Wellesley College Top Questions

What are the most popular student activities/groups?

Yu

I am a photographer for the Wellesley News and I enjoy this activity! I am also a member of Japan club, because I am taking Japanese courses, and I've met some really wonderful people there. Chinese student association is also very popular here and we have a strong Asian pool. Because of the honor code, students trust each other and some definitely leave their dorms open. I sometimes just put my computer anywhere on campus and leave to have lunch and come back to get it. No one will take your belongings and it's the safest place. Wellesley has a lot of amazing traditions! You have to come to know:) Students tend to go to Boston over the weekend or hang around town. The shops and restaurants in the town are really cute:) As far as I know, there isn't a drinking scene on campus.

Alexa

Student government is fairly popular here, as are the various cultural groups on campus who host lectures, parties, and dinners. Sometimes it's hard to dedicate time to a student group when you have so much academic work on your plate, but somehow people manage to do it. I'm involved with theater on campus, and love how Wellesley supports the arts (like almost everything else). Not many people attend athletic events, but crew and tennis are very popular/well respected. The community system that is started from the moment you get at Wellesley is the best way to make friends, and the residential life is amazing (both really supportive and not too in-your-face). Many students have boyfriends from schools nearby, and you can see them dotted all over campus on the weekends. If i'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I am either studying or procrastinating studying, and I don't know too many people who would be doing otherwise. Last weekend I met up with friends from high school who go to other colleges in the area for dinner. Then I hopped on a bus and went to a final club at Harvard (a similar institution to fraternities), met up with my Wellesley friends, and returned to campus for a quiet night of peace! There are very few well-attended events on campus on the weekends, but the cultural shows tend to garner population and the few parties the societies (similar to sororities) have are also fairly well-attended.

Victoria

It's not possible to pinpoint the "most popular" groups or organizations on campus because it's not really possible to say that some are overwhelmingly more popular than others. There are groups for everything from archery and Club Filipina to Spectrum, the LGBTQ organization, and Ethos, the black students' organization. There are clubs for individual academic departments, and there's even a Science Fiction and Fantasy club. There aren't any sororities at Wellesley, but there are "societies," which are basically social clubs with emphases on specific things. For example, the Shakespeare society performs Shakespeare plays, while Phi Sig is the "lecture society" and frequently funds and hosts lectures (including and fun one I went to on the future of Mars exploration). Lectures occur just about every day, and some -- such as last semester's lecture by Madeline Albright, a Wellesley grad, and a recent show by Ellie Goulding -- are incredibly popular. During my first year I went to a lecture by Paul Frommer, the inventor of Avatar's Na'vi language (he was awesome); I also attended a fantastic talk by Tamora Pierce, one of my childhood idols. Most students choose to involve themselves in one or two extracurriculars that they devote a lot of effort to. I'm an editor for the Wellesley News, the on-campus weekly newspaper, and I volunteer once a week by tutoring high school students off campus; I'm also the events coordinator for the Pre-Law Society. I also have a job working at the circulation desks at three of the five on-campus libraries. Many students on campus volunteer and/or have jobs, and people rarely have troubles finding a group to grow attached to.

Ryan

As a lesbian, I can say that if you are too, or think you might be, you should come here - it is a lot of fun. Lots of on-campus women's parties with plenty of dyke drama and debauchery. Good times. For all women regardless of sexual orientation, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to live for four years in an all-women community and really experience what it is like for women to be in charge and to relate primarily to each other rather than to men. You will get a core feminist sensibility and confidence that will serve you well throughout life. Another thing I love about Wellesley is how its very progressive politics exist alongside the many longstanding traditions, which help connect you to all the women who have passed through this place before you: Hoop Rolling, Flower Sunday, Step Singing, Lake Day, Dorm Crew, Big and Little Sisters, etc.

Natalie

The greek "societies" are very popular, and so are sports teams such as rugby, volleyball, and crew. The hip-hop dance troupe Freestyle and the two most active singing groups, Widows and Blue Notes, are flooded with auditioners every year. The dating scene, considering the circumstances, isn't so bad. MIT, Harvard, and Babson boys flood the college on the weekends for society parties and campuswide events. I'll admit, our parties aren't the best. Practically every night of the week there is some kind of campuswide event, whether it's a performance, a guest speaker, or a party. On quiet nights you could go to the campus pub or drive into the city (the shuttles run until 1am on the weekends). The campus is small and the student body is all women, so Wellesley is kind of its own sorority. School spirit is high, and we look out for one another.

Nicole

There are alway events being held on weekdays and weekends. We have a pub and a small cafe that are open everyday. If you want to be social you can easily find places and people. I ended up spending the majority of my weekends in Boston, socializing either at Harvard or the MIT frats. We have some societies. While everyone knows about them, the majority of students are not members.

Shelby

There are literally TONS of different organizations and clubs on campus ranging from a capella singing troupes to political organizations to international clubs. There are lots of performances on almost a regular basis too-- from guest speaker lectures to concerts to theaters. People generally are quite social, and it isn't unusual to have impromptu hallway dorm parties for even just a few minutes. There are also lots of traditions, such as a nondenominational service in the fall called Flower Sunday, Senior Hoop Rolling and Step Singing. All of these traditions keep the Wellesley community a tight community of sisters. People can party at fraternities at nearby universities, or on campus but there are always options for different people. It is absolutely not necessary nor expected of each student to party with alcohol every weekend, though if that is what the student wants to do, she can. Off campus, people usually walk to the nearby "ville" to run errands, or enjoy a coffee. Also, people go into Boston and Cambridge quite often just to people watch, shop, eat out or hang out.

Aleyah

The most popular groups would probably be the cultural organizations, because they normally are the ones that throw parties and organize other events on campus, and then the college government. Living at Wellesley I feel pretty safe, because many students leave their dorms unlocked, and theft is really not a large problem on campus. There are a few different traditions that happen each year, some of which people don't know about unless they come to this school. During the week, most students work pretty hard, so that they have the weekends to relax and go off campus. Most people go out to party on Fridays and Saturdays, sometimes Thursdays and Sundays as well, or go to dinner, or movies, but if you want to stay on campus, you can hang out with friends, or watch a movie, or just relax. Greek life is not a large part of Wellesley's activities, because there are no sororities recognized on campus, but there are Boston chapters that you can pledge to.

Anna

I joined Waterpolo, which has been amazing. There's a million other things though if you're not into sports.

Eileen

There are a ton of organizations on campus. Attending all of those events alone, you would be too busy to go to class. Sometimes people complain that Wellesley is too quite socially; it is not a big party school so in that way that is an accurate complaint. But people do have parties and the new student center has a space that is being utilized for bigger parties and a lot of people go into Boston to party there. There are two societies (basically sororities) with houses on campus and they throw big parties every so often. People date at nearby schools (or at Wellesley!) or visit with significant others from home. Sports are not very popular but if you know someone on a team, you'll probably see them play. Guest speakers are huge- we have great funding for student orgs to apply to to bring people from all over. Cultural shows are big as well. The campus is really safe- a ton of people don't lock their doors. You'll meet a lot of people in your dorm. I met most of my friend during my first year, in what is called my First Year Mentor Group which is like your orientation group.

Alex

Athletes definitely tend to stick together. They are the most carefree group of students. Non-athletes don't care about sports..... Guest speakers are always popular. Everyday there seems to be something going on. Everyone leaves campus to have fun. Whether is be a party are a different college or just to go hang out in Bosotn. There is no greek life. There are a few societies, which are basically sororities, even though they claim not to be.

Suzy

Wellesley is very low on parties. They banned our biggest parties a few years back but now they have them- just really controlled. Most people go into Boston or Cambridge to party (again here's where the senate bus comes in). For boys there's MIT, Babson and Harvard. For girls you got all of Wellesley. My closest friends ended up being my floormates 1st year and people I met in orgs. If you're awake on a Tues, you're prob studying. If there's a boy on-campus with no girl attached to him- everyone will wonder why.

Quinn

Tons of campus organizations to get involved in and continue to compete outside the classroom for who is more of an overachiever and going to take over the world. Students are involved and most social conflicts arise from these acitivities. Students don't leave their dorm doors open and like 5 people go to sports events. More go to guest lectures. Dating= non existent unless you have a boyfriend from high school, you're willing to settle for a huge loser, or you are gay. my closest friends and I met by living together and bonding over our misery and trying to make fun of the situation while making the best of it. I don't go out much but people do drink at frat parties at MIT and Harvard. I try to get off campus as much as possible but with classes and homework I usually crash friday nights and just watch a movie and pig out.

Sarah

Social life at Wellesley can be lacking. One has to make a very special effort to have a social life off of campus. I have a very good time with my Wellesley friends, but it usually includes dinner and a movie. Very often we also have parties on campus, people who are "party people" can find a party on most weekends. In addition, Wellesley girls tend to spend a good amount of time at Harvard and MIT, at one frat or the other. Ive found it quite difficult to make Harvard and MIT friends, but others have found it easy. So I guess it depends. As far as activities and extracurriculars go, you can find something for any interest. Groups on campus are plenty. Im fairly active on campus, and I love it. Most people at Wellesley are involved in extracurriculars. Students at the dorms are very friendly. People do keep their doors open, and become fairly attached to their resident halls. However, every dorm differs. The West side of campus is well known for its great resident life. I lived on the East Side first year and people keep their doors closed more often, but are still very friendly. There is always something exciting going on on campus as far as speakers and events go. There is always a great speaker coming, and its hard to keep up. However, as far as parties and social events go, we do OK, but Wellesley is not a party school.

Sarah

Club sports teams, especially ultimate frisbee and rugby, seem popular. A lot of people become involved in reslife or student government, too. I'd say those are the most popular extracurricular activities. I'm in an a cappella group and a dance company, and I met my closest friends through both of those, particularly a cappella, since we rehearse together almost every day. I especially love my a cappella group because each member is so talented, and has a really distinct personality, very quirky. I like a cappella parties so much better than frat or society parties because they're more intimate and because I like the people better. Students leave their rooms unlocked all the time, although people who live in singles tend to lock them more, I guess because they don't have to worry about accidentally locking out their roommate. A lot of the cultural shows on campus are extremely popular, more so I think than athletic events or plays. People really seem to embrace opportunities to learn about other cultures. Some people make it a point to party every weekend, and sometimes there are parties on campus, usually hosted by a society, which is similar to a sorority, that they can go to, but for the most part, they go off campus. When I go off campus, it's usually to take a ballet class, go shopping, or to go out to a cute restaurant. I especially like the atmosphere at Harvard Square. Generally speaking, Wellesley girls don't party that much. I know lots of people who have never even tasted beer before.

morgan

Wellesley is full of traditions, and has hundereds of different organizations. There are always free lectures going on, theater productions, and crew is a big sport. Students leave their doors open, and my roomate and i almost never locked the door all year. I met my closest friends during orientation week and the bonds grow from there. There are 4 of us that are almost like family, and i have never had such close friendships. there are always a handfull of wellesely women that end up transfering to coed institutions after their first year, because of the lack of males, or feeling isolated on campus. I found getting off campus with a few other girls actually really easy. if you want to explore boston, meet guys, and have a social life, you have to put forth the effort. Wellesley tries to make this easier for us with the bus systems which take wellesley students into boston every hour. from any of the bus stops you can then take the subway or taxi anywhere in boston. It takes homework, effort, and always helps to have friends with you. I found wellesely to be a both a stimulating academic enviorment, but also a safe one that i always returned to when i needed to focus. It does feel seperate from the rest of boston, but that is why i would go out every weekend even for just a movie with the girls.

Hunter

Students shut their doors and are not open to making new friends after their first year.

Emily

Students are willing to talk to one another and are pretty open to meeting new people. Some students are primarily concerned with academics while others like to go into Boston every weekend. Your social life here is what you make of it.

Jessie

Depending on where you live (dorm), you can either live on the floor/dorm that always locks their doors or leaves their doors open so you can stop by and say hello and vice versa. First semester I lived in the former scenerio. Second semester, I lived in the latter. So I can only say this- open your doors!! Now I don't mean 24/7 but when you are in your room and can afford to reply with a hello to passing floormates, then you should open your door. What most women worry about when they accept to attend Wellesley is where they will find their guys. When I came to Wellesley, this wasn't even a problem- I liked both women and men. My problem would be whether or not someone also liked women. But sometimes it is very easy to tell whether someone was not straight. There are plenty of parties hosted both here at Wellesley and nearby colleges (Harvard, Olin, Babson, MIT, Boston College, Boston University etc.) for students to go to and look for their guy/woman. There's the Wellesley Exchange bus that runs by Harvard and MIT so that people from those schools can come to Wellesley and the other way around. It's definitely not like we are trapped in an enclosed "women only" environment- there's ways to meet other people.

Carolyn

I've already talked about this somewhat. There is a group for pretty much everyone. I play Ultimate, which is AMAZING. The game, the team, pretty much everything is awesome. Most of my friends also play (as do both of my roommates for next year). I spend most of my time hanging out/doing work with the team. I made a bunch of friends at the beginning of first year through my FYM (first year mentor) group, many of whom lived on the same hall. Their hall was really social, mine a lot less so. There are no first year dorms, but the hallways with a lot of first years tend to be a lot more social than those with more juniors/seniors. The mix is nice, though, since I've met some upperclassmen that I would never have met otherwise. Sports are really not a big deal at Wellesley, people generally don't go to sports games unless they happen to be friends with the Athetes. Our sports teams are not great, although teams tend to be very tight-knit. We also have 4 societies, three of which are like traditional sororities, and one of which is a Shakespeare Society, and is known to be a little strange.

Victoria

My room is always unlocked and wide open. People are always walking in and out and we're always talking to each other. They're is always something to do on campus, and even more options for things to do off campus- I have never been bored (and I'm not really a drinker!) but if you are into the hard core party scene, that's an option too just not really on campus- you really have to look a little harder for that kind of scene- but never too far because Boston is really only a hop skip and a jump away.

Emily

There are all kinds of clubs that can be checked out through the website. There are parties arranged by Wellesley clubs about every weekend which guys bus in for from MIT, Babson, Olin, Harvard, and BU. There's something mysterious and alluring to guys about an all-girls college, so they tend to hangout at parties. The campus is dry so alcohol isn't available at parties, however, people tend to pre-game. I'm not much of a partier, though others go off campus to frat parties at MIT, I tend to stay in and have movie nights with friends. If someone is awake at 2am on Tuesday, I guarantee they're trying to finish a paper or p-set. I go into Boston to watch movies and shop, or to just hang out and do homework, it's a beautiful city.

Taylor

There is a wide variety of orgainzations on campus, and it doesn't seem like there are any especially prominent ones. I am involved with WEED, a group that organizes lectures and fun events related to sustainability and the environment. Wellesly has a lot of traditions- Flower Sunday, Lake Day, hoop rolling, but I didn't participate in any of them, so I couldn't tell about them first hand. There are no fraternities and sororities, but there are societies that don't seem to be extremely important on campus. On weekends I spend Friday night and Saturday relaxing, reading, sleeping, and watching a movie. On Sunday I do homework and occassionally attend a WEED (Wellesley Energy and Environmental Defense) meeting.

Quinn

Social life on campus is lacking, although there are some decent parties throughout the year. The good news is that a short bus ride away is Boston. Students go to Harvard, MIT, BU, BC, and Tufts for social scenes. One of the best things about Wellesley is meeting students from different schools and sharing experiences together.

Betsy

There's technically no sororities on Wellesley campus, but we have them. They just don't go by that name. Two or three, I think. I'm not really involved personally, but I've been to a few of their parties and gotta say, more drunk people than at other parties. Wellesley hosts a lot of parties, mainly to bring some guys to campus. They're usually very nicely contained and the beer intake is limited to those over 21 (though you can usually find some if you're under). The dating scene is determined by you. You have to go off campus to find a good guy, that's just how it works. If you don't make time, if you don't want to go, you're probably not going to be dating a lot. I'm not gonna lie, you've gotta try a little harder at Wellesley. For guys. One of the biggest groups on campus (apart from the sororities) is probably Ethos, the African American group. They're huge and they're always doing performances. There is also a Shakespeare organization, a Latina American organization, the Davis Art Museum, the Film Society, and the Native American Student Organization (which I'm a part of! Yay!) You just have to get out of your dorm. If you're looking for some activity that requires dancing and there's no party on campus, the bus into Boston is free on weekdays and runs late.

Christine

I was an athlete on varsity teams for 2 years. Wellesley, with all its money, allocates very little to their athletic facilities, making training less convenient. Also the athletic teams are a cult, and very incestuous. Friday night (or Saturday if there is a society party), is the night to drink yourself stupid and then make out with the girl from the room next door. there is nothing else to do on a saturday/friday night but sit in your room and watch movies on your computer, hiding from the rest of the community. LUG (lesbian until graduation).

Julia

The social life at Wellesley... what social life? You will make really good friends here. I have made friends who I will probably have for the rest of my life because they are amazing people. However, meeting men can be a challenge (if you are attracted to women, then this is not as much of a problem) because there are no men on campus and rarely do men visit campus. To meet a potential male date, you most likely have to meet them at MIT or Harvard or other schools in the area. Students don't really leave their doors open. People awake at 2am are studying or doing homework (and don't want to be bothered!). People try to party but it often gets broken up by campus police because of noise complaints from people trying to study. We do have a lot of fun traditions. The freshman get to throw a penny into the lake and try to jump in after it and find it (finding it is good luck) during orientation week. There are tea and cookies in the dorms on wednesday nights. During reading period, a big thing is to go to Midnight Breakfast which is exactly what it sounds like (it's fun though, I swear). The night before finals start, everyone runs out of their dorms for Primal Scream (everyone screams as loud as they can for a long time to get all their frustration and anxiety and other bad vibes out).

Tate

Each dorm has it's own social characteristics: the new dorms are predominated by science and math majors and tend to be pretty quiet and boring. The Quad is a bit crazy sometimes and you can find large groups of friends all sharing one hallway. The tower complex is where the party is at (if there is any party on campus) and is the biggest of all. Stone-Davis has the best food and is a healthy balance between the New Dorms and the Tower Complex. Athletic events are popular if you are on a team, but otherwise, don't expect a large fan base. Speakers are everywhere all the time, talking about all sorts of things. I met my closest friends because I lived in the same hallway with them during our first year. If I am awake at 2 AM on a Tuesday, I am studying, finishing a problem set, writing a paper, or still hopelessly procrastinating with my best friend by watching YouTube videos.

Alex

Being at a women's college is really, really strange but only when you are at other schools or talk to your friends at other colleges or universities. The first month/year you will be convinced that everyboby else is having more fun at their respective schools--they are drinking more, partying more, and studying less. But by second year, you'll realize that many people at big state schools (or any school that isn't Wellesley for that matter) are doing the same thing every weekend, hanging out with the same people, and waking up with the same, familiar hangovers. You'll soon appreciate the fact that you have a million amazing female friends who support you and who you will know forever (and who isn't your friend because of that "one time you got totally wasted at TDC.") You'll begin to understand that not everyone has the opportunity to talk to Hillary Clinton during lunch (because one of my poli sci. professors taught her and was her "favorite professor) and that having an internship at the Vermont Supreme Court sophomore year is not the norm. Also, because there isn't as big a "party scene" at Wellesley, you'll have friends at schools across the state (and many in other states). You will see plays in NYC, attend great lectures, and party at a frat (I promise). And while finding boys is tough, you'll meet the "good" guys. Boston not only has a ton of schools but these are also some of the best colleges and universities in the country. There might be fewer men/harder to find men but haven't you noticed that the best things in life aren't always the easiest to find? I have dated a lot since coming to college (not too much or anything) and am rather content with the state of my love life.

Jennifer

Everyone is involved in student organizations on campus. Dorm life varies greatly by floor and dorm, but it's generally not where your closest friendships will be formed. If you want to meet boys you can always hit up parties at other campuses. Everyone goes to MIT frat parties, but the best parties are down the street at Olin where you can find a fraction of the MIT sleaze factor. On campus there is usually a big party in the campus center every weekend, but no underage drinking is allowed and they're mostly places to hang out with existing friends, not meet new people. A shocking number of students spend their Friday nights studying, so if you don't you will be not only bored but guilty.

Athena

We have every kind of activity. Lectures, committees, cultural organizations, theater groups, dance teams (every kind of dance you can imagine),vocal groups, orchestras, societies, and more. Two of the three societies have houses on campus and they hold parties. The societies on campus form networks with Harvard and MIT fraternities.

Jerry

What's nice about Wellesley is that there is every kind of woman there. On the weekends, there are sure to be some girls going into Boston to get wasted, some girls doing homework, and some girls watching movies and baking cookies. Anything goes. The dating scene is very dramatic in the gay crowd because the school is so small. For those girls interested in men, though, pickings are slim. It's only possible to find date-able guys through guy friends at other schools. If you don't have guy friends at other schools, you're sunk. Meeting guys at Wellesley parties is nearly impossible since they seem to attract the scum of the Earth. Oh, and some girls hit up craigslist and various dating sites in the most desperate of situations.

Jenna

There needs to be more on campus and off campus activities to promote happiness in students.

Tate

If you are worried that there won't be anything to do... let me set the record straight. You're WRONG. My biggest mistake when I got here was figuring I would have SO much time on my hands. In high school, I was involved in a whole slew of activities - and you know why? Because homework in high school is a joke. Homework in college, however... that's a whole 'nother story. Anyway - not the place for that bit. I'm involved in the Wellesley Widows (dressed to kill since 1949 - check us out at www.wellesleywidows.com), which is one of 5 major a cappella groups on campus. The other 4 are the Tupelos, the Blue Notes, Awaken the Dawn (Christian a cappella), and a Wellesley-MIT group called the Toons. Also on campus are myriad instrumental groups, including the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra and the Chamber Music Society (which creates small chamber groups based on who auditions). If you play the tuba, will you come to Wellesley and play with me? I'm trying to start a brass quintet (I play the trumpet) but we have no tuba. That's my one problem with the music department - no tuba! How can this be?! Anyway, beyond that, there are a whole variety of groups focused on race (Ethos, for example - for the African American women of Wellesley), culture, language, party affiliation... you name it, we've probably got it. And if we don't, well, you can start it. Now, socially, Wellesley is kind of odd. We have huge parties every once in a while on campus that tons of people come to - but if you're straight and looking to make a connection, these parties are not really the place to do it. There are plenty of really nice guys, I'm sure! I only seem to find the ones that drunkenly take of their shirts and try to show off their pasty chests. Ok, I don't mean to creep you out - that was only once. The last party I went to, I had a great shouted conversation with a Harvard grad student. It can be done! It's tough though. The best thing to do is to make friends either with people at other colleges in the area, or make friends with people at Wellesley who have friends at other colleges in the area. Social life at Wellesley is, to quote a commonly used phrase here, "what you make of it". That said, there is plenty to do on a Saturday night that does not involve drinking. You can go into Boston and catch a concert, rent some movies with your friends, attend a cultural function on campus, play some board games... again: what you make of it.

angela

Social Life... there isn't really one. you can have one, but it takes a lot more effort than it would at many schools. If you are a really hard worker and really am working for those A's-- having a social life is pretty difficult.

Janie

If I am awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I am studying like crazy! Partying is pretty big at Wellesley. There is usually an on-campus party every weekend but most girls like to go to parties at MIT frats or Harvard Finals Clubs. Not everyone goes out, some girls don't like partying and you can choose how often you want to party or how often you want to stay in. I suggest getting out of the Wellesley Bubble every once in awhile, but it doesn't have to be partying. There are a million things to do in Boston and on Saturdays there is a bus to the mall. Guest speakers bring a lot of people out. Plenty of big name speakers come here and the other schools in the area. It is amazing all of the people that you can meet and the things that they accomplish. We don't have sororities but we have societies that throw parties and host other activities. They all have themes like Art and Music, Literature, and Lecture.

Abby

As a person who does not like to go to wild parties, having many other social opportunities is very important to me. On a typical weekend, I enjoy going to theater productions on campus of which there are many throughout the year. I enjoy watching movies with my friends either in our rooms or watching the ones shown by the Film Society on Friday and Saturday evenings. There are also many cultural events that occur yearly such as Shruti Laya, the South Asian students cultural performance, and the Latina Cultural Show. There are many students who do not wish to party and as a result, there are so many options for us non-party people. There are sororities on campus but they do not dominate the social life. During the week there are multiple guest lectures a week that always seem so interesting and yet there is never enough time to go see all of the ones you wish you could see. Life on campus is very busy not only with school work but with extra curriculars and the various sports events on campus. It is wonderful to have to choose from so many events but at the same time I wish that I could attend so much more and support all of my friends who participate in these wonderful events.

Andy

What dating scene? If you're straight, go to Boston, study abroad, or have an internship if you want any sort of love life. If you're queer, the aforementioned places and Wellesley are good. Events are generally not popular. People are usually too busy with other work to do anything else. The annual Dyke Ball is always popular, though most of the other dances/parties at Wellesley are a bore. Don't party here, party elsewhere.

Wendy

Studying tends to be the favorite occupation of many students, but there are also ALWAYS things going on on campus - lectures, shows, performances, movies, even parties. The community from residence hall to residence hall really varies, which can be hard, because students don't always get to live where they want to because of the lottery system. My closest friends are mostly people I met in the residence hall - although several of those I met through residence life, which is at least as much like being in an organization as living together, when you think about how you make friends. Maybe I'm just lame, but my favorite nights are the ones that we just hang out and talk... I've had a lot of 1am pizza, 3am cups of tea, and those are the talks that really make my experience here, because they cover everything - the personal, the academic, fears, hopes, aspirations, intellectual issues, books... I mean, I think that's what creates the strong bonds you see at the big campus events like commencement and convocation and Flower Sunday. Flower Sunday is one of my favorite days of the whole year. First year students are assigned "Big Sisters" and, though every hall has it's own variation, the gist is that the big sisters meet their little sisters for brunch and surprise them with flowers. Then everyone goes over to the chapel and there's a big, multi-faith (more spiritual than religious) ceremony with music and poetry and dancing and everyone being together... It's great to see everyone all dressed up, carrying flowers, and sometimes you'll see groups of six, seven, eight - whole families of Wellesley Sisters sitting together. A lot of music groups and sports teams do Big and Little sisters, too, so your initial sister isn't always the one that you stay most close to, but nearly all my friends have someone they regularly refer to as their Big Sister or Little Sister.

Casey

Wellesley is absolutely not a typical college experience. You can't wander down the hall to find a kegger. To have a typical social life, you have to make the effort to leave campus, which can be hard. Yet there are so many schools near Wellesley that there are enough boys to choose from. People don't usually go out on weeknights -- those are for homework. There are a million lectures, cultural events, shows, and low-key on-campus things to do. Our first year orientation was amazing -- I met some of my best friends there.

Wendy

Social life? Really, there is none on campus. Students don't really party, because if your neighbor hears noise she will call campus police, even if it is 11pm on a Friday night - she is busy studying. If you are awake on a Tuesday, your are studying. I guess there's a huge dating scene if you are a lesbian, but I'm straight. It's difficult to meet guys, and while it does get better your junior and senior year, and much better if you have a car and are 21 (so you can buy liquor), I'm not sure if that makes up for the first two years of misery. There is absolutely nothing to do on a Saturday night. There is the occasional party. but they are very small on average and lack guys.

anna

off campus i go either to babson, down the road, or i go into boston. dating is easy, although it's not a good idea to wait around wellesley for some guy/girl to find you. go to co-sponsored events with other schools in boston. once you meet a group of friends from other schools, though, its easy to have fun on campus, and the guest policy is really nice.

Olivia

I love SBOG. It helps to save this campus socially. As does Phi Sig.

Alex

The "Wellesley Bubble" is a common term among the community coined to express the ability of Wellesley to encompass its students in a haze of college politics. Wellesley is great, however it could do more to establish a weekend community of events, instead of having students migrate to Boston, MIT, or Harvard for the weekend. Parties do happen on campus as well as weekend movies, but typically on a weekend night Wellesley College is a bit of a ghost town. Not all students want to party or drink, so it would be nice to see Friday and Saturday night activities that addressed these needs without forcing a student to take a 40 minute Senate, albeit nice, bus ride to another campus.

Catherine

Wellesley Athletics are pretty much a joke. Having a social life in the traditional sense (frat parties, ect.) takes more effort than at a coed school, but lots of women do it. If you know the right people, however, you can find fun on campus any night of the week.

Becca

Guest speakers here are FANTASTIC: So far this year we've had Gloria Steinem, Elaine Brown, LeVar Burton, Hillary Clinton, and more. It's so great. Do people leave their doors open? Depends on the dorm; they all have different cultures. I live in Dower, which is the tiniest dorm on campus, but we also all know each other and have intense dorm spirit, so our doors are usually open. In some of the bigger dorms, it's not like that, but I'd say that in at least half of the dorms, doors are usually open. The dating scene? Um, I'm going to have to assume this is a generic question, because... Wellesley. Yeah. There isn't too much dating going on on campus (except of course for the les/bi/trans community, and I'm not totally sure how that goes). People have boyfriends at other area schools -- Harvard, MIT, BU, Babson, Olin, Brandeis, etc. People go to parties, but I think most serious relationships get started through cross-school events, mutual friends, etc -- as opposed to the MIT frat houses. If I'm up at 2am on a Tuesday, I am doing homework. (Or procrastinating.) In fact, forget Tuesday. If I'm up at 2am any day Sunday-Thursday (and I basically always am), I'm either doing homework, or pretending to do work, or taking a break from doing work, or whatever. We stay up late. We work hard. These two things are definitely connected. Traditions are so, so great! Midnight breakfast on the first night of reading period, Primal Scream the night before finals, dorm crew, class crew, Lake Day, big and little sisters, hoop rolling, Spring Week, dorm wars, teas, Community Dinner, and so much more. LOVE IT. Traditions are a big part of what gives Wellesley such a great community feel. People party, but they usually go off campus. On campus parties are, from what I hear, pretty lame. (I don't party too much, but that's what I've been told.) If people do go to on-campus parties, a lot of them pregame. And we obviously don't have frats. We have societies, which are sort of like sororities but with a stronger academic/community focus (like, there's an arts/music society, a literary society, etc), and they have houses, but the girls don't live in them (they just use them for parrties/events). Last weekend I watched a bunch of movies, did homework, and caught up on sleep. Sometimes I go into Boston, which is awesome. We go out to dinner/to movies/to plays/to museums/shopping/whatever. I think Boston is fantastic.

Casey

Wellesley students are nothing if not involved. There is a club for everything and everyone. Student government, and dorm government are big. The different language clubs are also very popular. One of the most visible group of extracurriculars are the "societies." There are no sororities at Wellesley, but the societies function like greek life. They have initiations, and events even though they are technically "literary" or "lecture centered." I'm involved in the Wellesley News which is the weekly paper on campus. It is a lot of work but it's also fun staying up late with the other editors rushing to get a paper out. As for the dorm culture, it really depends on the dorm. In my dorm which is by far the biggest on campus, people don't really leave their doors open. But the ones that are freshmen-centered are more open. Athletic events really aren't well attended- the school has such an academic focus that atheltics aren't a huge deal. There are quite a few speakers on campus but since there are so many schools in the Boston area there are tons and tons of opportunities to go to lectures and events. Wellesley is absolutely a school of traditions. Every year at the beginning of the first semester older girls sign up to be "big sisters" to one of the first-years. As the years go by, your little sisters get little sisters so it becomes a family. It is so much fun to watch your little sisters grow and experience college life, and it is a great system of advice and support. There is also hooprolling at the end of the year. This tradition has been around for over a century. Basically all the seniors get wooden hoops, dress up in their graduation robes and roll the hoops along a course. The winner is then carried into the lake and traditionally, she is going to be the "first to find success." Another tradition is step-singing. The different classes all get behind their banners (each class has a class color) and we try and outsing each other. There is also the infamous "Dyke Ball." The name of the event is self-descriptive so I'm not even going to try and explain it. If you really want to know, come and see for yourself!

Margaret

Wellesley has a ton of sweet traditions, like Lake Day and Midnight Breakfast. Organizations are also great about bringing guest speakers, so almost every night there is a lecture or show to attend. People tend to be involved in various organizations since there are so many groups and clubs on campus. There are always events on weekends, but often people just stay in with a pint of Ben&Jerry's and watch Grey's Anatomy. Your social life is what you make it, whether you want to spend your Saturday night going out, staying in, doing homework nobody will care and there will always be others doing the same. A lot of partying occurs off campus at places like MIT and Harvard, but people go into Boston for cultural events, and to go out to eat as well.

Jessie

The most popular orgs are cultural groups and "fun" groups like Freestyle. I am involved with the Latina org on campus and I am the LGBT liaison to the LGBT org on campus. Essentially I represent the LGBT voice in Mezcla and I represent the Latina voice in the LGBT group. I arrange sexuality-based programs. I think the majority leave their doors closed. I personally don't get my entertainment from watching sports, so I can't say much about how many people attend. The popularity depends on the speaker- recently we had Levar Burton and his attendance was high. Other times there aren't as many people. I have not dated anyone yet, and it is not because I can't find boys. I am equally interested in men as I am in women, so that is not an issue. I don't think I have found the right person yet to ask out. I met my closest friends through Facebook and similar interests. those friends introduced me to others. I am studying/writing a paper/ finishing an art project or something like that at 2 in the morning, which I am up at that time for the most part. There are many cultural shows that happen annually,Dyke Ball, and fashion show put on by the African cultural group. I think people attend parties quite often- I do at least. It's a way to de-stress after such a tough week. There are two greek groups on campus but I particularly don't take interest in frats or sororities. Last weekend I ran errands, attended a party, and went to have lunch with a friend in Harvard square and bought art supplies. I don't drink, and I can find plenty of things to do that don't involve drinking. We can watch a movie, play games, shop, have dinner somewhere nice, go to a party,etc. When I am off campus I shop, eat, explore, and run errands.

Al

I hang out with mostly athletes and that's who i hang out with and go out with at night. We stay on compaus sometimes or go off. The athletic events are only popular with the athletes, but the inner athletic community is amazing and very very close knit. I think they athletic department is the best part of the school because no where on earth can you get such high levels of intensity and skill aurrounding only women' athletics.