Wabash College Top Questions

There is a definitive change on Friday afternoon and that is when Wabash goes from hardcore academics to weekend life. That can include performances at the fine arts center experience indiana trips (last year I saw the Vienna Boys Choir paid for by them) and a host of other events. The brothers in my fraternity also make regular trips to neighboring schools for the female aspects of social life and fraternities are active on the weekend as well.

Most student residences (whether dorms, on-campus housing, or fraternities) remain open and unlocked during the day and early evening. Students quickly form their own networks and social groups, but often expand out from those as they get older. Although students can be secluded and friendless, they almost have to be trying or else be extremely introverted. Wabash is a great place for gregarious guys, or those who want to be and are willing to try. Tradition is king at Wabash and exudes from every building. Major events include Homecoming, the Monon Bell game (a football game with rival DePauw University) and Pan-Hel week, a week of Greek drinking events (usually open to independent students as well).

If I'm awake at 2 am on a Tuesday, then I'm studying, like most of the rest of the campus at 2 am on Monday-Thursday. Everybody goes to football games. Everybody. Other events are hit and miss with student attendance. Before the College mandated auto-closing doors in new buildings, everyone at our fraternity kept their doors open most of the time. Fraternities are the lifeblood of the social scene. Greeks and non-Greeks can party together, but the best parties are always thrown by fraternities. Additionally, most of the College leadership is Greek, so fraternity members seem to lead the charge for non-party social events.

School activities and social life are very big on the Wabash campus. There are ten nationally recognized fraternities on campus with about a 60 to 40 ratio in favor of Greeks. But what transcends something as simple is that is every man on campus recognizes that he is a Wabash man first. Ergo, we view ourselves as one large fraternity, a brotherhood of men who believe in Wabash, and because of this unity, there is a lot of attendance at sporting events, especially football, and students immerse themselves in a multitude of activites. Studetns are always busy with extra-curricular activies outside of class, whether that be clubs, sports, intramurals, social functions, national acts, whatever. Students at Wabash are always active and participating in something that they can enjoy.

Through the week at Wabash, we are intenesly focused on our academic and extracurricular endeavors, but the weekends bring parties, girls, campus events, etc. My girlfriend and I have attended numerous free arts and cultural events which have broadened our horizons while giving us superb classy entertainment. If you are not a drinker, you are still welcome to hang out at parties and meet people from around campus. Unlike state schools or "dry campuses", Wabash Men learn to control their alcohol consumption and have a good time without doing irreparable damage. I have yet to try drinking and still have a great time with my friends at Wabash 9 weekends out of 10.

The social life at Wabash is not as bad as everyone may think. For me, there are always guys to hang out with at the fraternity. Most fraternities have at least one major party every year that is a lot of fun. Also, fraternites will have several small closed parties. In addition, Wabash will bring one or two acts in for a concert each year. It is true that there are times when you won't see a girl for a while, but you can't expect girls to be walking around campus during the week when they have class at their own campuses. On any given weekend, you can find girls somewhere on Wabash campus. The one problem with the social scene is the city where Wabash is located. It is not exactly a hip young college town. Although it isn't the greatest city, there are small local restaurants that have great food. Also, Purdue, IU, and other college campuses are within driving distance.

The biggest influence on social life is what fraternity a man is in (if he is in one). You'll see the same people over and over again for the next 4 years. Clubs and events get people out and mix them up, but when you go home to bed, it's in the same house as your pledge brothers that you've known throughout college. Wabash is so well-endowed financially that there's no limit to what you can do as long as you present a reasonable case to the Student Senate.

Fraternities make up 65{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body at Wabash. There is a stigma with the students: we know how to drink. We study VERY hard from Sunday through Friday afternoon. Once the weekend hits we cut loose. What can I say, this isn't that bad of a thing. The problem results when someone drinks not to socialize but to get away. Wabash is not different than any other school with this problem. This is where the Gentlemen's rule comes into affect. Patrol each other and help each other stay safe. That is how a gentleman would conduct himself. Campus events are very popular. Each organization brings in speakers and the opposing view goes to hear the other side. It stirs things up and gets the campus to debate the issues.

Study hard, party harder. We have a sense of tradition that if you go somewhere else, you aren't going to get.