Smith College Top Questions

What are the most popular student activities/groups?

Xela

A large part of the population is involved in activism of some sort. You'll catch many Smith students hanging out in the downtown Northampton area because there are so many different places to eat and shop.

Perri

Athletics, music groups, and student government are all relatively popular on campus. Many students are very supportive of these kinds of groups and attend their events, but there are also so many other activities to participate in. In terms of partying, there are definitely parties on weekends, but many students go to the other four colleges in the area to party as well. We have no sororities or fraternities, so there are not parties as often as at schools like UMass.

Eve

I think one of the biggest groups on campus is the Smith Democrats. We have an excellent group and have a couple of students on the executive board of both the College Democrats of Massachusetts and the College Democrats of America! Sports are a great way to get involved and those teams tend to be pretty tightly knit. For example, I'm on the crew team and there are 60 people on the team but that is still how I met my closest friends. Smithies are very involved. We take our academics seriously and we take our extracurriculars seriously. There is always something to do, an event, a party, a lecture. A lot of people do spend Friday night getting take out and watching a movie, or catching up on some homework. But that doesnt' matter when you are surrounded by people you really like in your houses. My group of friends my from house first-year are still some of my closest friends. People do party here! We have parties nearly every weekend, and there are plenty of opportunities to go off campus and meet new people, if you choose to do so. Northampton is also a fun place. I volunteer at the Academy of Music, a local theater so I sometimes will spend my nights ushering and handing out programs then seeing a free show! There are so many ways to get involved here and so much going on that most students complain more about being overwhelmed with all the possibilities rather than being bored.

Parker

Students tend to leave doors open and houses are often quite close. Sometimes this leads to house-drama, but it also leads to a lot of house-love and really close friendships. Guest speakers are definitely more popular than athletic events, although the sports teams usually have a lot of spirit themselves (just not a lot of spectators). Smith is filled with beautiful traditions like Mountain Day (a spontaneous day off in the fall) and Ivy Day (a parade at the end of the school year). I met my closest friends in my house and also in an activist group I joined. If I was awake at 2 am on a Tuesday I would definitely be at the local 24-hour diner with my pals. In fact, we did that a lot. That diner has amazing spicy fries. There were always parties on the weekends, but there were a lot of smithies who weren't big drinkers and there were plenty of non-drinking things to do. People would stay up late talking, catch a movie in town, order ice cream and cookies to be delivered to the house, go visit friends at another campus... I never had a weekend where I didn't have anything fun to do. In the winter a lot of people go sledding and ice skating at night; a lot of people hike and go to concerts in town.

Abby

VIBES concert at Smith College

Alana

There are sooo many amazing clubs on campus doing a lot of incredible things. I spend almost all of my free time doing climate change activism on campus. A lot of students play sports but watching games doesn't have a prominent spot in Smith's popular activities. Guest speakers, however, draw quite a crowd, especially controversial ones, and many well-known people speak every year. Theater and dance is also popular and fun to go to. Dating can be very difficult, if not nearly impossible for straight girls. There are other co-ed schools nearby, but in reality the other schools are at least half an hour away and sometimes hard to enter the social scene there. The party scene at Smith is also a bit strange since it is a woman's school. Parties are strictly regulated, and while people drink, its not a drinking culture or allowed openly. Students also do drugs, but again, its not part of the culture and its done pretty quietly. Smith is definitely not a party school, and most girls who really party go off campus to Amherst or UMASS. House community is incredible and most people's closest friends come from their houses. I've also met a lot of people from extracurriculars - like my work in activism. I take many classes off campus to learn different things, meet new people and get off campus. I love Hampshire and have taken several of my classes each semester there - its a very short and easy (and free) bus ride away and offers quite a different atmosphere.

Anna

One thing that really determines your experience is your house placement. If you live in the quad, you're likely to have more party girls and fewer book worms. Central campus and Elm Street houses variety, tight house community, and the hipster crowd. If you like to wear a cape, read Jane Austen, and wield a sword, Green Street is your scene.

amsilina

One of my favorite things about Smith is the housing system. You are put into a "house" that could have anywhere from 15 to 100 other students living in it. Houses have students from all four years, and people usually live in the same house for the duration of their time at Smith. House life is awesome--there is really strong house community, people leave their doors unlocked (I would feel comfortable leaving my door completely open for several hours). There are living rooms where people hang out together and most of the rooms are pretty nice, or at least unique. There is variation in house culture--some houses are really tight-knit and others are less community oriented, but if you don't like your house it is not too hard to move. I have been on a sports team, and it is wonderful. There are several teams you can join without any experience, even if you've never been an athlete before. Do it.

rachel

Smith is by no means a party school. That is not to say there aren't parties, but they tend to be kinda lame. I've had the most fun just opening a bottle with some friends and playing games. People do take school seriously, so while there is some of a party life, it's not crazy every night. also, it's easy to get off campus to party at another school. The student organizations are varied and there is something for everyone. there are varsity and club sports, as well. Smith has a lot of fun traditions, such as mountain day (a random day where the president cancels all classes as a surprise so we can enjoy a fall day), convocation, and lots of other things. One fun part about being at Smith is learning about all these traditions as you go.

Alex

At times it can suck. But there is usually something to always do or attend on campus. Plus we are near four other colleges and we can attend their events just as easily.

Lauren

The house parties are great in the Quad. They bring in a DJ and if your over 21 you get free beer. There is always something to do on the weekends. There is not Greek life at Smith but the houses are so close that it's almost the same.

Emmerson

Don't count on parties being very great. If you want to party, go to UMass. That doesn't mean it isn't fun here though. People here don't feel the need to be drunk all the time to have fun.

Erin

Athletic events are not very highly attended. Popular social events are the house parties that happen every weekend. These mostly occur in a group of building which are known as the Quad. Although when first coming to Smith one is reassured that boys will not be lacking, this is not true. Guys tend to stear away from Smith due to the popular stereotype that it is mostly a lesbian college. Unless, you are the type of girl to search out guys and appear available, it is difficult to meet guys. At Smith there are no fraternities/sororities, but each house and the community it build provides some of the same network/ social security as a sorority. Many Smith students study for a good part of the weekend and if anyone is awake at 2am on a Tuesday it is because they are working on class work.

Sophie

Some sports on campus are pretty active, and LGBT plays a big part, but I think the things that people are involved in are pretty even and wide-spread. No one thing takes over at all, many people like comic books, others swim, others like math or investing. The dorms here are AMAZING. We all live in houses, I live in Talbot, and I love it. People spend a lot of time in common areas, and many either do hw in the halls, and/or leave their doors open. There are always lots of couples on campus, and a lot of girls find boyfriends at the other schools in the 5 college consortium, and still others are in long distance relationships. After going to Smith I can tell you, you can make it work! Many here to. I never drink on saturday nights... We often have capture the flag in the snow during the winter, a cappella groups singing every weekend, concerts downtown, even bedtime stories read by the president. I shop and go to concerts off campus, as well as do swing dancing performances, open dances, and weekend exchanges.

Julia

What Smith social life? People who like to party and do it regularly do it off-campus, at one of the other five colleges. The rest of us stay home and get annoyed when they come home drunk and shrieky at four in the morning. My closest friends are all from my house, and house community is a big part of Smith social life. There are no sororities, but houses come pretty close, and host events like Big Sib/Little Sib, where first-years and transfers have a secret Big Sib who leaves them notes and small gifts like candy for a week. In general, houses are welcoming and a comfortable social space--they can get pretty passive-aggressive when house-mates come into conflict but don't want to be open about it.

Leigh

Straight girls complain that it's hard to meet boys. Our houses are like friendly, nonthreatening sororities with their own traditions and crazy stuff, with a built-in network of friends, study buddies, and dining hall companions.

Ryan

There are a lot of groups here. I'm not involved in any yet. Yes we leave our dorms open most of the time. Athletic events aren't that popular unless you know a lot of people. We have a lot of Guest Speakers. It always seems like there's a new one every week. The dating scene for the straight, gay, lesbian, and bi community is very active. I met my closest friend at a party at Amherst. He's such a cool guy. If I'm awake on Tuesday at 2 I’m either talking to my friend Brittani or I’m doing homework. Traditions... I'm not too sure of the traditions they have. People party a lot here... but they always make sure all their work is done first. We don't have frats or sororities. Last weekend I went to my track meet and then went to New York for my first official photo shoot!!! Yay me!!! On a Saturday with no drinking I can have fun. I don't drink alcohol and I don't believe it's necessary. I am in a dance group off campus.

Petunia Bee

Lots of extracurriculars. This thing is running long, yo.

Nina

Smith houses are the center of social life for most people. You eat meals with people in your house, go to events with them, do homework in the hallways with them and pull all-nighters in your house living room during finals. We have tea in our houses at the end of every week, and it's a great way to relax after a hard week of class with your housemates. There isn't much of a dating scene for straight Smithies, unless you make a lot of effort to meet guys at other schools. A lot of club sports are popular, like ultimate frisbee, rugby and lacrosse. And many varsity teams accept people with no experience, like crew and fencing. Pretty much whatever you're into, you can find a way to do it at Smith (or in the five colleges). swing dance, step, science fiction, you name it, there's probably an organization for it.

Emmerson

The honor code policy on campus lets you leave your room door open and your laundry detergent downstairs without worrying about theft. There is strong house community and when you arrive, you're immediately surrounded by friends. Some areas of campus are more prone to partying than others. Smithies know how to have a good time, whether partying or attending concerts on campus or around town.

Bryce

There is always something going on at Smith. So many great events happen all the time its hard to choose which ones to go to.

Jennifer

My house really is my home away from home. My door is always open when I'm home so people can stop and chat. My closest friends on campus are my fellow Talbot 2nd Floor Seniors. We made it through Smith together! If I am awake at 2am on a Tuesday, it would be because I have a paper due and I would be out in the hallway in my folding chair working on it along with my other housemates who have something due. Also, at some point we would all head out for a McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts run. Saturday nights really come down to making your fun. I watch movies with my friends, go to the movies, play Apples to Apples, or get dressed up and go out to eat. I am not much of a party person, but Smith parties aren't that great, with a few big exceptions. As a basketball player and writer for the sports section of the paper, I have become entrenched in the athletic happenings on campus. The athletes are a tight-knit bunch. Most people at games are friends of someone playing. The sports scene is not central to Smith as it is other places. It's been something I've had to get used to, since I come from Friday Night Football country.

Andy

Smith offers a wide range of activities and social revenues for the diverse student body. With over 100 organizations on campus, 14 collegiate teams, and 12 club teams, Smith offers something for everyone. There is also always something going on. Art, music, dance, drama, is all going on at Smith casually or formally in weekend shows, house exhibitions, student forums, ext. The calendar at Smith is always full and as diverse as the student body.

Maggie

We work super hard every day of the week and only stop to party when our work is done. If that happens on a Saturday night, cool, but it's just as likely to get crazy on a Monday after working hard all weekend. Academics come before drinking, and most people are happy to make that commitment. But when our hair gets let down we commit just as much to our play time.

Charlie

If you want to do well at Smith, you have to do a lot of studying and working, obviously. As an all-female college, we get a sort of lame social rep, but if you like to dance, you can have fun at Smith parties. The Five College system is great-- I've met so many different people, and made so many new friends. My closest group of friends lives in the same house as I do. I have made good friendships with people from my classes and social events.

Lee

I think the Smith Activities and Social Life is great. There is always something going on on campus and there is something for everyone.

Jocelyn

I was really involved with the party scene at Smith early on in my career. It was okay and I never felt like I had to drink to be a part of it which was important for me. But it gets old quickly. Its important to find other things to fulfill you beyond the party scene on campus.

Andy

Athletic events aren't terribly popular. I spent last weekend in my house, watching movies with my friends and doing homework. Some people drink, but there is very little pressure to do so.

Nikki

Smith offers a lot of activities on campus. Sometimes they can be silly, like arts and crafts, but there are a lot of interesting speakers that come every week and some cool concerts as well. Depending on the house you get into, dorm community is either extremely strong, where everyone is friends and runnng around all the time, or nobody talks to each other and it's like a ghost town. During the week though, most people study study study! There's significantly less drinking than on other campuses, and potheads are practically shunned!

Julie

Smith has an organization for everyone and if you can't find the perfect one for you, then you can make it. The houses are like organizations in themselves, with traditions, events, and community. Most people in my house leave their doors open for visitors and don't even lock their doors when they leave because it is a very safe and trusting environment. I made all of my closest friends in my house. There are also lots of parties on and off campus on weekends, especially in the 5-college area. People often go to Amherst or Umass parties to meet guys and the guys come to our parties to meet us. If you want to drink, there are bars, the pub on campus, and parties with free beer. If you don't want to drink, there are many other activities every weekend as well and those listed with alcohol are fun even if you don't drink.

Scout

There is no dating scene if you are straight. It's incredibly hard to meet single guys without putting in a substantial effort/time commitment. Most students just hang out with their friends in the dorms or in the Campus Center. The houses really differ regarding amounts of house community so you can move around and find what fits you best.

Marissa

Smith's housing is great. We have beautiful houses where people feel comfortable and safe in general. In my dorm most students leave their doors open. We also have excellent house community and do activities together as a house rather often.

Alina

I have no problem with being part of a community I just don't like it when they get clicky. I am not into that and I wish that people would look past that and not judge me because I don't hang out with them all the time

Alex

Smith offers many different types of activities, but the party scene can be pretty weak. Many people chose to leave the smith campus to find parties at the co-ed schools such as UMASS and Amherst.

Dawson

The most popular organizations on campus are unity orgs. These are organizations with a common theme. I'm involved with ASA (asian students association). Athletic events are popular for other athletic members, as for others, they are not. It is easy to meet guys, I do not know why people assume there are no boys around ever. Maybe I am just aggressive and others are passive. Most people like to party, whether it be dancing, or drinking and dancing. There are places downtown that have concerts going on. 5-College events are advertised well and are fun. Smith College is one big sorority. We all live in houses together. The end.

Harper

The most popular groups on campus are 1) singing groups 2)Smith Dems 3)SGA 4)BSA 5)Athletic teams :crew 6)dance Celebration, I am involved in or have been a part of.... SGA senate Nosotras Amnesty International BSA SACSA Traditions: Quad riots Midnight Scream Convocation Midnight madness Rhythm nations Pan-Africa Mindhi Night Black History Month Speakers Otelia Cromwell Sororities: Some of my friends belong to a chapter, but they crossed with sisters from UMASS and other institutions in the area. It is becoming more popular amongst students of color. People do not party very often because their is no social atmosphere of that nature. Normally, people go off campus to enjoy themselves. 2 am awake: I am usually doing work or talking to someone in the hallway.

Alex

There are tons of events on campus every week and weekend. There are always lectures, movies, dances, house parties, etc and people actually go to them. There's not much of a dating scene unless you're a lesbian but it's easy to get to other five college campuses to meet guys, or to take a class at anther school. House life is great and there are always people in the common rooms or with their doors open.

Natalie

There are a huge amount of organizations on campus and if you can't find one you are interested in, you can start one up. As for social life, it sucks a lot of the time. The party policy is strict and often times students go to the other colleges to have fun on the weekends. Find a group of friends who have the same interest in social activities as you and it will always be fun! I alone went out 5 out of the 7 nights last week.

Lindsey

There is so much to do on campus that sometimes I feel no need to leave. Though if you want to, you can always go to Umass or Amherst or any other of the Five Colleges for social events. There are many lectures and fun cultural activities, as well as many, many organizations you can get involved in. I really wanted to continue playing the clarinet in college, so I joined the wind ensemble, which I really love. I also met one of my best friends in this group. The social scene at Smith is actually pretty good. It seems like there is always a party going on, especially in the Quad, the more 'sociable' area of campus. There are also a lot of traditions with the Quad; rioting for Mountain Day (a day off from classes on a nice fall day) and engaging in a giant food fight, Celebration, Quadstock, and a lot more. People do drink at Smith, but if you don't want to there is never any pressure to drink. Everyone respects your decision, and it's pretty easy to get along with everyone.

Becky

I do two varsity sports, and it eats up most of my time. But, I still like to go to Friday night concerts, Sunday movies, an occasional dance. There's pretty much something going on every weekend (for both early birds and night owls). As for boys - I'm still looking, but some girls get lucky!

Bobby

Social life at Smith definitely varies among the three areas of campus. And for the most part the stereotypes fit (that the Quad parties, that Elm Street kind of parties and that Green Street is a bunch of quiet nerds). But they are stereotypes and they don't match up perfectly. Just this year, my house (one of the smallest on campus and traditionally regarded as geeky) had its first open house party. It was a lot of hard work but we were trying hard to become a more active part in campus community and I think we were successful. Just because someone lives in a certain part of campus doesn't mean that they can't have fun.

Alison

I'm iinvolved in the Smith Swim Team and it is the most amazing bunch of girls ever. We are the only team on campus that can boast a lot of team spirit. As a sport, swimming can be a team sport or a individual sport, but the way that we "BANANAS" work is as a team. We suffer through practices together 6 days a week, sometimes twice a day and we create a bond with each other than is unlike any that I've experienced even in high school sports. I also feel a lot has to do with the fact that we are all at Smith not because we want to excel at sports, but for academics. But we do happen to all love swimming and so we join the swim team. There is no pressure to perform at a level that exceeds what you can do, but there is enough motivation for you to go that extra mile to reach a goal that is a stretch for you. Athletics aren't supported enough at Smith, but I'm not exactly sure how to explain it. It maybe the fact that we don't have a team mascot that brings us all together, but I know that we are currently in the process of figuring out that problem.

Grace

I stay up too late, usually doing work after coming home from activities or rehearsals at 11pm. The social life here is great!!! There are always lectures to go to of guest artists, etc. There are plenty of five college events that one can attend, as well as your basic house parties. Sororities DO NO exist here. Drinking is not mandatory, though the majority of the campus does it. One can attend any party without drinking and still have fun. Our radio station provides us with great party DJs. There is usually always a recital, concert, or theater production going on, too.

Caroline

in terms of athetic events, performances, and other such things, smith students are generally very supporting of each other. if it's the first rugby game of the season... you can expect a lot of people to be there. parties. smith parties are generally not that great. a lot of people just drink with their friends (yes, even underage!). the drug scene is a little less open. pot is pretty popular. on the other hand, there are plenty of people who choose not to drink or do drugs, and engage in sober fun. i just don't really know them. but there is always plenty to do... like go out to a movie, go out to dinner... go to the smith parties... your homework will always be an option.

Alyssa

There are always pleanty of events to attend on any given weekend: dance parties, a cappella concerts, classical music performances, and entertainment in Northampton and the other colleges. The house communities also provide great social outlets, where most Smithies can be found watching movies together, doing crafts, or whatever.

Abbi

Smith has a wide range of extracurricular activities. Some of the most popular sports here are rugby and crew. There are many cultural clubs and community service/activism clubs. Opportunities abound for students to be involved in music, theater, and dance. There are 6 a capella groups on campus (including one strictly for bad singers), although the Smithereens are pretty much the best. Most people meet their closets friends in their orgs/clubs or in their houses. House communities are often very tightly-knit. The dating scene at Smith is fairly active, mainly with Smith students dating each other. But it is still possible to have a boyfriend if you so desire, either from one of the 3 co-ed schools in the area, or something slightly more long-distance. There is a full spectrum of partying on this campus, ranging from not at all to almost every night. So no matter how often or hard you like to party, chances are you will be able to find several kindred spirits.

Abby

Haha Smith social life. Here's the deal: there are parties, which are great if you like other girls, or if you're really drunk. The guys at these parties are suuuper sketchy. What winds up happening is you drink in your friends' rooms on the weekend, and you drink a lot. After a few years you calm down. But there's Amherst and UMass, so if you try, you can go to good parties too. However, if you are looking to date, good luck. The social life in the houses is another story--it's great! Everyone knows each other, and our doors are all always open. We all eat dinner together, do work together, play intramurals together, etc. It's a very warm environment. We have a lot of house traditions, like potlucks, senior banquet, and tea on fridays. This is one of the best aspects of Smith.

Nicole

I have no idea about the most popular groups but I would guess the Unity organizations. Many students leave their doors open. I met my closet friends through classes that we shared. If I am awake at 2am I am probably watching videos on youtube while trying to finish homework. there are a few traditions that I am aware of including rally day, primal scream, mountain day, quadstock and the Quad riots. Last weekend I went to a party and hung out with my friends. On Saturday nights if you are not drinking you can go see a movie, or go out to dinner with friends. Off campus you can see boys which happens but is not common enough at an all womens college.

Gabriele

I met my closest friends through pre-vet course, chorus, and living in Hopkins. Chorus was great fun while I participated, but unfortunately our fabulous director left to get her PhD.

breana

I am involved in the Smith Improv Komedy Organization - SIKOS. We perform improv comedy regularly around Smith campus and off campus in different venues. Once and a while we will do a show with one of the other improv groups from the surrounding four colleges in the area. We get a good turn out for our shows every time. Smith students as a whole seem to be interested in events on campus and take advantage of the different things that come to campus whether it be a concert, speaker, or performance. I met all my closest friends in my house. In my house, Washburn, people generally leave their doors open when they are around and some even when they are not. Everyone is very trusting and there has never been any type of situation. As for dating, people meet other people from the five colleges through friends or parties or any other school event or town. Its defiantly not impossible to meet people from the other schools in the area. There are also a lot of girls who meet people around campus, in class or though friends again, or at a party. The dating scene is the same as any other school although perhaps a bit more challenging if you are straight due to the lack of boys on campus, but not impossible. On weekends there are usually open house parties at various houses around campus. These generally speaking are big dance parties and alcohol is only served at a few of them and only to those of age. Off campus, there are a few local concert halls that hold concerts regularly that bring in both obscure and well known bands. There are a few bars in town if you are of drinking age, and a dance club. You can also go to any of the other four colleges in the area and go to a party there or anything else that might be happening on campus that night.