<p>I am a senior who is currently considering Kenyon for college next year.. that is, if I get in!
The school seems to be a wonderful match for me, but I do have one major hang-up. I was wondering if any current students, especially ones who have attended the school for a longer period of time (juniors-seniors), find themselves bored at Kenyon or with really nothing new to do in the surrounding area. Coming from a large city myself, I naturally think that having an urban area nearby helps with this kind of thing. I know Kenyon is only about an hour north of Columbus, but the distance seems prohibitive to actually traveling there more than once or twice per semester.</p>
<p>So basically, I am willing to challenge myself and try living in a rural environment for four years. I think that it would be a great change of pace for myself and expand my horizons. But before I make that commitment, I was wondering if anyone had some feedback or found themselves in a similar situation and has advice to give. I'm simply worried that after three or four years at the school, the charm of Gambier will have faded and I'll start to regret attending such an isolated school. Any advice is welcome!!</p>
<p>To start off, I am a Freshman so I know what you mean about wanting a junior or senior to write in but I’ll give you my input and you can do with it as you want. During the warmer months i.e. fall and spring, there are plenty of things to do and it is quite enjoyable to be outside and all. I come from a suburban area, about 40 min outside of chicago, so I understand your dilemma. There is a town about 5 minutes away with lots of chain food stores including mcdonalds and walmart. Although you can get most things you need there really isn’t a whole lot in town to do other than a few restaurants, a movie theater, and walmart. Columbus is about an hour away as you said and yes practically speaking you can really only go in once or twice a semester but it is a nice break. On the weekends there tends to be fraternity parties, but the school also brings in speakers and comedians and such to the school. Each semester they bring a relatively popular band to campus with last semesters being Chiddy Bang. If you are worried about city life and being able to go downtown whenever, then Gambier may be a little stretch. However, if you are ok with hanging out around campus with friends and going to parties on the weekend then you will be fine. A lot about Kenyon is what you make of it and the mentality you have during the year. I hope that at least gave you some idea of what goes on here during the year. If you have any more questions I’d be more than happy to ask</p>
<p>One of the big reasons I came to Kenyon is that I grew up in an urban area and wanted something different, ergo Knox County. It sounds like you’re coming from a similar place so I felt compelled to post and assuage your fears. </p>
<p>A lot of the college experience happens in a bubble. That’s true of almost anywhere you go. Kenyon’s location will seem foreboding on your first drive into campus, but that’s honestly going to be one of the last times you notice it. </p>
<p>You won’t see people at Kenyon who are bored, but there are a small minority here that are bored. How? Because you don’t see the later. If you make even the slightest of efforts to connect or to form friendships and to be social, you’re going to be happy here. That’s why the retention rate here is what it is, because people are happy. </p>
<p>You’ll find things to do. I promise. I could get into specifics but I feel like my analysis would be a little skewed to my male perspective, and I didn’t pick up a gender from your post.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for the replies! I really appreciate the inside perspective. Now I’m even more excited about Kenyon–I might interview there in a week or so! And yes, 468975, I am a guy! :D</p>
<p>One of my students is seriously considering Kenyon, but she is worried that she may get bored. I assured her that Columbus is close by (45 minute drive) and that there is plenty to do there. Am I off or is that a pretty accurate assumption.</p>
<p>As a Ohio native, I can say that there are definitely a ton of things to do in Columbus. It’s the state capital and the largest city in Ohio, so there are lots of museums, restaurants, parks, and shopping–as well as one of the nation’s largest universities, Ohio State. I think the issue with kenyon is actually GETTING to Columbus haha! 45 minutes is a little prohibitive. When I visited, I was told that most students only went a couple of times per semester because they never really felt the need to leave the Gambier/Mt. Vernon area. It seems like most kids are very happy with the on/around campus options.</p>
<p>Alexandre,
You are right that Columbus is about an hour away from campus, but that is only if your student has a car to get to Columbus. There is no car or bus that will take you from campus to Columbus except for breaks to the airport. On the other hand, people do not travel to Columbus very often because it can be a long drive students do not go downtown unless the know where they are going. By this, I mean that students do not just go downtown and look for something to do but rather have a specific place in mind to go.</p>