Swarthmore College Top Questions

I think the most popular activities on campus would be the frats, rhythm and motion, and other groups that add to the diversity (social, cultural, and racial) here at Swarthmore.

i have no idea, yes they leave them open, athletics are pathetic, dating scene is a bit incestuous, i am watching a movie, learning on my accord, drawing, wasting time because i have no work for this semester, people party every weekend, you can do alot of things on a saturday without drinking but theres nothing to do on campus. you need to get off. go to galleries, museums, movies, restuarants.

There is plenty of social life here. Although the fraternities are not that popular, their parties have been gaining some momentum lately. In case people do not find enough to do on campus, they can take the train into Philly. There have been some thefts from rooms and public places, so students usually keep their dorm rooms locked. The one thing that I think is definately not popular are athletic events. There are some people who attend the events, and the local newspaper even has 2 pages reserved for various kinds of sports, but I get the impression that nobody really cares.

I'm part of The Phoenix, the only campus publication. Make sure whatever extracurricular activity you choose, you really really are passionate about it and it's not just to pad your resume. If you're not passionate about it, you're not going to make it because there's no way you can balance Swat academics with extracurricular activities without going a little insane. I really love my work at The Phoenix and I think, as it is with most other groups, you get to be really close with the groups you work in because they tend to be fairly small and personal. The Phoenix is run by like 15 people, it's not some huge conglomerate like the newspapers at Ivy Leagues. As for Social Life, the main venue to go for some dancing is Paces. It's this kind of tiny room with dim lights, sticky floors and nasty alcohol. Chances of having fun here are about 50-50 depending on the DJ, the amount of people who show up and not seeing anyone you know eating each other's faces. For such a small college, we do have some seriously cool events like TC Boyle coming to read, Margaret Cho's comedy routine or The Roots (!!!) but I do wish they came more frequently. We have music performances at Olde Club pretty often, mostly indie bands I've never heard of because I'm a big music poser and only listen to Top 40. The unfortunate thing is, a lot of events can be really poorly attended because people are busy studying or running off to their activities, which can put a damper on things. But there are always big events that everyone shows up for en masse.

Most dorms are very social, with everyone leaving their doors open and people getting to know hallamtes very well. A lot of my friends live on my hall, and I met my closest friend because she lived on my hall this year. The dating scene is pretty beat, because everyone knows each other and all of the mystery is pretty much gone. The hookup scene is extremely popular, even though there is always the awkward Sunday brunch where you run into your Saturday night hookup and have to see them in the light. If I'm awake on a Tuesday night (which I usually am), I am working. Procrastination is a way of life, and as a result, people stay up really, really late here. The biggest traditions are probably Sager and Screw Your Roommate. Sager is a "genderfuck" party where "guys wear a dress and girls wear less." It's part of the annual Sager symposium, which was started by an alumni in order to raise awareness on queer issues. The party is an excuse to dress like a slut and make bad decisions. Screw Your Roommate is much more tame. Roommates find a blind date for each other and dress each date as something (i.e. one person might be peanut butter, the other one jelly), then the pairs are set loose in Sharples (the dining hall) and have to find each other. Massive chaos and long lines for the pasta bar ensue. On campus, there are only two fraternities, both of which host campus-wide parties throughout the year. A lot of people party, but it's usually a set group of people who go out and a set group of people who stay in. Last weekend, I went to First Friday in Philly with a couple, which involves going to some really cool galleries and getting free food and free drinks, then we ate at a restaurant in Chinatown and returned to campus. We went to Paces, which is a student-run cafe during the week and a "nightclub" on the weekends. Then, we went back to a friend's room to chill and made a 4 AM run to Wawa, a local convenience store. There are always lots of activities that don't involve drinking including movie screenings, karaoke parties, etc.

Swarthmore is ridiculously conducive to gossip because of its tiny size, its fascinating cast of characters, its isolation, the fact that everyone can recognize at least 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the students by face if not name, and the tremendous amount of fucking that happens. This gossip is fun to participate in, but the system can turn on you.

i think the frats are popular, the soccer teams. i manage soccer, basketball, and work with a lot of the other sports teams. most students in dorms have their doors open. not mine though, but strath is the exception. people party a lot, but i don't

Its better than you'd think at a school like this. and basically, there is a lot of free booze and whatever else you like.

the most popular roup on campusis the Swarthmore College Balkan Ensemble. I am involved in the Swarthmore College Balkan Ensemble. ppl leave their dorms open but i think someone boxed my food once. i have been unable to locate the dating scene i met my closest friends in my mind. at 2am on tuesday i am filling out a survey intead of doing my lab report. ppl party dumb mad a lot but not ery hard. fraternities are there. last weekend i went to saer for 5 minutes and then i danced to mad far out jazz with some hep cats on kyles' hall. off campu i am at home.

students at swarthmore got into swat b/c they were passionate about something in high school, not because they listed twenty clubs on the common app. rather, they listed one club, a group that they truly care about and that enabled them to pursue a cause in which they found a meaning for. this continues at swat. there is no most popular club or group, ppl do what they are passionate about and they do it big. sports. we have athletes that love what they participate in. we train hard and compete hard. truth told, we aren't really that good at anything, but we enjoy what we do. quaker roots. everything on campus is free and open to all students, always. good school = successful alumni who give lots of money back to swat. -> 6th largest endowment per student. there is tons of great stuff going on every weekend.

If I'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I'm just starting to do work. Well... maybe not, maybe it's an episode of The Office first, chat with my roommate about some controversial issue and then start working. We have priorities.

Lots of opportunities to socailize- tons of events for everyone throughout the week. Most are free to students which is great.

Activities... well, we have every club ever. Ever. There are something like ten a cappella groups on campus, which is fantastic but kind of absurd considering the size of the student body. Everything else musically-oriented has a noticeable presence, and then there are dance clubs, political action clubs, theatre groups, and clubs are started for almost anything. Sports? People are often too focused on academics or partying to dedicate themselves to their sports entirely, which I suppose is why we get DIII-quality athletes and not juggernauts of the sports. The varsity teams range in skill, certainly; our tennis teams are generally powerhouses whereas some of the other teams can never really seem to make it off the ground. Our club teams are generally focused on having fun, though both Ultimate Frisbee teams have had immense successes in the early-and-mid-2000s, and we're hoping to continue on those successes. Generally people are pretty open to being in common spaces in the libraries, and a lot of people leave their doors open so as to encourage study breaks and such. However, late at night there's definitely a huge divide among students; most are either sleeping or studying and hitting the books even at 1-2 AM, but some are still up partying most nights. For actual partying, there are certainly parties every weekend, and Thursday night's "Pub Nite" is always a huge draw for people that want a celebration for the imminent close of the week. But Swarthmore students in general don't party as much as state school students. The fraternities maybe party more than other groups of people on campus, but that's their reputation and that's basically the only function of the frats on campus. There are plenty of things to do even without drinking or partying too hard; on weekends there are always movie screenings and meetings and fun events to attend. Heading off campus is not actually that popular but Philly is only 15 mins away if students feel like taking the shuttle or train.

Some people leave their doors open. The campus is pretty safe--nothing ever happens. We keep our door locked because we're nervous like that (and we live next to the main door). Hook ups are ridiculous. Last survey I saw said that 25{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of people hooked up in Paces (the party space on campus) which is pretty disgusting.

I would not want to date at Swarthmore. As a heterosexual male, I have to say that there are very few attractive women here. As far as the hangout scene goes though, Swat has an excellent one. There are two types of people though: those that go out, and those that stay in. Few seem to find a great balance.

Students to leave their doors open--people tend to be friendly. Athletic events are not popular at all, though there are many people involved in sports. There's no real dating scene--you're either part of the hookup culture or you're stuck in a long-term relationship. It's just too awkward to date in a school with less than 1500 people. I met my closest friends by living near them or meeting them through others. If I'm awake at 2AM on a Tuesday, it could mean that I am extremely stressed and trying to finish my reading, or it could mean that I got distracted and was reading blogs.

parties suck

There's a lot more going on here than Ride the Tide might let you know.

What's off campus? Just kidding, I'm one of the few Swatties who realizes that a major metropolitan area is 20 minutes away. I have a few jobs in Philly and go in to see plays or have dinner every so often. I'm an officer of Drama Board, the organization that funds and oversees student-run theater. We're a large organization, with huge participation compared to the size of the student body. We do multiple sizes of shows per semester, from small Nights of Scenes, for new, inexperienced or even veteran actors and directors, up through mid-sized shows for fun to the Mainstage show, once a semester. This full-scale production is extensively supported, funded and organized, entirely by students, and often outshines the departmental productions. More people come to see the Drama Board mainstage show than see the Large Scale Event each semester.

Although Swarthmore is a dry town (meaning there are no bars), alcohol is generally available at campus parties and admission to every party or event on campus is generally free, unless some kind of team fund raiser, etc. is going on. Thanks to many grants and special funding, musicians, comedians are brought to campus and many lectures and workshops are offered as well.

If I were awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I'd probably be procastinating about a paper due the next day.

popular groups: frisbee team, SWIL, random sports, student government. i wasn't really involved in anything besides swim team. students in dorms definitely left their doors open most of the time except when sleeping or if they didn't want to be disturbed. ha, don't make me laugh - no one cares about athletic events except the kids who are on the teams. guest speakers are very popular, theater a little less so. i didn't really date while i was there (i was basically only with one guy) and i'd say people are either hooking up every weekend, completely chaste, or they are practically married. i met some of my friends at spec weekend, and the others randomly from classes (lab partners, etc.). some of them lived on my floor or in my dorm. awake at 2 am - talking to someone, eating ramen, or frantically finishing the images in a neurobiology paper. there are a lot of traditions/events - like showing the graduate to incoming freshmen every year, the big concert/large scale event, and SWIL pterodactyl hunt. if you want you can party every weekend, but most people don't. it's definitely an option. i'd say the frats were/are only important to people on the sports teams - lacrosse and the former football players. i tended to do all kinds of random things on the weekend, but i mostly saw a lot of free movies on campus and hung out with friends in their rooms. of course you can go to the various dance parties and not drink. and there were all kinds of random things like fashion shows and theater pieces and a capella. it's really easy to get to philly too since the train station is right on campus, i went to a lot of concerts and walked around to shop a lot.

Athletic events are not very popular, with the exception of the end of season match-ups against our arch-rival Haverford. Fraternities are not that important (there are only 2) and sororities are non-existent (Thank God!) If I am awake at 2AM on a Tuesday, I am doing homework or finishing a paper. People party pretty much every weekend, but there are plenty of things to do if you are not into drinking. And if you do go to a party and don't want to drink, no one will force you to.

I tend to make my own fun (playing bocce after hours in our main building and going for bike rides with hallmates), but there's all kinds of things to do if you want to find them. I wish I went to more lectures, but I've been going to more arts performances this year and loving them. I've also discovered the student run Paces Cafe, where I bring the hookah I picked up while abroad and do my homework (until 1AM on Tuesdays). I spend a lot of time in my room with friends too, mostly because I'm an RA and want to be available to the hall. We listen to music, dance, play board games, and talk. Really anything goes. Yesterday, I went into Philly with a couple friends and we spent three hours befriending the owner of a little middle eastern coffee shop, and playing scrabble with him.

I have never been to a sports game, other than the rugby ones I am playing in, but I've heard there is some school spirit for soccer, basketball and swim meets. Theater is extremely popular- there are ten or more student productions a year. There are 6 a cappella groups, so there are always concerts. There are two small, non residential frats that hold parties and have free beer. There is Olde Club, a grungy concert venue for open mics and Philly bands - Nirvana played there before they were famous. There's Kitao/Qub, which is a student art gallery and sushi bar. Finally, my personal favorite, Paces, where there are dance parties each weekend. It's the closest thing to a club we have. Alcohol is almost always free and almost always available. Some people never drink or smoke, some do five nights a week. Everything on campus - theater, parties, concerts, lectures - is free with your student ID. I met my closest friends on a pre-orientation hiking trip. We live together now in a dorm that is actually a cool converted mansion. The dating scene can get a little incestuous. My boyfriend semi-dated one of my ex-friends last year, and I dated one of his hallmates freshman fall. There are always people hooking up randomly at parties, so it can be hard not to overlap with friends. There are also lots and lots of long-term couples. We even have a few married ones!

A lot of people do TOP Soccer, the program that works with children with disabilities. I think tutoring in Chester is also pretty big, and the various acapella groups and dance groups are also very popular, especially Rhythm N Motion. The fraternities are popular places for male athletes and popular because they provide party locations on the weekends. Sports teams aren't necessarily popular because most non-athletes don't come to games that often. But, a lot of people do go to the men's soccer and basketball games. I'm really involved with the Learning for Life (L4L) program at Swarthmore. It's an awesome program that pairs students with staff members in Environmental Services and Dining Services. The partnerships work together for a semester to learn something. Some chose to work out together, some cook, and others work on computers. We also have people working on photography and gardening. It's a unique program that really gives students a new perspective on the campus. It connects you to a group of the campus that often goes unnoticed, and you learn a lot from just talking with the staff members. Plus, it gives you another person you can look to for support when you're stressed out. My closest friends are either on the field hockey team with me or they lived on my hall freshman year. For a lot of athletes, they only really hang out with other athletes, but I really enjoy having several different groups of friends. As someone who doesn't drink, I can say that there are some limitations to the Swat social scene in that regard. I do go out and dance with my friends who drink, which is fun for a while. But it often gets old more quickly with me, so I tend to go to bed earlier, which is good because sleep is important. I know the college is working on starting a Friday night game night sort of thing, which may target non-drinkers. If you don't want to go out and drink, you can definitely still go out sober, but people may question you as to why you're not drinking. It's not really pressure to drink, just questions. You can also usually find a group of people who aren't going out to watch a movie with or just sit around and hang out with.

I can't really speak to the athletic life at Swat, but it definitely exists, and is a main social outlet for a lot of people. The international group, the Asian- and African- American groups, the LBGTQ group, all serve as organizations and social groups, but otherwise extracurriculars and groups of friends seem to exist more separately. Which isn't to say that students aren't invested in their groups and organizations. For a lot of Swatties these things are the main reason why they're at school - their passion. This might be more true of the activist groups - the Genocide Intervention Fund and War News Radio, for example. There are a lot of social outlets at Swat. The two frats - a student could easily never step foot in one their entire stint at Swarthmore, but they definitely fill their niche - the on-campus parties hosted by groups and athletic teams, open mic nights, film screenings, etc. As students get older they attend more dorm room and off-campus parties, but there's usually enough to keep people busy. Guest speakers and events are student-determined, and tend to be hit or miss - one year the Large Scale Event was some third-tier comedian, the next year it was the Roots (at the height of their popularity). So. Drinking, like most things at Swarthmore, is optional. There's a lot available, but there are a lot of people who simply don't drink and will spend their weekends watching movies or playing board games with their friends. Then others who go into hedonistic overdrive on the weekend, hooking up with people and drinking everything in sight.

There's nothing to eat after 11 pm. There have been a lot of thefts this year, from the library and from dorm rooms. Performing arts are really amazing given the size of the school. You can do a ton on Saturday night that doesn't involve drinking. Nobody goes on dates. You are either single and really lonely or you are in a really clingy relationship. This may have to do with Swat students' poor hygiene or extreme awkwardness, but mostly it's just how things work around here. Nobody goes on dates.

The dating scene at Swarthmore is strange. Because the school is so small, it's difficult to meet people you don't know anything about. Dating here usually isn't the same kind of "dating" you'd do elsewhere, like the kind where you meet someone new and then go out on a date. From what I gather, people usually just spend more and more time together, and then fall into the zone between friendship and relationship for a while. Then the inevitable question of whether or not you want to take it one step further and become serious comes up. I feel that most people in relationships on campus are practically "married," in that they spend all of their time together. Greek life is not a big part of the social life here, although I guess that really depends on who you are. For some, it is. There are only two fraternities and no sororities. The two frats throw a number of the same parties every year and generally receive good attendance. Otherwise, there are usually a number of other opportunities for people to party and socialize. Different organizations usually throw a dance party in the all-too-familiar Paces every weekend. These parties become repetitive quickly. My personal favorite events are live shows performed at Olde Club, our small dingy venue, which stages both student performers and indie bands on the rise. Since campus is so clustered together, it's very easy to hop from one party to another all night. I think that people also appreciate that Swarthmore really is a bubble, in that security is very lenient and people can safely wander around campus in the dead of the night without running into any trouble. It's also very easy for people to throw parties in public spaces and even get funded for their parties by the Social Affair Committee, so long as they abide by the guidelines. The people who show up to campus-wide parties are usually the same, and turnouts aren't usually great. I get really excited when I see a lot of people out at the same time, because it's so rare. Philadelphia is a convenient half-hour ride on the SEPTA train from campus, but it feels a lot farther. The fare is pretty expensive, and I feel that it's not a particularly enjoyable city unless you know where to go. I don't explore it as much as I thought I would, and usually only go in when I'm going to see a movie or a show. I'm only familiar with the movie theatres and music venues. Media is also a nice option to explore outside of campus. It's a town maybe ten minutes away by train and it's got a few nice dining options as well as a Trader Joe's for grocery shopping. I feel that occasionally venturing outside of campus is essential to maintaining one's sanity and general well-being at Swarthmore.

I am pretty heavily involved with Ultimate Frisbee on campus. Our team is called the Swarthmore Earthworms (Earthworms is Swarthmore re-arranged... a reflection of our "nerdiness") and we play all fall and spring. It's a club sport, which means that we are much more casual than any of the varsity sports, and it's a great way to get your mind off of classes and schoolwork and run around for a bit. Plus, the team camaraderie is definitely a big plus. Actually I am writing this just as we are preparing to leave for a Spring Break trip down to South Carolina. We will play two tournaments and cram more than 30 people in a single beach house, so you can imagine how these things tend to help bonds form between people. That's one way to make friends here--get to know the people involved in the same activities as you. But really, when the campus is so small, it's hard to be a hermit. I can't say that your friends will fall from the sky at you, but at least there isn't the problem of anonymity you have a large state schools. PS: Lots of drinking.

the dating scene is for the most part weird. people count as a couple if they walk around holding hands or eat dinner together in the cafeteria. i met most of my closest friends through the soccer team. 2am on a tuesday means that i'm finishing up my physics homework that's due wednesday. traditions: the pterodactyl hunt! (<-- this is the fuckin bomb!) party people party thursday, friday, saturday. people can watch movies on one of the school's million projection-screen cinemas, or walk around in the woods, or play board games, or dance, or talk, or hook up.

I'm personally involved with my own personal music production projects more than any organization on campus. Every week I make new songs with guest musicians for my radio show on WSRN. Frats/sororities are virtually non-existant. Although, there are student held parties virtually every friday and saturday, so any weekend students feel like partying, they can. If you prefer more clean fun, on a Fri/Sat night, there is a shuttle available that can take people to Philadelphia for shopping on South Street, or perhaps for some delicious food in China town!

Many students leave their doors open. The "Quaker matchbox" predicts that some absurd amount of Swatties will marry another Swattie. I met my closest friends through the swim team and through the people I lived with my freshman year. Awake at 2am on a Tues, I would be studying. The three biggest parties of the year are Halloween, Screw you Roommate (your roommate gets you a blind date), and Sager (theme: guys wear a dress, girls wear less). The amount people party varies alot. I would say 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the campus parties rarely to never. Others party Thurs, Fri, Sat night every weekend. Sports teams tend to have more partiers than the general population, but it is not exclusively athletes who party by any means. There are no sororities on campus and only 2 frats. The frats are not a very big part of life for most people. Last weekend on Friday night I played rock band with a group of friends. Saturday night the swim team had a party. Sunday I did lots of homework and watched a movie and went on the walk in our woods with a few friends in the evening. Off campus we go into Philly or to King of Prussia mall.

Soccer is very popular here due to the lack of a football team. The dorms are generally very safe and open. Doors are usually open and friends visit eachother all the time. There are a lot of panelists who come and they are always very interesting. People just don't date here. Random hook-ups or intense relationships are the only options. My closest friends I made because they lived nearby and were involved in the same activities or in my classes. I have frequently stayed up late at night just talking to people on my hall. Traditional events: Screw your roommate where you set your roommate up with a blinddate and make them dress in a silly costume. Sager: a symposium arranged by the queer groups and ends with a huge event where girls wear less and guys wear a dress. Rugby teams: like to streak, "dash for cash" Many people here drink to socialize but also go out to Philly to South Street via the free shuttle here on the weekends. People also go to the free movies every weekend. Last weekend, I went to pub nite on thursday where students socialize and occasionally dance. I also visited Philly for dinner and shopping. I also went to a friend's birthday party.

Popular groups on campus...that's hard. I don't really know if that exists. We all have organizations we care about so they are all about the same. The dating scene is awkward sense it's likely that many of us have dated the same people (small college). I met my closest friends freshman year (dorm and tri-co). Gospel Choir in particular is one of my favorite activities. I love singing gospel. It is an organization in which I can express myself in song as well as praise God. It's truly been an amazing experience for the past 4 years.

A group I'm involved with is Essence of Soul; it is an a cappella group that sings music from the African diaspora. Students in dorms leave their doors open. Athletic events are not popular for attendance. Guest speakers are. Theater is. the dating scene is established and readily accessible for most people. I met my closest friends through my dorm. I'm probably procrastinating or working extremely hard if I'm up at 2AM on a Tuesday. People party usually once on a weekend. There is one fraternity, and no sorority. Last weekend I hung out with friends, played some video games, and did my work for Monday. On a Saturday night you can usually find people who just want to hang out, get your work done ahead of time, or amuse yourself with games/music/movies. Off campus I am usually just hanging out at home, or working, in addition to visiting friends and family.

Sports teams, Earthlust. I'm involved in ultimate frisbee, and the ladies there are nice and so friendly :) SCF also feels like a family to me. Closest friends- usually found in the same dorm that I live in. I never attended athletic events, I've been to a few lectures and I've been to most plays. I can't speak for others though. Hm. The dating scene seems to be semi-lively. Students left their doors open until recent thefts occurred. Awake at 2am, talking with friends, or reading or studying or facebooking or eating. Traditions: screw, large scale events. People party very often. Frats are a place to party for "outsiders", and there isn't an official sorority. Last weekend, I watched a movie, watched a play, went to an SCF gathering and tried to do homework. I almost never drink. You can do all of the above, and go to Philly. I'm rarely off campus, and if I am, it's either for a class, or to go shopping for everyday necessities.

Popular groups: It varies, there are two fraternities that are somewhat popular. Among the athletes they are popular. Being an athlete, I feel most parties center around the _____ team. As in, the guys/girls from the _____ team are throwing a party and then everyone goes. Every thursday night is "pub night" at a venue called PACES, which is well attended and extremely fun. You get a pretty eclectic mix at those. Athletic events: not popular, but probably not much worse than a lot of d3 schools. Guest speakers: very popular. Theater: somewhere in between. Dating scene: i've had the same girlfriend since high school but it seems like it's not so hard to find a girl or a guy if you want to. met closest friends: Mostly from the baseball team, and from living with people. I am awake at 2 AM every Tuesday night, usually watching Youtube clips with friends, playing video games, or just shootin' the bull as a feller says. People party: Some people party 3-4 nights a week; others wouldn't know a party if it slapped them across their face. Fraternities: I'm in a fraternity, and it's not even that important to me. There are no sororities. Last weekend: I was sick, unfortunately -- I generally stay on campus during the weekend and it's always a good time. saturday night no drinking: You can always get high, I guess....just kidding. You can find people to see a movie with or go into philly, but most people go out drinking saturday night. Off campus: You can go into Philly but there's really not a whole lot. there's also movie theaters, good eats, and every chain store you could possibly imagine within a five minute drive. You can take the train directly into central philadelphia though. THats pretty nice for the carless.

I work on a campus literary magazine called Small Craft Warnings. It's one of many on campus: there's a magazine for Spanish-language poetry, one devoted to writing by Asian students, one for writing by black students, one for women-writers only, one centered on the idea of diversity, one for academic writing, one for science fiction, one for humor writing, and there's probably more that I don't know about. Small Craft Warnings is the only magazine that is all-inclusive: we accept submissions of all kinds (artwork, short stories, poetry, personal essays, plays, etc.) from all members of the Swarthmore community (that is, faculty and staff as well as students.) We usually get about 100 submissions from 60 different people (many people submit more than one piece, but we will only print 3 pieces by one person in any given issue.) We usually accept about half of the submissions we get, so it's selective but not that selective. The editorial board is composed of 12 students who read submissions anonymously and vote in the ones the majority of us like. An issue of SCW is published each semester and 500 free copies of the book are distributed around campus. The quality of the submissions pool as a whole determines the quality of the magazine as a whole. Frankly, SCW not always full of amazing writing, but there's usually a few pieces that are exceptionally good. It's certainly a better (and more sophisticated and visually pleasing) than any high-school literary magazine I've ever seen.

The debate team is popular because it has a multi-million dollar endowment and throws parties with top quality booze. Clubs mostly form closed cliques so it is hard for me to say what overall membership is. Most students leave their doors open when they are in their rooms and not having sex. Athletic events have essentially no attendance. Guest speakers are attended largely by students within the department. Theater events that I have gone to were well attended. The campus wide " 'Dactyl Hunt " and "Screw" and two Large Scale Events are the only annual campus wide events. The "Hunt" is essential live action role playing in which hunters kill monsters with foam swords. It lasts about 2 hours. "Screw" is a day in which most single students go on a blind date arranged by their roommate(s). The Large Scale Events are two shows with a combined budget of $100,000. They Might be Giants, Roots, and The New Pornographers are examples of recent acts. Some people party all weekend every weekend, or whenever their is a sports game on TV etc. Many students party only every other week or not at all. Fraternities are of almost no importance and there are no sororities. Last weekend I went to a contra dance (revived English folk dance), watched a movie with friends as a birthday celebration, ran a session of D&D, played a board game, and did my homework. Philadelphia is a 20 minute train ride away (the station is on campus). I do not know what can be done there, but I imagine very much.

Swarthmore doesn't have many big name events, but it makes you appreciate the student talent much more. We have some amazing students - actors, singers, musicians, athletes, etc. There are also a lot of traditions that, though weird, are pretty fun and bonding. Last weekend I spent Friday playing super smash brothers melee and the next night I listened to a live band and then went to a party and danced the night away! While there aren't many events on campus, we find ways to have fun!

It's primarily an intellectual and activist school. There are athletes and artists, but they are not the focus of the school or student body (though arts definitely rank above athletics in importance, but they all rank under intellectual inquiry, activism, and political involvement). There are no sororities and only 2 or 3 frats that have virtually no one in them and that most people look down on them. Every group on campus throws parties and social events and they are all free - which is amazing. You pay a lot (!) to go to Swarthmore and for books, but it's great (and equalizing) that everything is included in the cost of tuition. So there are plenty of opportunities to socialize and meet people. Most of my friends are people I lived with or met in class, but you eventually meet everyone on campus.

Some of the most popular organizations are publication organization such as with the school's 2 "competing" newspapers the Daily Gazette or the Phoenix, and our mens' soccer team probably has the most successful record. I have been really involved with Swarthmore Asian Organization (SAO) for the past 2.5 years, which is a group for Asian and Asian American students on campus that focuses on trying to promote social, educational, and political education as well as participation about issues within the Asian American community as well as for all people of color. There are weekly meetings as well as multiple events throughout the year that focus on different aspects of identity politics, group discussions, educational workshops, and social events. One of the major undertakings for SAO is Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Heritage month during each spring semester. It is a whole month of events revolving around Asian American issues, where speakers, performers, and student led events and activities go on around campus. Students in dorms definitely leave their doors open most of the time unless they have a test to study for or are sleeping or really need to study. Athletic events are not that popular amongst non-athletes. There are constantly guest speakers and lectures going on in different departments. The student theater scene is pretty active, and we definitely have a good number of quality productions each year. The dating scene is a little difficult in some ways because of the small size of the school. People do date, but sometimes it is very extreme for example, a couple may constantly spend time together to the exclusion of all other friends, or they may be too busy to ever spend time together. I met some of my closest friends through the Tri-College Diversity pre-orientation workshop as well as through my classes. I would probably be doing a problem set at 2 AM on a Tuesday. There are a good number of traditions/events such as Screw Your Room Mate, the Primal Scream (and the newly implemented breakfast at midnight), the Pterodactyl Hunt, First Collection for Freshmen, Sager, many more... Depending on your course load and weekend, you might party every weekend or only a few times a month. Fraternities/sororities exist but do not dominate the social scene. I am abroad so I can't really answer the last weekend question... A non-drinking Saturday night out might consist of going to watch a free film screening, cooking with your friends, going to a free performance, catching the train or taking the shuttle to Philadelphia to go to dinner or watch a movie or a concert. Off campus I am usually either volunteering in Chester nearby, or going to Philly for a fun outing or to buy things that I cannot get in the Ville.

The DATING Scene: There is no dating at Swarthmore. There are people who hook up drunkenly on weekend nights and awkwardly avoid each other the next day in Sharples. There are the people who consistently drunkenly hook up with each other. Then there are the couples who never leave each others' side. They're virtually married. Couples often don't go out for real dates until a few months have passed of only on-campus interaction. Then there's the awkwardness of breaking up with someone on a campus of 1500 people. Your best friends or lab partners or other people you randomly know are likely to live on the same hall as the ex, or share a class with the ex, or have dated them freshman year. Everyone is inter-linked in a million different ways. That said, when you do find someone special on this campus, it's a beautiful place to fall in love, and there are many opportunities for cuteness to arise. Events not involving drinking: As someone who stopped drinking, I suddenly found myself with a lack of places to go at night. Dry organized activity ends after about 10, but I still go to parties without drinking, and people often have gatherings in dorms that may or may not involve alcohol. Chilling with some good friends is always a good option. Last weekend: Thursday night I went to Pub Night and then headed to the dorms afterwards for the usual Thursday night stuff- drinks and hookahs and socializing. Friday night I stayed in and watched a movie with my roommate, who had also gone to a jazz concert in Philly earlier that night. Saturday night, Margaret Cho performed, followed by Swat's improv comedy group, and then the semesterly formal dance. Sunday is a work day, so not much fun to be had then.

the weekends are often packed with things to do, from speakers to theater events to classical music to rock music. I've never been bored at Swarthmore.

In general the romantic scene on Swarthmore involves either random hookups or marriage-like commitment. Take your pick.

There are no sororities at Swarthmore, though there is a group, LASS, which is a wanna-be sorority. There are 2 frats, Delta Upsilon and Phi Psi, which aren't the center of social life at all-- mostly, they provide alcohol and throw parties. Athletic events are pretty dead, but I think men and women's soccer got attention last fall. The dating scene: If I had to generalize, I'd say that the dating scene tends to lean to extremes. The Swatties who are in relationships seem to be practically married, otherwise random hookups are pretty prevalent. People do date, but "normal", relaxed relationships aren't all that common. Also, like at other colleges, people seem to think that dating for 2 weeks constitutes a relationship. Those who don't drink can still party here. Also, no one will look down on you if you just want to stay in some weekends and watch a movie or catch up on sleep. Philadelphia isn't that far, but most people don't go. Either there's stuff goin g on campus or people have work. Most people don't go more than once or twice a semester, if at all.

There are only two frats on campus and no sororities. There’s an alcohol-fueled party life but it’s probably nothing compared to Penn or typical state schools. On the other hand, we can leave our empty bottles in the hall recycling bins without anyone batting an eyelash. Freshman and sophomore years, the on campus free parties (with free booze) are more attractive. There’s usually music and dancing and some space to talk too. There are free concerts on campus, mostly small travelling indie bands, and there are free movie showings every weekend. It’d be great if the Ville expanded but still, we’ll always have Philly. Overall I’m happy with the social life. I love my friends and whether we’re playing board games and eating take out Chinese or whatever, it’s always entertaining. In general, there’s no judgment: you can be gay today and straight tomorrow, or queer forever, or straight, or poly, and no one cares. The health center provides birth control and condoms and really good ob/gyn services. The school has a few big traditional parties when people really go crazy. The ML Halloween party brings out some amazing costumes and lots of drunken revelry, as do the Screw Your Roommate dance (and the pre-dance ritual where people must discover who their blind date is) and Sager, which used to be called Genderfuck and is still an excuse for people to take off the clothes. One year there were drunken people actually having sex on the dance floor. There’s also senior Greenbottle, which is supposed to be an opportunity to hook up with whoever you always wanted to hook up with.

There is no one popular group. I am involved in SAC, the Social Affairs Committee, it's a group that allocates monetary funds for different groups to throw events open to the whole campus. All events are free and paid for by the college that way anyone from any socioeconomic background can enjoy the social scene at Swarthmore. I lock my door, but it's always open when I am in my room and so are most people's doors. Athletic events are becoming more popular but they aren't as popular as they might be at other schools. There are at least 5-6 guest speakers a week. There are 5-7 plays a semester, anyone can audition. The plays are generally amazing, very well made, directed. Dating scene sucks. No one goes on dates. I went on two dates in my whole time here. Usually you get stuck to one person and spend a long time with them or hook up with people whilst drunk on the weekends. There is no middle, it does not exist. I met my closest friends on my freshmen hall and from my frisbee team. If I am awake at 2 am on Tuesday I am either a) talking to my friends b) reading for seminar the next day c) sleeping. Traditions: 1) Halloween Party 2) Fall Formal 3) Screw Your Roommate 4) Kielbasafest 5) Worthstock 6) Movies on the Beach 7) Every semester there is a large scale event with people like: Ben Folds, The Roots, Wanda Sykes, Mitch Hedberg, They Might Be Giants, Blackalicious, The New Pornographers 8) Willets Carnival People party every weekend the way they see fit. There are always dance parties people can go to, alcohol and food at the parties are free. There are two frats and they are not important, but they do add to the social scene on campus. Last weekend I was sick with the stomach flu that is being passed around campus like most sicknesses. Saturday night, the possibilities are endless. You can do anything you want as long as its not illegal. Off campus, I go to restaurants, I go to museums, I observe in classrooms. Swat also has a great selection of bands that come every semester to play during the weekends. We also have Rose Tattoo where student bands play.