Anti-social: If this means not knowing how to act in every-day social
interactions, reluctant to forge actual friendships, and looking down at the
ground when walking through the quad, then yes...unless you get involved. That
is really key- there are many clubs, RSOs, intramural sports, and
fraterities/sororities to get involved with.
Nerdly: If this means spending so much time in the library that people bring
toothbrushes and actually utilize the 24-hour library spaces, skip meals to
study, and spend 4 years in Hyde Park without ever venturing out into the big
city, then yes...but there still are certain things, like Bar Night every
Wednesday (all you need is a UChicago ID), or the Pub in the basement of Ida
Noyes (you actually need to be 21+) that might combat this stereotype.
Intelligent: If this means going to your first discussion class and realizing
that your peers have not only done the Spinoza reading, but have understood it
too, then yes...of course there are also those students in your classes who just won't shut up and you know they are talking bull.
Eccentric: If this means looking to the left of you and seeing a kid with
dreadlocks searching advanced martial arts techniques, looking to the right and
seeing a girl knitting in class with a bookstand, looking straight ahead and
seeing a tiny girl in a mini skirt chowing on spicy beef jerky and reading a
comic book in Arabic, then yes...there are a handful of interesting people to
say the least.
Diverse: If this means having most of the university's population coming to
school bilingual, representing every continent but Antarctica, and having many
cultural activities every quarter, then yes...sometimes I feel a little bit left
out, being from the suburbs!
Strange: If this means following the traditions of Scav Hunt (where someone has
been known to eat his own umbilical cord) and Kuviasungerk/kangeiko (waking up
at 45in the morning for a week for activities like yoga and ice skating)...then
yes, but it sure makes the experience that much more exciting.
Philosophizing: If this means that after a glass of wine on any given weekend
night at least one person resorts to a discussion on happiness or intent or
Descartes or Nietzche, or actually anything at all that can be argued for a few
hours, then yes...but it doesn't mean that the discussion leads anywhere.