Boston University Top Questions

I wasn't involved in any BU groups, although there would be many advertised all over campus. I met my closest friends in class, and roaming around the dorms during freshman year. On the weekends, we would typically go to parties at friends' houses. There was a larger party-population at BU which included the few Greek organizations on campus, and while those always had a reputation for being great fun, I only found myself at one or two during my time in school. Often, friends and I would go around the city to eat in Boston's "little Italy" the North End, or catch a Red Sox game, or go to a local bar and shoot pool. The benefit, for me, of going to college within a city was there was never seemed to be a shortage of anything to do. Even if I wanted to spend some time alone, I could go to the park or to a museum to spend a few hours in quiet. The dating scene at BU is probably similar to that of any larger university. I dated guys I was in classes with or knew from friends, and while I didn't make it through my 4 years with my college sweetheart, many of my friend are will with the people they began dating while at BU.

What are the most popular groups/organizations/clubs/teams on campus? hockey and broomball Tell us about a group you’re involved with. as a Dean's Host, I give tours of the school and work at the Dean's functions Do students in dorms leave their doors open? only when they're still on the floor How popular are athletic events? hockey is popular. the rest, not so much Guest speakers? we have some great ones Theater? not so much Tell us about the dating scene. it's Boston, there's college students and yuppies everywhere How did you meet your closest friends? freshmen year class If you’re awake at 2am on a Tuesday, what are you doing? before senior year, studying...senior year, drinking What traditions/events happen each year? knightings at the pub, beanpot, painting the rock How often do people party? every weekend or so How important are fraternities/sororities? not at all What did you do last weekend? drank with friends What can you do on a Saturday night that doesn’t involve drinking? anything - explore the city, go to a show or movie, hang out with friends, go out to eat in the North End What do you do off campus? shop, explore the city, eat out

The sports scene at BU is pathetic. The hockey team is the only sport that gets a lot of attention. Even the sports that we're good at, like girl's soccer, have terrible fan attendance at games. We don't have a football team. It doesn't exist. I thought they were joking at on the tour for prospective students, it wasn't until I got here that I realized they weren't kidding. There are a lot of opportunities for kids interested in theater. Personally, I'm involved with Stage Troupe, a student-run theater group for non-acting-majors. It's been a blast, and a great way to meet friends. My freshman year we always left our door open, but there have been a couple sexual assault incidents this year, and now we're all encouraged to lock our doors especially at night. I met my closest friends either from living together freshman year, or from doing theater. The dating scene sucks for girls: in a group of 20 students, 7 are guys, and 3 are straight. I'm awake at 4:54am on a Thursday, and I am filling out this survey at the Information Technology computer lab. I do not recommend coming here if you have deadlines or hope to complete actual work. There are always parties if you know where to find them. Greek life is not a big presence on campus. Last weekend I was in a dinner theater performance of Anything Goes. We live in Boston, there are a thousand things to do off campus. If you have a 2 hour break between classes you can go to walk around on Newbury Street.

Hockey is the only popular sport. Good theater, dance, music opportunities. Lots of organizations to choose from. Closest friends met in class and dorm. Most people party on weekends, mostly at MIT frats or BU dorms. BU Central puts on free events for weekend nights but not many students attend.

Not many traditions -- BU needs more! Off-campus has fun parties, but you gotta know where to look. Freshman year can be hard to find parties, but Sophomore year can be awesome. Freshman year definitely start off in Warren Towers, the Towers, or West Campus. That's the best way to make friends -- I had a blast. Partying is totally your choice - some people do it, some don't. There are plenty of things to get involved in other than

BU Hockey is huge, and many students get really involved with the BU vs. BC rivalries. However, overall there is not much school spirit. If you meet somebody who went to BU but has since graduated, even if you are in an entirely different state, there is little to no enthusiasm in that common ground. This ties in with the size of the school. There are SO many students that the BU Experience is entirely different for every person. There are people in your graduating class who you might see for the first time on the day you graduate.

Everyone has to go to a hockey game at some point, men's or women's, it doesn't matter. The fans are passionate. I'm one of the fans that paints my face for all the games...we just get so into it it's hard when the season ends! The different dorms have different types of students in them, for sure. I lived in Towers my freshman year, which holds about 800 students. I really liked it, and many of my friends are from living in the same dorms. Warren Towers, which holds 1600 students, is a zoo. You couldn't pay me to live there. The upperclassmen dorms, like the Student Village or South Campus, are great when you have a friend base already, because people tend to be less outgoing in those buildings.

The most popular groups on campus are typically sports teams. I have been involved with WTBU radio and it was fairly unprofessional. I was surprised that the so many violations were made when BU was actually put on air in Boston, even though our shift WAS in the middle of the night. Students in Warren, Towers, and West leave their dorms open - Shelton, Myles, and brownstones tend to leave their doors closed. Athletic events (especially hockey) are very important. Some political guest speakers are popular. Theater and CFA events appeal to a fairly sizable portion of the student body (especially because CFA is fairly sizable itself). The dating scene varies. BU has a good party scene but it isn't a party school. Hook-ups happen, as do drug and alcohol use, but the dorms are generally very strict in their alcohol policies. If you get caught once with drugs or alcohol (while underage or in the presence of minors) there will be significant repurcussions. If you're awake at 2 am on a Tuesday you are likely studying in a common room. Sororities are not allowed because of an old Massachusetts law stating that a group of 8 women or more alone in a house constitutes a brothel. Because BU is in the city of Boston there are TONS of activities for a Saturday night that do not have to involve drinking - most notably just wandering around and exploring the city. There must always be at least two expeditions to North End per semester!

Dorms are not left open. On a Tuesday at 2am I am in the Engineering Computer lab working on homework/a project. A great event is Bean Pot and Marathon Monday. Both are exclusive to the Boston Area.

Most students don't join groups. Debate team is pretty cool... all I got to say. Students in Warren and West do, but in other dorms they don't. Hockey games are popular; female hockey games are not. Some guest speakers are more popular than others. Zizek for example packed a whole room. I don't know what a dating scene is, but it isn't that hard to find someone I suppose. I met almost all of my friends by smoking cigarettes in front of dorms or at parties. At 2am on any night if I am awake I would probably be either talking to my roommate about WWII, having sex, or drinking. BU hates tradition. I party a lot, other people don't party at all, but the party scene at BU isn't that great because parties end to early because they run out of alcohol. Frats and Sororities are unimportant, but freshmen sometimes might have no choice but to party there... they shouldn't. What would you want to do on a saturday night that doesn't involve drinking? To answer I don't know. I live off campus... I hang out off campus. I only study and go to class on campus, but that is a trick question because BU doesn't have a campus.