Northwestern University Top Questions

I wouldn't call the social life great but i have no complaints. Students are accepting and friendly. We also go out on a regular basis and, if that's what you're into, you will have the opportunity to go out 3 or 4 times a week. Greek life is huge (almost 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body) but it, for the most part, has a different feel than a state university. It is a huge social outlet and the students who want to be involved socially usually get involved in a fraternity or sorority. We also have Dillo Day every spring quarter which is a day-long social event with concerts and a lot more.

I met most of my closet friends in my dorm freshmen year, and then added a bunch more with my fraternity when I rushed that winter. Some people here are social, others are not, but nearly everyone is friendly. We have an incredibly nice/polite students body. In the dining hall, I almost always here may I, please, and thank you when people address the kitchen staff. I find this refreshing due to the stereotype of college students as completely self-absorbed with feelings of entitlement. On the side of activities, I've already mentioned that most people are invloved with something. Additionally, many people attend movie screenings, football games, guest speakers or the musical guests that the university brings in. Pretty much every student group you can think of is here, but there is nothing particularly unusual. Theatre is especially prominent. I'm not an actor or theatre buff, but I try and attend at least one show a quarter because they tend to be really high quality and I often have friends in them. In fact, I have heard that breaking into the theatre scene is one of the most competitve facets at Northwestern. In terms of social life, drinking has its place, like at any college. People like to go out on Monday nights, Thursday nights and the weekend, but it isn't uncommon for other midweek stuff to go down as well. Still, there are tons of social things which do not involve drinking, like going to Chicago, or seeing a show etc. Greek life has a strong presence on campus, and as a member, I'd like to think that it differs from Greek life at other places. Many people, including myself, claim they never would have considered going Greek elsewhere but end up rushing here. The fraternity is still not the focal point of my college expereince, but I that my house is very involved in philanthropy and we have a handful of non-drinkers who find Greek life rewarding. Still, the main Greek houses lack diversity, and there are problems with binge drinking and negative stereotypes/social stratification among houses. You do not have to be Greek to have an active and vibrant social life. Many of my closet friends are non-Greek and do not suffer because of it at all. Dating at Northwestern is okay, but not great. To illustrate this, I went to a concert on campus from the band OKGO, where during a break between songs, the lead singer asked the crowd if "Northwestern was a school for lovers?" The unison answer was a resounding "NO," and the guitar player was taken aback, stammering "I thought all schools were for lovers." This is indicative of some of the frustration that exists, but there are still good-looking, nice and available girls if you look hard enoungh. Also, in my experience, it helps to join a fraternity. Finally, Northwestern is a fun place. We have a few cool traditions like Dillo Day, an all day concert in the spring. Nevertheless, I reiterate, its not a state school atmosphere. There isn't the excitement about sports or outrageous parties that characterize those institutions.

I wish people cared more about sports. It would really add another dimension socially and add to the school.

The social life can be great, but you have to choose where to put your efforts. The greek scene is the most universally accessible outlet for the student body, but off campus theater parties, parties thrown at athlete burrows, and parties fundraising for various clubs can be found every weekend. It just depends on how open minded you are.

Sailing Team and P-Wild seem to be the most popular groups on campus, and everyone says they have a great time.

The most popular groups are the fraternities and sororities. I am involved with Mock Trial and I love it. Such a great experience. Students leave doors open sometimes to interact. Football games are highly attended, but basketball games are not. If I'm awake at 2 am, I'm at Clarke's or writing a paper. You can go to a register party if you're not drinking.

Too much to do with too little time. One can do anything imaginable here.

Surprisingly, the Greek community is large here. Something like 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students go Greek at NU. This has led to, however, an extremely watered down Greek system, with super fratty frats and super gossipy sororities for those who want them, and other houses that are strong in friendship and tradition but not as intense with hazing and partying. There are DEFINITELY niches for those who typically wouldn't become apart of Greek life at most other schools.

Drinking is a part of the Northwestern social scene, obviously, but I was impressed by the sheer number of activities that NU offers to students who choose to abstain from the bottle. Because of our vast theater community, there are always shows, musicals and dance performances to attend. Sports are a big deal here too. We may be bad at football and basketball, but the attendance at games doesn't reflect our losing streak. For students who aren't into either of those, there's always Chicago to explore. The benefit of being a 20 minute El ride from the city is that it is almost always accessible to the student body, and most students take full advantage of the independence this offers them.

NU offers such a wide variety of activities! I have never heard of a student not finding their nook on campus. The social life at NU has a bad reputation. While other schools say that Northwestern is the place "where fun comes to die," students know this to be untrue. There is always a party going on, and Evanston offers a number of "open late" venues.