<p>I am currently trying to decide between Wake Forest and Wesleyan. It seems apparent that Wes has better reputation nationally, but Wes is still very much unknown to me as a whole. I cannot make WesFest, but I have the last weekend in April circled for a possible visit. While I am quite liberal, especially for the Bible Belt, I am somewhat concerned that Wes will be too much of a culture shock. Are the hippie/hipster stereotypes, etc. completely true? </p>
<p>I am comfortable with the academic compatibility of the school and I do long for diversity, but I am still slightly uneasy about the student body. Can any current students give me their impressions?</p>
<p>Can you be more specific about what you're uneasy about? Having been at Wesleyan for 4 years, it's sort of hard for me to see outside the world I live in and speak in generalities about the student body, especially since I'm pretty disconnected from what the current frosh are like.</p>
<p>As the steryotpes indicate, there are hippy types. There are hipsters. There are people who devote their life to activisim. There are people who do a lot of drugs. There are people who sit around strumming on their guitars and writing poetry. </p>
<p>HOWEVER, there are also preppy kids. Jocks. Geeky and dorky kids (said in the most affectionate way, as I am one of them ;) ). Kids who are quirky and off center without really fitting into a box. Intellectuals. Science kids. </p>
<p>Yes, the student body overall is very liberal. And yes, the sterotypes have some basis in reality. HOWEVER, Wes has a larger varity of people than its reputation would have you believe. </p>
<p>Try to visit if you can! I think that's the only way to tell if you will be comfortable here or not.</p>
<p>Hi Vicuna, I'm from Vestavia Hills, AL! Nice to see another Southerner.</p>
<p>Personally I didn't find the culture shock too great, but I was pretty liberal for my high school. Before I came here I was even afraid that I wouldn't be "weird" or "out there" enough for Wesleyan. Most of the kids here, though, fall solidly under normal, but it is true that the campus climate leans very strongly to the left. The best thing to do is, of course, to visit. If you have more specific questions, I'll answer them the best I can, I'm just not sure what you're getting at.</p>
<p>I apologize about the ambiguity. Basically, I simply mean that while I'm definitely not the typical "frat boy" type of guy, I'm concerned that I may been too preppy for Wesleyan. Politically, I am absolutely left-wing, and I love nothing more than to discuss and debate politics. So I should be fine there. </p>
<p>And while I am eager to meet different kinds of people, especially given the homogeneous nature of my state and town, I am somewhat frightened by all the stereotypes I hear about Wes. (i.e. bathing and/or shaving not popular, lots of drug usage, etc.) In short, I am very unique, creative, and liberal for Alabama. But by Wes' standards, I'm not sure. More specifically, I suppose, I'm interested to know are typical weekend/free time activities, etc. </p>
<p>By the way, ishuku, I'm about an hour northeast of your hometown.</p>
<p>We advertise a lot of student events on Wesleying, it should give you a decent idea of what students do in their free time. Look for posts titled "weekend update" or "weekend roundup", especially. We're by no means comprehensive, but it is a wee sampling:</p>
<p>It sounds like you have a very hippie, Reed College-ish image of Wesleyan. I would venture to say that hippies are actually a dying breed here. This definitely is not the PCU of yesteryear. 99.9% of Wesleyan students bathe daily. Most girls shave their legs. Most guys shave their beards. On a walk around campus you will see birkenstocks as well as polo shirts. Recreational drug use is, in fact, prevalent, but judging from CollegeHumor.com, we're no worse than Ohio State. </p>
<p>For you, it sounds like not visiting during Wesfest might actually be a good decision. While Wesfest is a LOT of fun, it's not an entirely accurate depiction of how Wesleyan is during most of the school year. Yes, Wes students are wacky and extroverted, and we love pulling stunts, but during Wesfest everything goes as a frenetic pace and it's basically Wesleyan times 3284902384902980. I came and had a blast, but most of the time, it's definitely much more chill.</p>
<p>Vicuna, you don't have anything to worry about. Come visit if you can, but I think you'll be fine. The bathing/drug use is a non-issue -- anything you've heard is probably pretty overblown. Most students don't deviate significant from the norm (for left-leaning middle class suburbanites) in those regards.</p>
<p>Ishuku, I'm definitely not opposed to partying or a fast paced weekend, and so I wish I could attend WesFest, but hopefully I can get a good feel on a regular weekend. </p>
<p>Thanks, everyone. That helps alot. As you can imagine, legitimate information about Wes is somewhat limited down here. But I'm going to plan to take a visit later this month and get a taste of it firsthand.</p>
<p>Pot seems to be everywhere, but, I don't think its an <em>essential</em> part of social life. I also think that because its scent travels so far and lingers so long, that its easy to assume everyone is doing it. I don't think they are. </p>
<p>Contributing factors in its prevalence are 1) its relative ease of concealment (unlike an illegal keg of beer) and, 2) more disposable income among higher income students. There are probably other drugs on campus but they carry a much bigger stigma than pot. </p>
<p>Don't ask me for a %age because then you'd have to get into things like 1) buyers and sellers, 2) casual moochers, 3) people who've never done drugs, 4) people who have but, no longer do. It's not an easy thing to deduce from a cloud of smoke.</p>
<p>It's there. No doubt. But by no means does everyone do it...and honestly, I don't even find it to be "everywhere." Within my circles of friends, about half smoke pot or eat pot laced baked goods sometimes...when they do, it tends not to be directly around the rest of us. At parties it tends to be less noticable than alchohal use. </p>
<p>OTOH, you do see people smoking it out on Foss Hill. In the end, it will vary with who you hang out with and where you live, of course.</p>
<p>As for harder drugs, I know one person who sometimes does ectasy, but that's it. They really don't have to factor in to your life at all unless you want them to.</p>
<p>i am going to be frank about this: you can find almost anything if you try. i don't even do drugs (medical issues) so i'm not an expert or anything on it. what i do know is that while you can find whatever there is very very little pressure to actually use. even things like alcohol and pot, i've never had any problems turning down. people really respect your decision. also, it's not a big part of the social scene by any means; the option is just there. the university has a fairly stringent drug policy, btw.</p>
<p>these are relatively common:
alcohol/tobacco
marijuana
study drugs (mostly adderall)
any other kind of prescription drug...xanax and other downers especially.
coke (surprisingly common)</p>
<p>harder to find; availability generally restricted to a few times a year (but you can find them if you look hard enough, i bet):
shrooms
lsd
ecstasy</p>
<p>pretty rare, but i've seen them around:
opium
research chemicals
dmt</p>
<p>never seen or even heard of people using:
heroin
crack
meth</p>
<p>i have never, ever had a problem with it, no. i do get offered it, because people are into sharing, but my choice has never been questioned or mocked. everyone is very respectful about the personal decisions of other people.</p>
<p>I've also never felt pressured to do pot (or anything else). As ishuku said, I am offered, but it is in the spirit of sharing, and a simple "no, thanks" is all that's needed.</p>
<p>And therein is one of the best examples of Wesleyan's culture-- people are totally accepting of each other's personal choices. No one will ever question you if you do or don't smoke, drink, do drugs, sing, dance, act, protest, write, teach, learn.... it's up to you and other people will respect you for it. I have a lot of friends who don't drink or smoke and they have had no issues with people pressuring them either directly or indirectly.</p>
<p>Quite possibly. I do have some friends(/people who hang out with my friends) who do a LOT of drugs, but they tend to just hand out with each other while they are doing anything harder than pot.</p>