Can someone explain the eating clubs? I understand that they are not exclusive which is great. However, do you actually eat your meals there as opposed to a campus dining hall? Or is it just a social/community service club/outlet? And if you have to take your meals at the eating clubs is it only with/for the other members? thanks.
Hopefully someone who knows more about this can weigh in, but I can tell you what I’ve heard from my son, who is a senior there. Girls do eat meals in the eating houses and each house has a chef. They also have some formals/social events and do community service. They are very inclusive and I think maybe you can even eat lunch there without being a member. I think he also said that if you join, you don’t have to do it all four years. There’s probably a lot I am missing because he doesn’t tell me very much.
Yes, @needscaffeine is right. Women join a house spring of freshman year and that semester just eat one or two meals per week. From sophomore year on you can eat 8 or 10 meals per week. It does seem like by senior year a fair number of members move into apartments on campus and leave the eating houses.
You can eat as a guest at other houses, and all parties are open to all students. I think the formal is the exception b/c it’s offsite.
My D is in house – had a rocky start but likes it now. The food is good and they have formals and other events, plus the community service projects… But it’s def. more low key than a sorority. Also, you can switch eating houses but I don’t think many do.
My D is happy to be a part of her house but it by no means dominates her college experience.