Purdue University-Main Campus Top Questions

There are so many opportunites to be a part of something here a Purdue. In fact, there are hundreds of clubs and activities that you can join as well as plenty of intraumaural sports leagues and groups. The people here are down to earth and easy to get along with, which is a real plus.

The social life at Purdue gets varied reviews. Clearly, West Lafayette is a very small town. This has both its benefits and its drawbacks. Pro: Almost everything that goes on in the city is geared towards drawing in Purdue students. Con: It is a smaller city, so there isn't always something fun automatically planned for you as you might imagine it would be in Chicago or New York or even Louisville (where I'm from). This is where Purdue's large population can come in handy. Because there are 40,000 people trying to have fun in the same area, with the same pre-planned activities, you'll see that fraternity and apartment parties abound and the university does a good job with PSUB activities and Convocations events (concerts, comedians, etc.).

GREEK IS LIFE at Purdue. With over 40 fraternities and 25 sororities, you are going to find someone like you with similar interests. If you decide to pursue greek life, you will dedicate a lot of your time to the organization. From rushing to pledge events, initiation, and community service, greek life is a big time commitment. Purdue athletics are exciting! Football at Ross-Ade is an experience and with one of the premier basketball teams in the nation beginning play in November, Boiler basketball will carry students through the winter to March Madness.

There are so many organizations on campus (over 800 I think), so it's pretty likely that you'll find something that fits. If not, that's not a problem, because you can start a student organization pretty easily. Being a part of organizations is how I've met a lot of my closest friends and gives me social and professional connections with people around the campus. However, I wish there were more weekend activities that didn't involve drinking. There is an organization which hosts several events through the course of the year, though they don't tend to get too good of turnouts.

In my experience, I have never had a lack of things to do during the week and on the weekend. Purdue is a very greek school, and if you are interested in joining the greek system, it is a great thing to get involved with on campus. However, if you don't join a house, that does not mean there are not things to do on campus. There are over 800 organizations on campus, and if you can't find one you can start your own. Getting involved helps you meet people, and its very easy to get to know people from all over campus. Some people think that the Purdue party scene is lame compared to other schools, eg. IU. I disagree; if you're looking for that kind of social life, you will be able to find it.

There are tons of organizations and activities at Purdue! I think it would be nearly impossible to not find something you want to participate in here, but if that's the case, it's really easy to create your own club. As far as social life around campus, there is always something going on. West Lafyette isn't necessarily a hopping town, but with 30,000+ college students around, you can always find people who are coming up with something fun to do.

There are TONS of opportunities to get involved at Purdue. No matter what you are intersted in, there is a group for you. I have been involved in everything from alumni relations groups to honor societies to athetic promotions. My extra-curricular involvement has been the highlight of my college career. I have met my best friends through student organizations, developed my leadership and other "soft" skills, and had tons of fun. Getting involved early was the best decision I have ever made! Another highlight of my time at Purdue is studying abroad. During the summer after my freshman year, I lived in Toledo, Spain, for six weeks, and last spring break I went to Taipei, Taiwan. Living out of the country and being immersed in different cultures has made me more adaptable, confident, and open-minded. I came back from both experiences with a different perspective on the world, and I would not trade those trips for anything. Athletics have been another interest of mine since coming to Purdue. I LOVE tailgating with family and friends and going to the football games on Saturdays during the fall. Our basketball team is emerging as one of the best in the country, and the excitement on campus is AWESOME (after all we are in Indiana where basketball is king!). I also enjoy watching our Division I softball and volleyball teams compete along with other 18 varsity sports teams. There are plenty of opportunities to compete in sports, too, from intramurals to club sports to pick-up games with friends. Socially there is a bit of everything - parties, movies, eating out on and near campus, quiet nights with friends, etc. We don't have the same culture or range of activities as a school in a bigger city, but considering we are in West Lafayette, Indiana, there is still a pretty good variety of social activities to fill your time.

Because there are so many students here, we have over 700 student clubs and organizations, which makes it easy to make friends, try new things, and really get plugged into campus. I would encourage anyone to get involved right away, just because it makes the transition to college that much easier. Many students are involved with fraternities and sororities, so if you are looking to go that route, Purdue is a great place to come to. I am really involved with Campus Crusade for Christ; it's where I've met my best friends. Besides our weekly meetings on Fridays, we have a lot of social stuff. A few weeks ago we had a barn dance, which was a blast, and this next weekend we are going on a retreat for the whole weekend, just to relax. Many people are unsatisfied with the lack of off-campus activities here, but there are things to do on campus. A lot of times my friends and I just end up goofing off in our rooms, watching movies, and just hanging out. Sports at Purdue are really big. We are a Big Ten school, so there's good competition in most every sport. Even though our football team isn't the best this year, the games are still really fun, just because a lot of people go. Basketball games are also really fun, and I'm looking forward to this season!

Fraternity and Sorority life rules at Purdue with the the 3rd largest Greek system in the nation. It's not to say you will not have a great 4 (or 5) if you choose to abstain from this system, but it is a great way to make friends and be social throughout college. Boiler Gold Rush (aka: BGR) is the largest student organization on campus and they plan all orientation activities every fall for the incoming freshmen class. Other recognizable organizations on campus include: Old Masters and Football season is the big event of the school year. Cheap tickets and a very spirited student section. We have the band, Purdue Pete, Rowdy, Gimlet and even the World's largest drum to cheer us on at each game. Tailgating is an event in itself and starts as early as 6am during home football games. The convication program a Purdue has something to offer for everyone. Musicals, Lectures, Thatre, and comedy. The Dali Lama even came my Senior year. Students get a discount on tickets with their ID. It you would rather see a movie the Union Student Board is constantly putting together events and screens for a very low price or free. Thursday night is the best night to go out! Most people go out Thursday-Sunday and the early-birds start on Wednesday. Work hard, play hard, or you will not pass your classes.

The social scene at Purdue is dominated by frat-boy keg-party culture. On the weekends, the tarp-cordoned-off lawns of the fraternities grace the town with pounding music and shouts of "WOOOO!!" at passing women. There is also a strong conservative-leaning Christian culture. Somehow, the large numbers of Indian and Chinese students don't seem to temper the white conservative culture and white frat-boy culture that predominates. I wonder if it is because most of the international students are graduate students. The undergrads far out-number them, and, being younger and more boisterous, define the social scene to a much greater degree.