Wheaton College-Wheaton Top Questions

I'm the captain of Wheaton Crew. Crew is an amazing sport and requires a huge amount of dedication... we wake up at 4:30am several mornings each week to practice on the Fox River. We travel all around the midwest, driving even as far as Georgia for regattas on the weekends. Our team is made up of about 40 people and it's completely student-run. Even though we don't have a coach, we're still pretty good. Our women's varsity A boat placed 4th this year at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston! The dating scene is a little awkward, to say the least. I haven't ever been asked out by a guy at Wheaton. Our school is so small that if someone asks you on a date, the whole school knows that day... so guys just shy away from it. However, if you do happen to find that special someone at Wheaton, you can count on a "ring by spring"! Several of my friends are already engaged or talking about getting married right after graduation.

Sometimes life can get a little boring. Since drinking is against our "community covenant" or code of conduct there is a pretty small social scene. Sports and Intramural Sports are really popular, and our teams are really good and competitive. Most people are heavily involved in athletics or clubs.

There does exist a "Wheaton Underground" that still manages to break the covenant socially, but I would not suggest it. If you are looking for it, it is not hard to find, but if you are unaware, then you probably would not fit in anyway. Most people are involved in some sort of club or organization. As a Freshman, you often get excited and join a few...and by Senior year are either in nothing because you have been over spent, or because you are now involved in activities outside of Wheaton. Underclassmen in dorms have "Open Floor" nights, where members of the opposite sex are allowed in your room (with the door open) until 10 or 11pm. This at first seems lame and strict, but is actually embraced and often celebrated as you get older. Upperclassmen can members of the opposite sex over any time before 2am and after 9am (which turns out to be more like 6am). The Upperclassmen apartment thing is OFTEN not enforced and broken (having found men sleeping on the floors of my friends apartments). There are fun events such as "Kingdom Runs", where your floor, team, or group of friends streak to the "For Christ and His Kingdom" sign out on Blanchard lawn. This often happens at night...and often with guys more than girls. About half the campus dates, although it often seems like more. A handful (more than most colleges...but again, not as many as it seems) of Seniors have a ring by Spring. There are no frats. There are good music concerts, and there is cheap ice cream. Chicago is 45 min away by train ride and is a MUST at least twice a semester (some people go every week).

Aside from joining a club or team, there's not a whole lot to do at Wheaton. You could walk around downtown, throw some frisbee, or drink coffee at a local shop, but there's not much else. If you want excitement, go to Chicago. There is always something happening, whether it's a concert, play, musical, or art exhibit. The closeness to Chicago, and ease of access via the train makes the hum-drum nature of Wheaton incredibly bearable.

active and engaging. CHICAGO a train ride away--so fun!

Wheaton's proximity to dowtown Chicago is a huge plus...there is always something going on!

The best way to describe girls at Wheaton: It is easier to maintain a Crystal Meth addiction al four years of school than it is to hook up with a girl here. People feel this need to have hyper-serious dating relationships, which can be quite annoying.

There are a lot of planned official activities, none of them involving alcohol. There are also a few planned unofficial activities, very few involving alcohol. You would probably hardly hear about the last named unless you were really trying. As far as dorms... most people leave their doors closed, especially during open floor, it seems. People are fairly serious about studying and tend to do it mostly in the evening to late at night. The most common time to goof off during the week is in the afternoon, which can extend to the first while of darkness. During the weekend, people are usually out and about or doing homework or trying to avoid doing homework. Dating is fairly all-or-nothing here. Either you're not dating anyone at all ever or you're engaged. I work to keep my dating casual, but it is fairly against the grain here. With that said, obviously, there aren't many random hook-ups unless you're a part of the underground. I met my closest friends through random encounters. A lot of people tend to be closest to those with whom they live, but it doesn't always have to be that way. There aren't any official sororities that I know of, but some girl's cliques might as well be them.