college town for dinner and shopping. if i go off campus, it's generally to party.

Monica

Plenty of parties on Campus, the 5 colleges certainly come onto campus and if nothing is going on on campus, there is certainly something going on at Amherst or Umass.

Nina

There's not too much to do in the area but we always find something. Normally weekends are spent drinking, but many students on campus are substance free. Many students leave their doors open or their laptops and belongings in the library. There are rarely instances of stealing, though they do happen on occasion. The dating scene varies. It's easy if you're gay because you can stay on campus or go to Smith, or even Diva's (club) to meet women. If you're straight, there's Amherst, Umass, and Hampshire and you can meet guys in off campus classes you take or at parties. There's no greek life on campus. Some people party a lot, others never. I met my closest friends in my dorm first year.

Charlie

If you want to go be the life of the latest dance party on campus or sit and catch up on your favorite book you can do that too. But no matter what you do with your weekend, everyone goes to Sunday brunch, to fill up on omelets and crêpes and dish the lastest weekend news. I'm most involved with project theatre and spend most of my free time working on independent student theater or watching shows that my friends have worked on.

Dorothy

There are a lot of parties on campus, but the younger students generally don't attend because IDs are checked vigorously when drinks are concerned. Doors on the hall are mostly closed, but knocking generally elicits a favorable response to visitors. Going off campus (which is fairly easy to do if you've got a car or don't mind the bus) is usually the best way to find a party--and a date--but the culture here is more about close friendships with small groups rather than huge ragers with a million people. There is no Greek system, but Frat houses on nearby UMASS's campus are generally ready and willing to accept visitors of the female variety--the sororities not so much. You can do plenty that doesn't involve drinking, and there are always cultural events on campus (a Capella groups are my favorite, there are 4 different ones with unique repertoires and sounds).

Arianna

I haven't been involved in any clubs yet since I have only been on campus for a semester. My friends and I don't party or drink at all, so a typical Saturday night would be getting ice cream from the soft serve machine in Blanchard and watching a movie in one of our rooms. Most students don't lock their doors during the week. I met my closest friends during Spring Admit orientation. Orientation is great because there are so many activities that it's really easy to meet people and make friends.

Brett

Socially its not the greatest school if you want an active social life on campus. There arent many parties for straight kids so most people who want to go out have to go to umass or amherst.

Kristen

There's a lot to do on campus. We have several guest speakers who come (you can never get to seeing them all). There isn't that huge of a dating scene if you are into guys...although you can go to Hampshire, Amherst of Umass if you crave a co-ed scene. Mount Holyoke is loaded with tradition (milk and cookies every weeknight, Mountain Day -- a day we get off and go climb a mountain together...) all sorts of neat historical things.

Whitney

Students often complain about the lack of activities on campus, but again, its what you make of it, like anything. The school I was at before was in a city and soooo boring. No club organized parties or events, no dorm parties, nothing, and it had a reputation as being a party school. I somehow missed the boat on that one. Comparatively, there is always on organized event/dance on the weekend, plenty of more academic events during the week, and if you get in with the right crowd, plenty of parties. But to be honest, and this is something I actually love about my school, the library is the place to be. There is a coffee shop in the atrium and plenty of chatty, social areas. I have actually found myself going to the library when I have no homework just to find out what is going on that night cause everyone is always there. And to be honest I got to know my bff so well because we happened to study in the same room. We always sat on couches on opposite sides of the room, then across from each other, and by the end of the semester, well, we were sharing a couch, what a love story, ridiculous, I know.

Angela

I'm in the orchestra. It's fun, I hope to do some stuff related to film and politics too. Some kids leave their doors open--its not like boys live here. The dating scene is what you make of it. I have a serious boyfriend but only because he's a girl from MHC's big brother!!! you NEVER know!! people party every weekend. sometimes thursdays if they don't have friday classes. most people stay up till 2am working. that's probably because they wait till 9 to start hw. i'm not so sympathetic to that. no frats... last weekend i did hw and hung out with kids on campus cause iw as sick. there's a movie theater right next door to where i live, and a few good restaurants so its fine...

Caitlin

There are numerous speakers that are brought to the campus each year. All of which are incredibly interesting. The dorms on campus are beautiful and feel more like you are living in a large mansion than a dorm. The dating scene is that big unless you are lesbian or bisexual. For those who are heterosexual, it is rather difficult to find dates. The towns and five colleges are within 20-30 of MHC by car. Amherst and North Hampton are adorable towns with plenty to do. Next to campus, there is a small movie theater whichscreens many of the big movies of the moment.

Emily

I am part of chorus, known as Chorale. I've made many friends in it, and I love our conductor.

Kaitlin

There are a lot of lame school sponsored parties, which often makes for a sucky freshman year party-wise because you are still convinced you need guys to have fun. By second year people find their own niche depending on their interests, and find a friend group (even including boys) that they can socialize with. Mt holyoke may not be "hoppin" all the time, but there is SO much to do in the five college area. I'm constantly busy--there are tons of theater and dance productions to see. My friends tend to have a lot of costume parties since we decided dressing up to look bad is way more fun than trying to look good all the time. The nicest thing is that since the parties are often off campus, when you get home (or if you choose not to go out) it's quiet and clean. You never wake up to find the lawn littered with beer cans and a party is really never forced upon you if you are staying in the dorms for the evening. Sporting events aren't really popular, sadly. I think if the fields were more centrally located, people would be more willing to stop by and cheer.

Jess

There are tons of groups on campus. The a cappella groups are very popular and their concerts are very well attended. I think the biggest varsity teams are crew and equestrian, and the biggest club teams are rugby and ice hockey. Being involved in a group or a team is a great way to meet people and to develop a close group of friends who are always there for you. Some of my closest friends are my crew friends, although I meet people outside of crew through my girlfriend who seems to know everyone on campus. Dorm atmosphere varies depending on your neighbors - my first year all of us left our doors open while we were in the room and unlocked all the time. This year my roommates and I still leave our door unlocked, but it usually stays closed since we aren't as close with our neighbors. Athletic events aren't usually that popular - friends come to your meets or games, but the general campus usually doesn't except to the Faculty/Student basketball game. There are always guest speakers, concerts, movie screenings, parties, and dances going on, particularly on the weekend. There are a ton of school traditions, particularly involving welcoming the new first year students, but those are too good to tell you about before you experience them... Some people party regularly, others don't - either way you can find friends who are doing what you are. There aren't any fraternities or sororities, although if that's the scene you're looking for you can always go to UMass or Amherst. Saturday night usually involves relaxing with friends and watching movies or going off campus to eat sushi. In the winter there's an ice skating rink outside of the campus center which gets a lot of use from students and families in the area.

Dani

Equestrian, rugby, and crew are pretty popular in terms of sports. Athletic events aren't very popular, most are pretty apathetic. There are some great lectures on campus that quite a few people attend. Unless you're into other girls, the dating scene is virtually nonexistant. Don't come here if you looking for a boyfriend. Most people party off campus, parties on campus are not too common. Honestly, there is not much to do on campus for the weekend; most people go to Amherst or visit the boutiques in Northampton.

Hannah

The campus is relatively safe. Most doors are left open inside the dorms. Parties are usually off campus at one of the other four colleges nearby. There is a free transportation system, the PVTA, that will take you anywhere in the five college area, it's very convenient.

Mireille

It is a good thing that we are part of the Five College Consortium, because without access to activities and parties at other schools our own parties would get a little repetitive. While they are fun and crazy, it is important to leave campus and get to know people at other schools, and be exposed to different environments. That being said, we have some really well-known parties. Las Vegas Night is the most famous, probably followed by Undressage. People, guys especially, flock toour school for these events, and they are a lot of fun.

Quinn

Social life is what you make of it.. HAVE A CAR. then you'll have a super social life. haha

Ruth

I am involved with the ice hockey team and the chorale. I love both of them! I do lock my door when I leave the dorm, but I know a lot of people who don't. The traditions that happen every year are elfing, big/little sisiter, dis-o, pangy day, etc. What I did last weekend was play 3 hockey games, participate in Relay-For-Life, hem my dress for my upcoming chorale concert, practice my pieces for the concert, and my homework. That weekend was a particularly crazy one for me.

Jessica

Equestrian is big! And rugby, but totally different ends of the spectrum! Students in dorms leave their doors open but I don't. The popularity of athletic events depends on the team, for example, basketball is very popular. We have great guest speakers!!!!! Dating scene is all girls, but straight girls find boys at Amherst, Umass and Hampshire. I met my closest friends on the volleyball team and in my dorm. I am doing homework if I am awake at 2AM on a Tuesday, or complaining about my coach. There's a million traditions, pangy day, convocation, disorientation, elfing (Amazing!), milk and cookies, all sorts of good things. People party on the weekends but not so much during the week, except for a few die-hards. You can go to Amherst or Northampton or a Mount Holyoke dance or something without drinking. You can eat off campus, you can drink, dance, go to clubs, whatever!

Amanda

Thank goodness, it's not a big party school- people go to UMass or Amherst to do that. There was more drinking and smoking various substances than I expected, but it is college after all, and I went to a pretty tame, education-focused high school. People sometimes leave their doors open, and what do you know, stuff gets stolen. I had a big tiff with my ex-roommate about that- I don't want my 2,000 dollar laptop, ipod, or camera stolen. Dating scene: I guess it must be pretty good if you are something other than straight. People are more than comfortable displaying their sexuality here. If you are straight, you must either have a boyfriend beforehand, try your luck at other schools, or bide your time. I wish the theater department did musicals! I wish there was a non-substance dorm. Or at least a floor.

Hannah

I try to get off campus as much as I can. Initially i was intimidated being a heterosexual female because so much of the social scene here revolves around the gay community but it's surprisingly welcoming.

Julia

One of the big things on campus is our love for the acapella groups we have. With five different groups to see, there is no shortage of enjoyment on that front. We are also pretty big into our athletics, and we strongly support our teams. Because we have an honor code at Mount Holyoke, we live in an environment that is incredibly trusting. Many people leave their doors open all the time, and most people leave their shower caddies in the bathroom (rather than carrying them back and forth to their room). Our final exams are self-scheduled and are not proctored (i.e. you decide when you take it, and there is nobody to monitor you while you do so). Though we have no sororities (and definitely no fraternities!) we take a lot of pride in our respective class years. Each class is given a color and a mascot, and at various all-school events throughout the year (namely convocation, orientation, etc) we "rival" the other classes for most spirit.

Devin

i met my best friends from auditioning for plays, and have met people from all five college by doing so, it rocks. and we are just basically one big sorority, i mean...all girl's college? think about it. my friends and i party a lot at hampshire, but if we're not in that mood, we go get sushi in noho, see movies at the hampshire mall, gone to the circus, watched bull riding, stolen fruit plates, ordered hangar wings to a car at Umass. You just gotta be creative.

Sarah

college dems, rugby, SGA students leave doors open closets friends on the crew team and in my dorm 1st year 2am on tuesday-studying frats/sororities-not existant off campus- amherst/northhampton, umass

Quinn

Athletes support athletics. My closest friends are in athletics/ on my athletic team. Guests speakers come frequently and are great. Dating is popular, lots of lesbian couples/ drama. If I'm awake on at 2 a.m. on a Tuesday I am writing a paper. Tonight is our spring concert, MIA is coming. People party on weekends only- but I am always off-campus. No frats or sororities on campus. last weekend I was at Amherst College with my boyfriend.

Chris

Rugby team. Acapella groups. Crew Team. I'm in the Glee Club which is an elite women's choir on campus with about 60-70 of us. We sing classical pieces some more contemporary than others. Sometimes we also sing traditional folk pieces too. We sing in many languages including this semester Russian, Latvian, Norwegian, German, and Latin. We get to travel to Boston and New York every year and sometimes we get to go further. We often get together with another men's Glee Club to sing. Students leave their doors open usually if they are a part of Residential life (an SA or HP) or if their just a room that often has people coming in and out because friends live nearby. Usually not. Many students however, leave their doors unlocked because the dorms are only accessible by students. Athletic events can often be popular. It depends on the sport. Many students don't go to any because they're either too busy or they don't have any friends who play sports. Guest speakers are usually very popular. Theater also. The dating scene is pretty active. Many women date other women or men from around the area. I met my closest friends when we wanted to go to the same big party on campus and we all got together on our floor to go there together. On 2am if I'm awake at 2am I'm probably either talking and wasting time with friends or working on a paper or homework. We have too many traditions and events to list...practically an event every day starting Thursday until Sunday. People party probably once to three times a week. Some people party hardly at all or one every couple of weeks. We do not have frats and sororities. It's kind of unnecessary since Mt. Holyoke alums take care of each other as it is. We are like one big, unbitchy sorority. Last weekend I partied Friday and Saturday and did homework Sunday. I did laundry Saturday. Saturday night that doesn't involve drinking.. take out of a movie from the library and watch it with some friends, go to a party to dance (here or off campus), sleep? Off-campus I usually party, go to classes, go out to eat, hang out with my boyfriend.

meg

When I decided to come to mount holyoke, I thought that I would frequently take advantage of the 5 college consortium to go out and meet guys. Turns out that I had way more fun just hanging out on campus with my friends on the weekends. Occasionally we have a big party where tons of umass and amherst guys come, but for the most part I have an awesome time going to the campus parties which are mostly mount holyoke students. Athletic events dont usually get a ton of attendance, but the A Cappella Jams are always totally packed, and any traditional events like Junior Show and Disorientation get a lot of attendance. We have major school/class pride and love to attend any event where we get to wear our class colors and scream like banshees. Another big draw are the cultural nights like VariAsians, China night, Hawaii night, Afro-Caribbean night, where everyone goes to support their friends who are in the show.

allie

I'm on the Field hcokey team. At MHC the sports are pretty good and our facilities are amazing. Athletic events should be bigger, but aren't. Parties are big sometimes. Dates are hard to find if you're straight, but they are definitely there. I wouldn't plan on meeting your future husband at a party though... thats for sure.

Siobhan

I'm involved with the Field Hockey team. I met almost all of my closest friends through this team. At most colleges, varsity athletes tend to live together. At Mount Holyoke, my team doesn't physically live together, but it feels like we do. I love it. Most of the varsity teams have different reputations. Its cool though, I'm used to playing sports and I was honored when I was invited to join the team.

Alexis

The most popular group on campus is most likely the rugby team because they are a very tight knit group of people. Some students leave their doors open, others don't, it's hard to generalize. I met my closest friends through the various orgs I'm a part of. The dating scene is pretty lively if you are not straight. If you are, it can be a dull scene. If i'm awake on a Tuesday night at 2am, I'm most likely doing homework. The school is, however, full of traditions and events and the students take pride in their traditions. Sororities exist, but they are primarily underground and most people are not aware of them. People party on weekends a lot. I myself don't drink, and there's a lot of things to do on and nearby off campus in Saturday nights.

Jess

so far i just hang out with friends but different clubs have parties now and then which is all fine and good and dandy. its fun though we dont have much of a social life, at least i don.