Smith College Top Questions

The house system is wonderful, and creates a close knit community. Lots of events happen that do not involve alcohol, although I barely met any boys worthy of dating until I was able to go to the bars downtown (which are great). Still, when there are things happen, the social life is great. When it is the dead of winter things are tougher.

Depending on where you live on campus the social life is a bit different. The quad tends to be where the parties happen and the girls leave their doors open most of the time. I live in center campus where things are a bit more quiet. It is nice to be able to come back to a quiet house after you are out partying. The organizations are a big part of Smith life. Girls get very involved with organizations and they can be a really great way for people to meet friends outside of the house.

Smith has literally hundreds of organizations on campus, so it's really easy to get involved in absolutely anything!

The social life at Smith really is based in the houses. The houses have parties, low-key events, go on excursions...even eating dinner with your housemates is fun. Having access to 40-100 people you might not otherwise meet really broadens horizons. And it isn't like dorm life, where you'll never hang out with people. The houses are true houses, and your housemates become your family away from home.

Smith social life is slightly impaired in my eyes, but it does not detract from how I feel about Smith. You are usually with your closest housemates, and their friends and friends of their friends. You are not usually in a completely new setting with new people. There are house parties sometimes, and many many events in the campus center. Winter and Spring weekends are a lot of fun, and there is a lot going on then. The dating scene is mostly non existent, but you can certainly go looking for it if you want. I think it is nice to go to a school without the drama of relationships, but that is because I am straight, I'm sure lesbians do not feel the same way. Drinking is rare in my circle, but does happen on campus, but almost always it is responsible and in check.

Okay, so most of the suggested topics to talk about are important in my opinion so I am going to cover them all:: 1- what are the most popular groups/orgs/clubs/teams on campus: We are a very athletic campus, so varsity, club and intramural sports are very popular. The Smith DEMS are a big groups as well as our many fabulous a capella groups. In addition, our ethnic/racially based groups (South East Asian Alliance & Ekta) are popular as well. But everyone can find something they love and there are always participants. 2- Do students in dorms leave their doors open? YES YES YES.. on a weeknight, it can take you like 30 minutes to walk down a hall or like 5 hours to do your homework cause our doors are open and we all love to check in and see whats up. It is great for building house community. 3- Athletic events are pretty popular-- the Athletic Association bribes us to come to them with give aways! We have many amazing speakers like Gloria Steinam, Bill Baird, the Dali Lama-- great attendance. 4- If your a lesbian on campus, then you have tons of people to choose from on this campus alone, but if you are straight you need to work a little bit to date. You need to be willing to go off campus to events and parties to meet guys- but it is possible and not difficult. 5- I met my closest friends in my house, but walking on campus any given day you see tons of people you know who you could be friend with from class and groups, but you spend the most time with people from your house. 6- If i'm awake at 2 am on a Tuesday, I am probably procrastinating doing a big paper with friends, or watching Friends. Otherwise, weeknights I try to get to sleep no later than 1. But, if you are up that late, there is guaranteed to be someone somewhere to keep you company. 7- Traditions: Convocation: crazy costume/naked party in the JMG hall to mark the beginning of the school year and then partying in the houses til the wee hours of the morning. Mountain Day: President Christ calls a day of no classes on a beautiful October day and houses go apple picking or hiking. House parties: each house has one or two, themes, alcohol if you are over 21, dancing. SO MANY MORE, but i really need to get work done today 8- The partying on campus varies. Different types of people/houses party differently. A lot of people party only on the weekends, and often only one weekend night because we have a lot of work. But otherwise, there are some crazy parties, or some nights of drinking wine and watching movies with your friends = ) 9-Saturday nights w/o drinking:::: watching movies, going to the mall, having a dance party in the hallways, doing homework, playing board games in the livingroom, arts and crafts, slumber party! 10- Off campus: PARTY AT FRATS, TAKE CLASSES, GO TO PERFORMANCES/EVENTS, MAKE MALE FRIENDS.

There is always something to do on campus every night of the week. Smith offers great clubs and organizations as well as great guest lecturers and other on campus events.

There is too much to do on campus. Unless it's finals week, you could fill your entire weekend with parties, lectures, field trips, concerts, shopping trips, movies, community service, etc. Not to mention the house activities or activities on the other four colleges' campuses. Then there is just relaxing with friends, watching movies or tv (free cable); if you don't feel like going out but want some more excitement, there's the campus center pub, a little bar on campus, where on the weekends you can grab a drink in your pajamas. The only thing Smith doesn't offer are fraternities or sororities. Many students are concerned that at a women's college, you won't meet men. Judging from the number of guys I meet at breakfast on Sunday mornings, it can't be too difficult. Your biggest problem will be finding time for you homework in between social activities.

There's always something going on somewhere on campus. Also house community plays a big role in the Smith experience. There are house events, support and in general always someone up a t 2 a.m. if you need to talk. :)

The social life is pretty lame, I think. People who stay up until 2 AM are probably doing it because of a test or assignment. I prefer to go into town to satisfy my social cravings.