Wesleyan University Top Questions

There are an abundance of athletic club opportunities, political opportunities, social action opportunities and so on... Things I have been a part of... ASHA - aids and sexual health awareness (this group is dedicated to providing sex ed to middle and high school students in the area as well as on campus - they host fair, benefits and offer several teachings) MINDS - Mental Illness and Neurological Disorders (this organization is dedicated to providing and promoting mental health care in rural India) Roosevelt Institute - Student run think tank (progressive think tank that discusses and hypothesizes about policy concerning todays most pressing issues) There are only 3 major fraternities on campus and a few other small ones, there is one sorority not based on a cultural, ethnic, racial or religious affiliation, and the sorority is without a house. Greek culture can become a part of your life or it can not - you will find your scene either way. The frats always throw parties, but everyone is always welcome and you often find a lot of mingling between social groups and different groups of friends on campus. Most kids always seems willing to meet new people and expand their circle rather than close it off once they have made a few tight friends. There are a lot of non-drinking opportunities - there are often plays held by either the student run production group or by the university, there are speakers almost every day of the week and there are campus sponsored parties that are alcohol free - normally music events. In addition, the university shows a film each night of the week some days free and other days $5. people go to sporting events to cheer on their friends and big games come with big crowds but we are not a sport oriented school when it comes to student social activity.

As one of the top liberal arts schools in the country, Wesleyan attracts many aspiring politicians, government and NGO workers, etc. Thus, many students are involved in some form of student government or committee. Most Wes students are also environmentally conscious/eco-friendly, so there are many programs and initiatives for planting trees, starting a self-sufficient garden, buying local produce, etc. Athletics are also popular, and some Wes teams are NESCAC champions and make deep runs into the NCAA post-season tournaments. Lots of students have jobs, whether directly through the school, with some program affiliated with the University, or a job somewhere in Middletown. There is also a great arts scene- there are always dance and choir performances, poetry slams, shows in the CFA (Center for the Arts), and movie screening on Friday and Saturday nights for those who don't feel like hitting up the party scene.

There are more student organizations here than I can count, and a lot of them are very popular and active on campus. I love band, so I've joined the pep band and played in the pit orchestra for a student production of Stephen Sondheim's Assassins, which was scary because we only had two weeks to rehearse, but was also extremely fun and fulfilling. I'm also tutoring kids in Middletown for my work study. I tutor for six hours a week, and I love it. Pep band is my favorite activity. We play at home football and basketball games and occasionally take a road trip to an away game. There's fourteen of us, and everyone's really close. Many weekends, we have pep band parties at our senior director's house. The dating scene is what you make of it. Most people seem to be looking for hookups, but if you want something else, you can find it if you look a little harder. Traditional collegiate things like frats and big sports events definitely exist here, but they're just one of the many facets of campus social life, not the central focus as they would be at a big 10 school. We in the pep band, as well as the athletes' parents, are usually the loudest fans in the stands at games. The frat parties are inclusive--they won't keep non-Greeks out, so you don't need to join one even if frat parties are your scene. If they're not, there's plenty of other things to do on a weekend--concerts, raves, hanging out in friends' homes, getting falafel or grilled cheese at the trucks that hang out here at night, or (yes) doing homework. If you come here, you will have to spend the occasional Friday or Saturday night doing homework to keep up. But not always.

Greek life is smaller at Wes than it is at other more athletically-inclined LACs, but a lot of freshman end of partying at themed parties at Psi U during their first semester. There are a multitude of other events to attend throughout the week; there are always lectures, film screenings, guest speakers, theater shows, improv groups, a capella concerts, etc. A lot of the clubs/activities on campus are coordinated entirely by students, which goes to show how passionate Wes students are about their hobbies and interests and how eager they are to share that with fellow students.

Dorm parties, frat parties, musical performances, plays, concerts, movies...these make up the most of social life. The library is a fun place to be. Everyone's in it together. Good cultural events. Dating happens usually through groups - sports teams, dorms, classes, dance troupes, musical groups, etc. Those who join these types of groups will have the most rewarding time at Wes, both romantically and socially.

House parties make up a lot of the social scene as an upperclassman, but most Freshman turn to Psi U, or their halls before venturing out to the senior houses later in the year. Weekends can start on Wednesdays if you want them to.

Alex shows us a normal day on Foss Hill with people relaxing and playing sports.

Wesleyan strays from the typical college party scene a bit. There are frat parties and house parties, which are pretty by the book, but there are also a bunch of student events that get a lot of people to come on the weekends

- I'm so glad that there aren't more frats or soroities. I think they divide the campus up. - I LOVE THE RIDE. - Students do leave their doors open---but not all of the time. - Athletic events are not popular--and i am ok with that. - I met my closest friends from living near some, dating people and getting close to their friends, bonding in classes/labs. - I had a boyfriend for a year and a half..then he cheated on me again with another wesleyan girl. now i have a new boyfriend who i love. we are all friends. it is a small campus. you need to be able to make peace with some things. - i love concerts at welseyan---I think it's terrible how eclectic has shows, but only secretly sells tickets. i also wish they'd have bigger venues for more popular shows--like the management. - i'm usually awake at 2 am still doing homework or crying about homework. - i used to never party...now i try to go out every weekend. - i wish we had the library open 24 hrs. - something that doesn't involve drinking--you can hang out in someone's room--whether ppl are drinking or not--and choose not to drink. - you can go out to dinner and not drink. - you can go to a show and not drink. - i think when ppl play drinking games...then it's boring if you're not drinking. drinking games are dumb--b/c you're not talking and getting to know ppl better. - i wish there were more spaces to practice instruments. - i wish there were more benches WITH BACKS on campus! Like--in front of Olin.

it is dynamic. there is always so much to do and so many options for week days and weekends. not only are there parties and such but there are many activities involving rich culture, political activism, humanitarian issues, food, diversity etc.

Too Much. Too Much. Pick something. You can probably do it. Sometimes PSafe shuts down our parties mad early. This sucks.

no one cares about football except the football players. many people care about big concerts and plays and even dances. the frisbee team is more respected than the football team. but this also makes the athletes into a pretty ironic counterculture, which is also cool. there are always interesting lectures about everything going on, film screenings, concerts, plays, art shows, dances. people generally keep doors open. lots of nakedness. people generally party three nights a week. there are three frats, that throw good parties but otherwise are pretty irrelevant to life outside themselves. Wesfest is really big and really sweet -- lots of student run festivities. and spring fling is cool too -- the school brings in big musical acts. and 4/20 is like times square on new years eve.

Psi U is unofficial king of parties, even though they only get up a good one every three weeks or month or so. (please don't hate me Wes Psi U. I'm highly opinionated on parties). I'm too busy for social outside of the friends I already know and dance parties; not the guy to talk to.

A lot of students feel peer pressure at colleges to drink, and it's possible to feel that pressure at Wes, but most people here will totally respect you if you don't want to. Some frats push it, but some don't. I've felt most comfortable at parties at Alpha Delt, which is a co-ed literary society... not a frat. The people there will accept you if you just want to drink soda at parties, and they have a lot of events that have nothing to do with alcohol but that are just really quirky and fun, even at prime partying hours. I've heard that Wesleyan students don't believe in love and are really bad about relationships, but I know a handful of people who have been with the same person since first semester freshman year and stay happy. If you're looking for hook-ups or something more serious, it's usually not too hard to find. Some weekends, there are a lot of campus events, and some have very few, but there's always something or another to do. Regarding dorm life, you never know what kind of hall you'll get, but if your hall is particularly social, it's not rare to find people with their doors open all the time to hang out, or chat, or invite you over to watch stuff. A good hall is priceless. I had one freshman year, and it was never a dull moment.

Social life at Wesleyan is just right. There is something for everyone. If big frat parties are your thing, Wesleyan has them. If you like movies, you'll love the Wesleyan Cinema Series. The week days aren't very socially active. Weekends tend to have many activities from frat parties to parties at seniors' houses to just relaxing with your friends. Athletic events aren't very popular at Wesleyan. For example, at graduation, the president of the class said "you know you went to Wesleyan when you've never seen an entire football game." That statement can be extended to nearly every sports event. There isn't much to do off campus besides go to the restaurants in Middletown.

All sorts of types mingle on the Wesleyan social scene. I didn't partake in any substances for a long time and I still went out with plenty of people who did. The school does not impose any specific lifestyle-- as long as you are willing to meet people who want to meet you, it'll be great.

Wesleyan knows how to have a great time. You'll probaly be drunk your first two years. By junior year, your major gets really serious and focused and people cool off a little. The people are lots of fun, the most costume parties I've ever been to. Its rare that a week goes by without one of your friends having a concert, hosting a show, or performing in something. Weekend starts on Wednesday with Bar Night and goes until Sunday night. Few annual traditions outside of the typical halloween/valentines type sexed-out parties for Freshmen. Amazing guest speakers. Few frats and sororities, though this option exists. There are many program houses that fill a similar function: eclectic, well-being house, women of color house, community service house, Malcom X house, out house, open house, chinese house, alpha delt literary soc, etc. Something is going on every night, but it's also ok to stay home and relax.

You should always be able to find someone who wants to party. However, things can get a little old and redundant towards the end of the year.

There's so much to do, and most Wes students do a million things. There's tons of talent here - student bands, student plays, student concerts, student art shows. There are games to go see: basketball, softball, squash. On any given night, there are five University-wide things to do, see, or participate in. There are always way more lectures, performances, meetings, concerts, games, shows and events than you've got time for. At night, there are house parties, frat parties, concerts, dances, substance-free parties, a free movie series in the theater, midnight tag or capture the flag, late-night dining, events hosted by program houses (like community service house, outdoor club, sign-language club, asian-american house, women of color house, etc.), and small gatherings in peoples' rooms. Drugs and alcohol are definitely prevalent on campus. There are people who'll find occasion to drink heavily five or six nights a week, and those who don't drink at all. There is a lot of weed on campus, and there are substantial amounts of other drugs as well. But it's all very relaxed. Campus security is not very strict. And most students drink and use in moderation. We love beirut on this campus, at least in my group of friends. There isn't a whole lot of getting drunk and doing nothing. There's a lot of activity here, all the time, whether students are inebriated or sober. There are annual events and parties happening all the time, and life here is really, really fun.

The social life at Wes has a little something for everybody. If the frats are you scene, rest assured that theres almost always a party at the houses on campus. If you are always on the cutting edge of music and love plastic sunglasses, then Eclectic is your place. Maybe you are intrigued by fire spinning? Join Prometheus, the campus fire spinning club. Or maybe Alpha Delt is more your pace. Whatever your fancy, you'll find it. There are also frequently parties thrown in program housing. I'd say one of the best parties I have been to at Wes was a random dance party (a make-shift rave, if you will) thrown in the living room of one of the houses. And don't forget Fountain Ave! A street full of senior houses often opens up to the masses, with parties in many houses at the same time, leading to a block party. Fountain isn't even the only street with senior houses. If you make friends with older kids, or even if you don't, walk on into a party at a senior house, and you are sure to have a good time. People also enjoy learning at Wes, no matter how "cool" they may be. Nobody is ashamed to attend a guest speaker, and on campus theater, music, and dance productions are almost always sold out. As for dating, it happens, but so do random hookups, which happen a LOT. If you're looking for a hook-up, and you go out with that in mind, you'll probably find it. Most freshman it seems get their random hooking up out of the way and try to settle down later. I personally dated a wonderful person for much of the year, and while that didn't end up being forever, it still provided a nice break from the random scene. Every year, Wes has spring fling, which is when the whole campus is outside on Foss Hill all day in the sun and the school brings in bands to play. It's looked forward to and talked about all year long, and the hype is well worth it. People tend to go out on Wednesdays sometimes, Thursdays very often, and obviously Fridays and Saturdays. That being said, usually one night per weekend tends to be quiet, often referred to as people's date nights. And if you have too much work and can't go out, nobody blames you or teases you. Everybody understands and respects that you gotta do what you gotta do.

Party scene is amazing..parties can be found throughout the week and throughout campus, if you know where to look. Live music and crazy themes are very often part of the party.

music and bands are huge. there's always a show. we get a lot of traveling artists and speakers, and thats amazing. you can go out starting on Wednesday. frats pretty much suck, but they have free beer.

All the parties on campus are usually sponsored by the University which means every student is allowed to go and alcohol can not be served. Generally the parties are dance parties and students pre-game in their apartments/houses/dorms and then go out. We have a new theater which plays movies on Thursdays and Tuesdays I think for 5 dollars. I am convinced that it is the best theater on any college campus anywhere in the world. Micheal Bay, the director of Transformers and Wesleyan alum came and gave a private screening of his movie there. They also play old movies. For example, I saw Fast Times At Ridgemont High there. Off campus there isn't much to do except go to restaurants or go to get ice cream. There's a movie theater, but most people just download movies off the network and watch them on campus.

If you want to socialize you pretty much got to drink.

Wesleyan's student body can be most easily be described as "work hard, play hard." Being out-going, predominantly liberal, and hard working, Wesleyan students seem to be naturals at totally letting loose on the weekends. The Wesleyan bubble on a given weekend is a bit like a carnival. There are plays, films, art shows, dance shows, and concerts every weekend. Most of those events are followed up by parties at either senior residences or fraternities, which, for the most part, play a largely positive role in the social environment. Though not many people join the fraternities, most students seem to benefit from their social offerings, which host concerts, DJs, and dance parties. Wesleyan students hook up. Wesleyan students drink. Many smoke pot, but not all. For the most part, you can do as you please, no pressure to do one thing or another.

The social scene is certainly interesting and probably pretty unique. When it comes to weekends, there isn't a lot of stratification in terms of events. Parties are basically open to everyone. The Wesleyan student body seems to do a great job at balancing work and play. There isn't a ton of weekday partying, but there isn't a shortage of weekend parties either.

We get tons of speakers, athletic events are not the biggest events on campus (our football team is terrible, but soccer and lacrosse get a good amount of attention. So does basketball, even though they're not that good either. Wesleyan is fun. Trust me. You will drink alot and be merry. I have yet to meet someone who has enjoyed their school as much as I enjoyed Wesleyan.

The Wesleyan experience is also incredible outside the classroom. As a varsity athlete, I think that there's a lot of support for athletics. However, I never felt pigeon-holed into a jock stereotype. Some teammates are closest friends, but I also didn't feel any pressure to only hang out with my team. A lot of freshmen make their close friends on their hall in the dorm, but that is typically in freshmen only dorms (like Clark or Fauver). There's always something going on around campus, such as speakers, performances, movie screenings, etc. It's so easy to make friends and find things to do, and the party scene is pretty ideal. From dorms, frats, senior woodframes, and junior apartments, students definitely know how to wind down and have a good time on the weekends. A wide range of interests and lifestyles correlate with the diversity of the student body.

Wesleyan has a plethora of student groups. The largest and most active one I'm involved with is the Environmental Organizers' Network (EON), which regularly attracts about 40 people to its weekly meetings and organizes everything from composting and recycling on campus to a competition among senior houses to reduce electricity use to call-ins to Congress on global climate change issues. If you wanted, you could find an interesting lecture, film or panel discussion to go to every single night of the week, organized by the administration, academic departments, and student groups. You can also choose from any number of parties on the weekends, ranging from a fund-raiser dance party with a popular campus band to a house party mainly focused on drinking. There are also all sorts of performances of theater, dance and music, be it a recital of the Javanese gamelan class, one of the many a cappella groups, or a play put on by the active student theater group, Second Stage. I have met my closest friends in a number of places, including my frosh dorm, the first play I worked on, and the Jewish community. This last group was not one I thought I would be very involved with going into college, but I found it to be a really fun and open group of people, and I ended up living for two years in the Jewish-themed program house.

What really surprised me about college is that most of your friends for the rest of the year (and maybe your college career), you'll find in your freshman dorm if not on your hall. As a result, your social life revolves around your dorm so that sometimes you don't leave at all. If you like drinking, dancing, etc, you can almost always find a party at one of the frats or houses (there are no sororities). Though people often go to one of the four fraternities on weekends, frats will not be a major part of your life unless you want them to be. If you're not into the drinking scene, there are on campus movies, and performances, and when the weather's nice, there are always people socializing (and often smoking) on Foss Hill.

AWESOME!!!!!! So much to do and so many new things to try.

Very campus-based-- Middletown isn't too hot. There is a club or group for anything you can imagine. Pretty big weed habit. A couple loser fraternities and one legitimate frat-house for some good dance parties; from salsa to hip-hop to rave. Don't come to Wesleyan for legendary American college debauchery, though there is always some place to go out, drink, hang, or see a performance.

Wesleyan's theater opportunities are probably the best and most varied in the country. The student-run theater production company, Second Stage, is responsible for producing over 25 shows each year with hundreds of students participating (and most of them aren't theater majors). Second Stage accepts all applications without any artistic judgment, so students have the opportunity to explore any side of production. Additionally, students who take courses in the (fantastic) Theater Department have the opportunity to apply the theories they learn from their studies to practice. There is no better education than doing your own work. What's more, Second Stage runs what is probably the best student space in the country. It's an enormous, newly-renovated black box theater with fantastic technical capabilities, movable seating, and an optional proscenium stage. This facilitates the amazing experimental culture on campus, and theater of *all* kinds is produced.

There are so many groups on campus that it's hard to say that just one or two are the most popular. We're not a Division I school, but many students are involved in sports either on teams or as an extracurricular. My boyfriend, for example, played on the frisbee team, and he's hardly a jock. A capella is huge on campus too, and our fire-spinning group Prometheus always draws a crowd. Honestly, the main thing to say about student groups is that it's really easy to either join an existing one or to start your own, and most students in campus manage to get involved one way or another. Some of our most popular social traditions include Zonker Harris Day, April 20th (I can't really elaborate, but once you're here, you get it), Spring Fling, Queer Prom, and for the incoming freshmen, Foss Cross (a cross-dressing party).

there is nothing to do. by the end of your freshman year you will have slept with everyone worth sleeping with. u would think there is a decent queer scene but everyone is butt fucking ugly. the boys look like bitches. the chicks look like fat lumber jacks. have fun tryna get laid with anyone you wouldnt be ashamed to say you slept with. if youre fucking ugly though and youre just desparate to get laid this is the place for you.

I don't think I'll ever go to a better dance party. where people really just dance to dance. freshmen and sophmores live in dorms together. the dorms have different vibes to them, and many people meet their friends there. at least at first. juniors and seniors live in apartments and houses. lots of people make good use of their kitchens and living rooms. house parties are big. there are some frats and thats a social option but definitely not the most dominant scene. there are a lot of campus bands, a pretty good variety of them, that play at different venues on campus. there are a lot of student organizations, many politically minded groups, like Students for ending the war in Iraq , a group for healthcare justice, environmental groups etc. wesleyan has a student run organic farm. community service projects. tutoring kids in the community.

It makes sense that the social life is as varied as the students. Drinking and drug use is widespread, but it is just as easy not to participate (I have several friends that don't drink and still have a completely normal social life), and there are tons of alternatives for things to do on the weekends- plays, dance parties, bands, and way more. Program houses are great, they put on themed events and parties for whatever your interest may be. The frats throw big parties too every now and then, but Wesleyan has only three frats and unless you are in one, they won't unduly affect your social life.

Wes is not a place for people whose social lives revolve around parties. There are no clubs in town, no big lively bars. On weekends, students generally float around campus with groups of close friends, have a drink in someone's dorm room, go see a movie, or go to one of the more unorthodox parties that happen occasionally (i.e. the naked party, which has no alcohol and no clothes). There are bars in town that are good for chilled-out gatherings of upperclassmen, but most people are content to find creative ways of hanging out around campus during what little free time they have when not working. Lots of people are in clubs (I'm in an a cappella group), which are generally a fun way to pursue an interest without too much of a commitment. There are lots of guest lectures on various topics, guest performances of every kind, and student concerts to go to. To sum up: your social life at Wes will be a break from your academic life, not the other way around.

Well, I met a lot of my friends through being a member of the Swimming & Diving team at Wesleyan. Especially for freshman, the most popular party scene occurs on Frat Row, though the after parties generally occur in the Senior houses of Fountain Ave. If you are not into the athlete crow Psi U holds a lot of concerts and popular parties. For the more crazy left-wingers there is the program house Eclectic which hosts many indie bands and has a "crowd", but the whole student body tends to attend the "Sex Party" that happens every fall semester. Many people I know party hard and will go out Wednesday through Sunday nights if they can. Wednesday night is Bar Night, Thursday's there is generally Beer Pong at Psi U, Friday nights can be a little low key, Saturday nights there is always at least one party on campus, and Sunday nights is karaoke at La Boca (a bar/restaurant on Main St.). I'm not really sure what there is to do on a Saturday night that doesn't involve drinking--the CFA (Center For Arts) generally has movies playing, but most people drink if they go. There is pretty good food in Middletown area and a movie theater, but besides that most of the scoial life occurs on campus.

There are definitely a lot of different clubs on campus, but many are kind of defunct with just a few people going. Many people party A LOT, as in 3-4 nights a week (or more.) But there is a substantial population who doesn't party at all. It seems hard to find a good combination in between. There are always lots of events to go to -- theater, speakers, talks, free food, etc. The frats blow and a lot of freshman go to them and a lot of jocks. But they definitely do not dominate the social scene. Lots of people will just get together with friends and hang out and make food or just talk and watch movies. The dating scene isn't really a 'dating' scene. People either are in serious relationships or are just randomly hooking up with people.

Social life at Wesleyan is really great. The fact that most people at Wes love being there makes the social life very smooth and fun. There are two main events each year that many students take part in. One is 4/20. The other is Spring Fling. They are my two favorite holidays ever.

it's happening.

Partying is pretty accepted, 3 nights a week for freshmen and maybe subtract one night for each subsequent year.

Since I'm mostly into the arts at Wesleyan, I can tell you that, for starters, anything goes, and anything has gone! To date, I've done a faculty theatre show, a couple of other student-run shows, music-directed the student-written "Jaws the musical", performed in so many concerts that I can't even remember. The standard of arts here in Wesleyan is high, but that does not mean you can't start somewhere. Heck, I've tried my hand at dancing in a faculty show even though I've got two-left feet!

There are numerous arts events each weekend, both student run and professional through the Center for the Arts. These are great opportunities to be exposed to culture and see the talents of the student body. The popularity of these events varies, but for those interested they generally attend pretty frequently. The party scene is very open and fairly diverse; there are standard frat parties and concerts most every weekend, in addition to house parties that are generally open to most people. The social scene is very centered on campus and people rarely leave, except for special events in nearby cities or to visit friends. The campus is generally friendly and people are willing to stop and talk to people they may not know very well.

Students in dorms definitely leave their doors open. I met my closest friends in mocon freshman year. Awake on tuesday 2 am- sitting on a couch with friends. People party alot, but not all people. It may just be my friends. Frats and sororities are not important at all. I don't drink, but on saturday night I still go to parties. There is alot of dancing. Off campus, I swim in MIlleRS POND!

frats/sororities are all coed and there are only 4 on campus. two of which are all about literature (alpha delt) and music (eclectic). there are three things you need for survival, work, sleep and fun, but there's only time for two of these things. Wesleyan students work and have fun. people don't usually go to athletic events... it's wesleyan... people want to be creative (like make an art instillation as protest for the war) and smoke weed on the hill. dorm doors are always open. students are always interested in going to events because they are often the COOLEST EVENTS EVER. and students are genuinely interested in learning so they go. if you ever get bored of campus, nyc is a 2 hour train ride away

Social life here is pretty good on any given night there are usually several cultural things to choose from whether organized by students or the administration. Some people go to frats, some people go to house parties, some people see live music; there really is a lot to do.

Clubs, groups, anything from biking and climbing to women contraceptive awareness in Africa. A great range of interests are supported at Wesleyan. Intramural sporting competitions and fraternity pledging are all events taking place on campus. There is indeed a strong party scene, but on any weekend night like-minded individuals congregate to pursue what they want, regardless; some even fight outside on the Butterfield lawn with felt-covered arrows and swords. Clearly, one can do most anything one wants, that's largely legal, on Wesleyan's campus.

Do whatever you want - there are over 500 clubs and organizations, varsity, club, and intramural sports, all kinds of stuff. The dorms vary, the all-freshman ones are definitely more friendly (and raucous). Parties all over campus in students' homes, dorms, frats, and program houses (houses oriented by common ethnicity, interests, culture, or orientation). There are always movies on campus and exhibitions in the Center for the Arts, including visiting music, theater, dance, and visual art performers as well as Wesleyan's own performers. Athletics get the short end of the stick, but we do play in NESCACs. Frats aren't big at all; they host parties for the whole campus, but very few join.