Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Top Questions

What are the most popular student activities/groups?

Jeff

Athletics and Greek life are the two primary activities and groups on campus. Division 1 men's and women's ice hockey are popular activities to watch as well as our football games. A lot of students are out there supporting each other. Greek life is the other big aspect at Rensselaer. Comprising nearly 1/3 of the student body, Greek life can be many things for students. Yes, social life is a big aspect but so are academics, stewardship, community service, leadership, etc. Greek life takes on a whole new meaning at Rensselaer in a good way.

Carla

Hockey games are the major athletic event of interest. We even have a hockey line celebration to buy season tickets. We have special games such as the Big Red Freakout and there is a club entitled the Red Army that is dedicated to hockey. I am involved with Habitat for Humanity, but there is a plethora of community service oriented clubs, with one example being Circle K. I am also part of the Resident Student Association because I have had a great experience in my residence halls. I met my best friends on my floor last year, and the people in our hall were almost inseparable. Other major clubs involve the Outing Club and Red and White, the student alumni association. We also have academic honor societies and clubs based on major or ethnicity. We have annual events such as Alumni Weekend and Winter Carnival, both of which garner a lot of student participation. As a non-party goer I always have something to do, such as Sheer Idiocy student improv shows, UPAC cinema, the RPI Players shows, and miscellaneous club-sponsored events. I also hang out with friends; we have tea parties. Greek life is definitely present on campus, but there is not pressure to join or not to join. I happened to go through recruitment this semester and have been thrilled with the decision, even though I never expected this for myself.

Sharon

Anything athletics is very popular at RPI. Over 75{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student population participates in club sports, intramural sports, or varsity sports. And there is every sport imaginable, anything from basketball, rugby, quidditch, hockey, weight lifting, to ultimate frisbee. This is where a lot of people meet their friends, if not during orientation or through Greek life. Intramurals are very popular, and students usually come to watch those or cheer on their friends. Varsity sports are also popular, and since the East Campus Athletic Village was built in 2009, it has allowed school spirit to really skyrocket. Hockey and football are very popular to watch, but soccer and lacrosse are also big events.

Alex

Fraternity parties are really the only social life on weekends. Usually only girls and other Greeks get into parties. Always a list, but girls are always on it, even If some people can't get on it.

Vick

A cappella is the most popular student group at RPI.

David

My dorm experience was great, our hall would be active and social at all times. We would play games, go out together, eat at the dining hall together, and i still live with a core group formed from the initial few weeks of school. I am a part of the Cycling club, which is a blast, and a great way to connect with a lot of guys with similar interests (aka bikes). I am also a part of the Outing Club, which is a good way to meet people that love the outdoors. The outing club is the largest club on campus, but also is very connected and it is easy to get to know a lot of people in it at the events the club hosts. The biggest yearly event is the Big Red Freakout, which is a big hockey game that everyone goes to. It is an awesome time, and all the little traditions that go on during the games are an awesome way to develop school spirit and have fun with friends. Other big events are the Oktoberfest at the Narwhal, Clam bake at Pikes, GM Week, and various others. You can find a party every single weekend, including during finals. Greek/non-greek, cliques or open, there is definately a spread of social atmospheres at RPI. But if you arent into partying, like I was for a long time, you can always find a good time hanging out with friends, or playing LAN games, arranging crazy CTF games through campus, anything you want.

Kevin

Very good! Around 150 different clubs to join, and if they don't have something for you it is easy to form a new group of your own (I know, I founded a Bowling Club on campus this last year) Plus if you follow an open door policy (if u r in ur room, leave ur door open) then u will find it very easy to find and meet new friends.

Kristin

There are a lot of different groups to join at RPI and hockey games are really a big hit on campus. Also for weekends frats are huge around campus so there is always a party somewhere. There are sororities but they are dry so not many people really pay attention to them. If you are not into drinking I dont know what there is to do on campus but there is places around the area to go watch a movie or shop.

Gabrielle

There are plenty of clubs on campus for any interest that anyone could possibly have. And if a club you are looking for does not exist, you can start a new one. People form new clubs every year. There are plenty of sports teams, clubs, and intramural options available for any skill level. And if you aren't into sports, there are religious groups, student government, community service organizations, student involvement groups, common interest groups, academic teams, music groups, and just about anything else you could imagine. Plus, if you need to get off campus, your student ID lets you ride the bus for free. This will take you to two malls in the area, a movie theater, or plenty of different stores and restaurants. Different clubs hold events every week. Many concerts are held on or near campus. Movies are shown for only a couple dollars every Friday and Saturday. The RPI players are always putting on a show of some sort. Music groups put on frequent performances. Comedians, magicians, hypnotists, and other guest speakers are brought onto campus on a regular basis. RPI is known to be antisocial, which is completely ridiculous. In most of the freshman five (the five "L" shaped freshman dorms on campus) people keep their doors open all the time. Many people hang out in the lounges or study rooms to watch movies, talk, play games, or just hang out. Last year in my dorm, our R.A. even held a program in our lounge teaching us to salsa dance. Greek life is huge on campus. A lot of guys join fraternities. Then again, there are plenty of guys who don't. It is not a requirement to "go Greek" by any stretch of the imagination. Guys can still get into parties at fraternities, even if they are not brothers. It is all about knowing brothers at some houses. At others, you just need to show up with a few girls as your ticket into the house. As far as sororities go, some girls join, some girls do not. The option is there for girls who want it, but it is not forced on girls who do not. Now, because Greek life is so large on RPI's campus, finding a party is never a problem. If you want to go out, the option is always there.

Zac

There are actually plenty of things that go on on campus, you just need to get up and get check them out. There are Movies playing every weekend and tickets are cheap. Midnight showings can be a lot of fun. Make friends and don't be afraid to leave your room.

Christie

Greek life is pretty popular on campus. A lot of incoming freshman judge greek life and look at it and expect it to be like the stereotype, I know I didn't go into college wanting to be a "sorority girl". but here I am in a sorority...and I wouldn't change that at all. It's not the stereotype, its people who get a long living together, sober driving each other, celebrating together and supporting each other... to me its more like what my swim team was to me in high school. Greek life brings a lot of positive things to our campus and being involved in it is a great way to involve yourself. And if you personally choose not to join a house, you're still welcome to hang out and participate in most of their events, you won't automatically be excluded. RPI can be a lot of fun if you do it right and put yourself out there.

Jon

RPI Social Activities is an interesting thing... there seems to be something for everyone, and if there isn't something for you, the student union would be glad to help you start it up. If you are looking for your frat of choice, greek life is a sizable portion of RPI's student body. If you want to get involved in a group, well, there's hundreds of them and there's almost a guarantee you'll like one of them. And, if you just want to stay in your dorm, the freshman halls tend to be pretty open and friendly.

Mel

There is a huge party scene at RPI. Frats and sororities are big, but unnecessary. Plenty of great people are not affiliated with Greek life and there isn't really a pressure to join. Most of my best friends I've met through my major, but I also met one of my best girlfriends on an NRB (freshman orientation) trip. Both of us registered late for the activities and we got stuck taking a steamboat ride on Lake George's Minnie-Ha-Ha. It was an awkward and unenjoyable experience until we found each other... then it wasn't so bad having to listen to an overly enthusiastic guide speak about lengthy history of steam usage and Lake George's 'illustrious' history. I would also strongly suggest that any person coming to RPI should try and get involved in things on campus. Who cares if it ends up being something uninteresting or different than what you expected - even if you meet one or two new friends, it will have been worth your time to attended. College is about meeting new people... people you didn't hang out with in high school. Ultimately, your college experience will be shaped by the people you spend your time with. If I'm awake on a Tuesday at 2 am I'd probably be in studio drinking coffee. Troy and some RPI students do this great thing called Troy Night Out, where on the first Friday of every month, art galleries, antique stores and restaurants open their doors to residents and students alike, and it's a great way to meet people and have a great time. The 'cultural' part is usually followed by an awesome dance party afterward.

Vick

Lots of video game playing (Halo, Warcraft, etc) and a lot of very nice flat screens. doors always open and very friendly people. athletics fairly popular. be ready to practice twice a day and have a hectic semester if u plan to do team thing. i opted for a club (which is just twice a week) ALSO, I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!!! READ THIS - RPI has a cool freshman program where u can pay 150 bucks and go on a 2 day 3 nite thing. either white whater rafting, camping, etc. i did camping at Lake George and that is how i met all of my friends. Take advantage of this cuz NO OTHER college does this. for one week before school starts u could do this, then rpi has a bunch of activities like a BBQ and then another day trip of ur choice. i rowed with the rowing team on the hudson river.

Dylan

Hockey season is big at RPI. Lots of students get season tickets. The Big Red Freakout is a HUGE deal, too - it sells out every year by November or so (it's in Feb) because lots of alums come back. Students take a survey when they send in their acceptance paperwork before freshman year, and part of that is to match them with a roommate, and then with a dorm. So people who tend to keep the doors shut will be in one hall, while those who love the open door policy will be in another. My roommate and I always talk about how perfect we are for each other. She still is my best friend after 3 years, and we are stilling living together. My other good friends I just happened to meet, most of them freshman year, when no one knows many people so you talk to everyone. Only 4 of those good friends (out of maybe 20?) actually lived in my dorm though. I will admit that it is hard to keep in touch with people sometimes, especially when you aren't the same major. None of my good friends are civils, so I had to make new friends in class. I liked meeting new people, but I still don't "hang out" with any of them. Fraternities seems to be pretty popular. Many of the more social people on campus graviate towards them. There are only 4 or 5 sororities though, so it's not so much the same for girls. If you aren't inclinded to go to frat parties (or any party) on the weekend, there is UPAC, which plays new movies for only $2.50, there are plays every now and then, a cappella groups (RPI has 3, and they are all fantastic), cultural nights, other club events that are open to campus. There's an annual drag show that's pretty entertaining. (By the way, if you are awake at 2am on a Tuesday, you are probably doing schoolwork or playing video games)

Rina

Students generally always open their doors open depending on where you live. All freshman dorms except barton are all very social. Barton is the only one with air conditioning so that is the only advantage. I met my closest friend right after a psych exam. She was waiting for someone else but we started talking and now we are very close. If I'm awake at 2am on a tuesday, that means I'm studying. There are hockey games which are very traditional. If you go to one of them, the entire crowd screams certain things at certain times. Like if the goalie of the other team misses everyone chants "it's all your fault" People party every week. Fraternities always have something going on. And there are so many fraternities. I am in a sorority and I find that it isn't the typical catty bitchy type. Everyone are genuinely nice people. The rush events are awesome and so much fun. Take advantage of the free food.

Courtney

I was part of Formula SAE but I had a lot of issues, for example hospitalization and traveling to my friends at other colleges, first semester so I didnt have the time to commit to the shop on weekends. I am actively involved in SWE, Society of Women Engineers and I love it. Sporting events are important here but video game tournaments are more popular. There is so much to do on campus, you rarely get bored. Frats and sororities are popular but you dont have to join them to have fun here.

Mike

Besides hockey, which is division I, I believe RPI has division III athletics (for the most part at least). There are numerous clubs on campus, both academic and athletic. Fraternities seem to be an important part of the social life. Movies are offered every Friday and Saturday for two dollars. These movies are ones that haven't been released on DVD yet. One time, we got a free screening to a movie that hadn't come into movie theaters yet, Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Off campus, there are concerts and revolutionary hall and a bowling area within walking distance. Crossgates Mall is pretty close, but if you take the bus, it takes about an hour to get there.

Heather

About 30{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the campus goes Greek. There is a large presence of fraternities and soroities on campus. They do a lot of good for the community and help on move in day in the fall. I met my closest friends by living with them. I have become really close with the people in my hall. The hockey team is very popular, it is our only division one sport. There is a great theater group on campus that performs a few different shows each semester. RPI gets some really great speakers to come throughout the year. If I'm awake at two a.m. on a Tuesday night, I'm usually out with friends. There are not a lot of classes on Wednesdays, so a lot of people spend Tuesday nights out. There are so many clubs and so much to do on campus that is it easy to avoid drinking.

Kate

there is always something to do on campus. there is always a seminar, or a concert, or a game going on somewhere. ground zero is a campus group were students perform almost every friday night for other students. its a chill atmosphere, with some fun people. you can even go and sign up to play yourself or find a band. we have our own theater group that works hard and performs every once in a while, but anyone can go and help with the set or anything. in the freshmen dorms, there is always a door open somewhere, or someone doing something in the lounge. frats are very important. you can go into troy on the weekends if you don't want to be surrounded by drinking. they have a lot of amazing food, and great bands, as well as an antique district that is famous.

Jason

Unfortunatly I'd say that the athletics at RPI tend to be somewhat mute. Or at least in the realm of intermurals and pick-up games it can sometimes be difficult to find a gang to hang out and play with on that beautiful saturday afternoon.

Pat

Greek life is huge on campus and something like 1/3 of the student body is Greek. I personally didn't join a fraternity an still have ample social life though. There are always parties on the weekends if you want to find one. There is plenty to do off campus too with Albany and Saratoga nearby for shopping, nightlife and concerts. A lot of big names come through the area for concerts but most don't play on campus. This year Panic at the Disco is playing on campus but most bands would rather play at the TUC or SPAC. The dating scene isn't great for guys with the ratio. Its getting better with each new class though and if you don't count the geeks in the ratio its not too bad. RPI has a Division I hockey team and the games are a lot of fun on the weekends. They generally get 3000-4000 people to each game even though the team hasn't been too good recently. Other than that intramurals are a lot of fun and really popular and there are a ton of different clubs.

Julian

partying is kinda wack... frats and sororities are big on campus and they have most of the partying scene on campus sadly...Ratio sucks at least for guys, for girls its another story...The City RPI is in is Troy, New York and its a pretty ghetto city, downtown where bars and restaurants are for where youd think the party scene would be...well its not at all, too dangerous, too shitty, only some parts are in reach for RPI students to venture. I will say though that its basically all the athletic students that are closest to being normal, and outgoing and ready to party. From my own experiences so far i think i got lucky and ive met a lot of cool kids from the soccer team and other aspects.

Rob

When I was a freshman, my door was always open unless I was asleep or changing. Some people do not feel comfortable keeping their doors open. Weekends usually involve drinking. Most students go out drinking almost every Friday, Saturday, and sometimes Thursdays. Fraternities and sororities are very big on campus. They are a good way to meet people. However, if you are like me, you won't have a problem meeting people.

Jesse

RPI has plenty to do on campus, but not a lot off-campus activity

Isaac

They don't exist.

Dylan

Social Life sucks except for the Fraternities.

Casey

It sucks. You drink your worries away. I find myself feeling somewhat robbed of the whole college experience.

mikey

Social life almost revolves around the greek community. There are groups on campus that aren't greek that have decent social events though. If you live on campus there are some students that are social and their doors are open all the time but its not always the case. There are a lot of introverted students. The athletics at this school are terrible. The softball team wins but no one goes to the games really. The football games don't draw a crowd. The only games that draw a real crowd are the the hockey games. The theater group on campus (which i have participated in) is amateur at best. My high school did better performances with lower funding. There are a lot of guest speakers and sometimes the topics are actually interesting. The dating scene as a result of the ratio is an obstacle that is difficult to get around but it is possible and the party scene is pretty decent. On a low amount of work week a person could be partying up to 5 nights or 6 nights during the week. At the fraternity I live at its not uncommon.

Jacob

The dorms are pretty social as many people leave there doors open. The kids on the floor vary though from people who you may like to those who you would never talk to. The range of students at rpi is very broad as you have the kids who busted there asses in high school then you have students that were jock/preps and coasted. One of the saying amongst many of the people i surround myself with is RPI is the school for kids who could have gone to MIT if they had actual tried prior to coming here. As for activites there is plenty to do, but the problem is much of it may be stuff you arent into. The social life lies primarily on fraternites for the large parties. Other than that the sports teams throw there own partis and others have apartment parties. In order to get involved in the social life though you are most likely going to have to get invlovled in some sort of team or fraternities as most parties are not open to guys. Girls are always welcome into any party on cmapus as part of the ratio.

Carl

Fraternities are important to man students at RPI. Unfortunately fraternities are unfairly stereotyped in the media and in reality are far different. For me and most students at RPI it is a place to find a social life lacking at RPI and also a way to live with all your friends and have fun through your college career. Most of my good friends are in my fraternity. A lot of people at RPI only stayed because of their fraternity it is usually very important to them. As for dorms, I left my door open and most people in my hall did and just wandered around to each others room. So it was social to an extent but I wanted a better atmosphere. Hockey and football are pretty popular sports and the other sports do not get much notice. 2am on a tuesday? Drinking. Wends days are usually easy class days so people drink Tuesday night, and Friday and Saturday. Some people party a lot here and some people don't at all it all depends on the person and pretty much all people can find friends whoa re into the same stuff.

Whitney

Freshman year dorms are very social, half the doors are open at any given time and you can just walk in and talk to people. The parties are always at the frats, and its easy to find one on Friday night, as juniors and seniors with cars come into the freshmen dorms to pick up their friends and will usually let you hitch a ride as well. The ratio of male to female here is i think a little better than 3 to 2, but since a surprisingly high amount of guys just stay in their room and play wow, its essentially 1:1. There is a really good Bus and Shuttle service that brings you to the 3 story Crossgates mall and Albany region, so if you're looking for something to do on the weekends, you won't need a car.

Danielle

greek life is big at rpi; if there was no greek life i honestly dont think i would have lasted here this long. especially for girls, it is often hard to find that "group" because there just arent enough girls to do so. sororities make that happen, so its good. i think rpi has a broad range of activities, but they tend to give more notice and funding to those that are computer or video game related

Matt

Greek life is a very big organization on campus. In addition, hockey is very big and many people will go to the games on weekends. As I don't drink, I can tell you that there's still plenty to do on weekends. There are comedians regularly in the area, as well as a capella groups, an improv troop and plenty of other activities regularly. In addition, when all else fails, you can always get a cheap pizza and watch a movie with friends or play a video game together. Every year, there is a GM week in the spring in which campus elections are held and there are a variety of fun activities to get the students involved.

Jillian

There are tons of things to do on campus, no matter what your interests. Hockey is big here...really big. There are always frat parties on the weekends, but during the week it is pretty quiet.

Kristin

Guys should go greek if they want to have a social life and meet most of the girls. Girls can go greek but there are only 3 national sororities as of now. Leadership House is the best place to live if you want to know everyone in your dorm. Doors are always open and the halls are filled at night of people just sitting and talking. Women should consider getting a mentor their freshman year so that they have a unbiased opinion of teachers, back work, and a source to go to since the campus is predominantly male. Every weekend can involve drinking and even some school nights if you have time. The Frats always seem to have something going on and nothing really overlaps. Outside of that every Friday and Saturday movies play in the DCC (ones that aren't out on video, but are out of theaters). There are also concerts and such people can attend. Hockey games are tons of fun to go to, and football games too. Less people attend the football games because its hot and outside. Most of my friends right now as a freshman are from my dorm, but others i met through the summer orientation session, or through friends.

Tony

Social life is ok, if you are active enough to go find something to do. Greek life definitely helps a lot to get out of your room and meet new people. You can be up all night and find something to do with the people you become friends with. If you are bored there is always the possibility of hanging out and having a good laugh and just relaxing.

Kelly

The most popular organizations are the black student alliance, NSBE, SHPE, RPI players Clubs. I am involve with the black students alliance and it is a social club which throws many different types of events for the RPI community. Student leaves their door open during freshman year but after that no. The most popular sporting event here is hockey and football. The dating scene here is not that great, you're choices are somewhat limited. I met my closest friends at events, clubs, and parties. If i am awake at 2 am i am doing studio work in my room. The Gm election week happen every year. People party pretty often social interactions turn into parties sometimes. Fraternities and sororities are important in that 30 percent of the school is Greek affiliated. Last weekend i party in the apartment complex with 60 other people. You can go party or visit other colleges in the surrounding areas. I go to parties and social events off campus.

Steve

There are a ton of clubs here. If you can imagine it there's a club for it. The outing club is huge and does a lot of great stuff. There are a lot of intramural sports and club sports. Troy is a shithole though. There are two decent bars, a handful of restaurants/pizza places, and one music hall that plays some pretty good small bands (lots of jam bands). There are at least three good ski mountains within 2 hours of here. Mt. Snow is about 1 hr 15 minutes away. There is a lot of drinking on campus, but it's always a sausage fest and it's usually just you playing beer pong with your friends. At this point there's only one frat that still throws good parties frequently and they're probably #1 on Shirley Anne's shit list.

Tanya

Again, you will always meet new people and run into 10 old friends along the way. Unfortunately, once the work starts kicking your ass, it's harder to find people to hang out with that aren't in danger of getting kicked out.

Michael

Students need to take a walk off campus once in a while. Maybe play some Ultimate Frisbee and benefit from a social gathering such as a house party. I'm a firm believer of enjoying life as well as educating oneself. Students need to learn how to party and how to party responsibly early in their times in college in order to have the most beneficial and enjoyable experiences.

KJ

I think there are enough different activities for everyone to find a group that they fit well with. I joined a club on a whim and some of my friends that I met through it are so much like me.

Jay

kind of week but it fits since rpi is so demanding, you can always do something if u want to

Amy

Each year it changes in the dorms. One year everyone leaves them closed and no one gets to know each other, and the next there is a very close community within each dorm. Hockey is huge here. Theater is definitely not a big deal though. The dating scene sucks because of the 3 to 1 boy to girl ratio. Boys are constantly complaining about how bitchy and manipulative girls are to take advantage of the ratio, and girls are constantly complaining about how boys stalk them or male friends will disappear as soon as they find out she's not interested. I met a good friend through a class I took, who in turn introduced me to his co-ed fraternity, which I subsequently joined. Generally, if you're awake at 2am on a Tuesday, you're studying, a lot, and you shouldn't expect to be asleep before 5am. People work really hard on the weekdays, and party really hard on the weekends. There are approximately 30 fraternities at RPI, and they are huge. However, there are only 5 sororities. Last weekend I attended a small get together with about 10 friends hanging out in a living room with a few bottles of wine. There are always events happening on campus that don't involve drinking though.

Alynna

There is a club for EVERYTHING. If you can't find anything to do, you're not looking.

Michele

Greek life is extremely important on campus - many say it's the only way to have a social life - although I disagree with that. Personally I'm not a part of a fraternity or sorority but I know many people who are happy and consider it a large part of their college experience. I enjoy my musical a cappella group very much - I've always loved singing and I'm so fortunate to find an outlet for it on campus. There's an extreme variety of musical/theater/performing arts groups you are able to join on campus - there's something for everyone and if there's not, find others who are interested in the same thing you are and start a group! I'm very happy with what is available to me as a student and it's probably very competitive to other schools' offerings as far as diverse groups to join.

Blake

It is what you make of it. If you want to study on weeknights, people do it. If you want to go out to a party on a weeknight, find people to go with. I met most of my closest friends Freshman year in my dorm. We lived in Barton. My roommate Soph-Sr year lived in Barton and we played tennis together. The guys that I hung out with also lived in Barton and 8 of them moved into a house together for 3 years. They really are what helped me survive being a Comm major at RPI. The graphics club was a huge deal to me. Small group with a lot of spirit. But we just started in 2003, so it's a very small club. I made a good deal of friends in my industry who've helped me grow as a designer. RenX was another important thing to me. It was a part time job but also a good chance to meet people from other majors and years. RenX is a part time job where you call alumni to get donations. It sounds awful, but you get paid good commission and get fed. If you play tennis, don't join the tennis team. It will make you miserable. Join the tennis club and play for fun. It's much more worth your time. The coach is not a good one.

Terry

Most popular team: The hockey team. Hands down. Watch them. It's a lot of fun. I'm with pep band. We play at both men's and women's hockey games and football games. We are loud and we love to have fun. Dating scene: What dating scene? Closest friends: in my freshman dorm, in class, in pep band. Either I have work that i need done by Wednesday morning, or my friends and I found something that has way too much of our attention. I am not involved with frats at all and i have a good social life. Enough said about that. Saturday night that does not involve drinking: See hockey game, watch a capella concert, see a movie on campus, chill with friends. Off campus: Troy sucks. Usually when i go off campus its for ice skating or on a trip with the pep band to another school.

Reese

It's hard to say what groups/organizations etc are the most popular on campus. I know a lot of people who do intramual or club sports, or participate in some kind of musical group. I'd say the most popular are any kind of organization that an audience can watch - so intramural sports or performing arts groups. The a capella shows and Sheer Idiocy shows (an improv comedy troupe) often get sold out, as well as the plays by the RPI Players. I'm involved with the Pep Band at RPI. We support the women's and men's hockey teams by playing at home and away games. It's so much fun, because we're like a family - we spend basically every weekend during hockey season together, whether it's playing at the field house here, or traveling with the team to different rinks in the ECAC. Plus, we get the best seats at the field house - right behind goal! As a freshman, everyone always left their doors open. People would stop by the door and introduce themselves in the first few weeks, and then once you got to know your floor everyone was friends with each other. Now that I'm a sophomore, a lot less people leave their door open because we've all made our core group of friends...plus I know that I'm hardly ever in my room because of classes and stuff. Athletic events are pretty popular, especially the hockey games. It's really fun to go to them and be able to yell and cheer for your team. It's a great way to get all of your frustrations from the week out. Theater is pretty popular as well, whether it's the spring musical put on by the RPI Players, or the movie playing in the DCC on the weekend. I met my closest friends through classes that we were having trouble with (I started going to extra help sessions with one of my friends my freshman year), through my roommate, and through joining Pep Band. If I'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I'm either doing homework, or surfing the internet. Every year, Big Red Freakout is one of the events I look forward to the most. It's the big hockey game, usually sometime in February. Everyone who goes to the game gets a "Freakout gift"...usually something like a noisemaker, team pennant, or baseball cap. Everyone gets really into the game, paints their faces, hold festivities all day, etc. In the Pep Band, we have a lasagna dinner, then all of the alumni and current students play at the game in one huge, awesome sounding band. Afterwards there's a student-alumni mixer at an alumni's house in the area, with awesome food, and then an after party at someone's apartment. Fraternities/sororities aren't the main focus on campus, which is nice. You know they're there, but the majority of people here aren't in one. During rush week there are a lot of fun events open to everyone, like cookouts or volleyball games. I know a bunch of people in sororities and fraternities and it seems that here, it's just another way to connect with people and really have a strong group of friends. Last weekend, we didn't have any Pep Band events so I cooked a steak with my boyfriend, played pool in the Union, and went to a Wing Tasting charity benefit in the Union that was DELICIOUS.

Paul

I loved the intramural sports. Some of them were set up better than others but they were always fun. Get active. There are tons of things to do as long as you know where to look. Ask for help. Get your friends involved. Just don't do too much. RPI will kill you with homework if you let it. Be organized and you'll be fine.