I’m kind of surprised that Swarthmore even has greek life - it doesn’t seem to match the whole quirky vibe. I’ve heard it’s pretty low key, but since Swat is so small, I worry that it will effect the social scene more than it would at a larger school. Does greek life actually effect the social scene at Swarthmore at all? Are there, for lack of a better way to phrase this, frat boys doing stupid, stereotypical frat things?
There has been a ton of controversy about this in recent years. Thee was a vote on campus a couple of years ago on whether to retain Greek life; it remains at Swat. I would suggest you dig back on some of the old threads out here for more discussion. Also, the campus newspaper is online. Assuming the papers from that period are still online (they were at the time), go look at those. As an aside, campus papers are a GREAT way to get a view into what is going on at a campus, stuff you won’t hear about in tours or brochures. I’d suggest you read them where possible at every school you are considering, not just Swat.
At Swat the greeks are not residential houses, so that does tone down the influence. But @intparent has good ideas. I have a sophomore there now, and he has not mentioned the greek life once, so my impression is that it is not an overwhelming presence. But we haven’t specifically talked about it (and he’s about the opposite of a party-animal).
Greek life is basically nonexistent unless you make an effort to be apart of it. Most of the students who go Greek here are baseball and lacrosse players, and each group occupies one of the two frats here on campus. I think we have a sorority as well, but there isn’t even a house for them. Basically, one of the frats throws a party every Saturday and that’s pretty much their only presence on campus. You most certainly don’t have to go to the parties, and many people don’t. They get boring after your freshman year anyways.
D just spent an overnight at Swat. Impression is that there is a split among the student body. Athletes, who drink and many of whom belong to greek life, non drinking or dry kids who obviously are not in greek life and sort-of-in-between types. Overall, D’s big surprise was how toned down the non academic activities were, out of all the small LACs she has visited it was the most serious and least ‘fun’ of the bunch. So it depends on what you are looking for… a serious school or a school with many after school activities…
@Regulus7 yeah, that’s another thing I’m worried about with Swat. Obviously it’s an amazing school, but I think the environment might be too stressful for me. My high school is kind of a pressure cooker, and I don’t want my college to be a pressure cooker too. I know there’s going to be a lot of work no matter where I go, but I don’t want to be spending all my time being stressed out about all the work I have to do. @swattiegal, you go to Swat, right? Does it sound like it might not be for me?
My high school was also a pressure cooker and man, I was seriously overdone by the time I left for Swat. The hard sciences here are really intense (or so I hear from my friends), but those same friends are also on the rugby teams which are known for their singing and drinking. As a social studies/humanities special major, I can say that with a normal class schedule I’d have over 500 pages of reading a week, plus papers and projects here and there. But you know what that taught me? How to gauge what homework I need to do 100%, 75%, 50%, or 0%. I never got that skill in high school and I know it will help me after I graduate this year.
ALSO! Another benefit to Swat is that you, @lalalemma, have probably never been average in your life. Which I can assure you has almost definitely messed you up somehow (it’s not a bad thing, just the way it is!) Everyone at Swat has that same complex, so when we are traumatized by Swarthmore (I cried SO HARD when I got my first paper back freshman year… first C I ever got in my life!) we all support each other in a way that a lot of people can’t understand. After 4 years (I’m back for a 9th semester apprenticeship type thing) I’ve finally learned that it’s okay to be average – even though being average at Swat still means you’re pretty boss, it was nice to finally realize that I am a valuable human being EVEN IF (gasp) I’m not in the statistical top 2%. I’ve finally learned to cut myself some slack (I had a day off today and so far I’ve spent all of it in bed watching TV).
Also people here LOVE to complain, which is both annoying and cathartic. We play a game called “Misery Poker” and it goes something like this:
BOB: Ughhhhh kill me, I have two lab reports due tomorrow and I haven’t even started! And it’s already 4 pm!
JOE: Oh yeah? That sucks man. Still, wish I only had two lab reports due… I’ve got 250 pages of theory to get through, plus the first draft of my thesis AND to top it all off I have 3 hours of rehearsal tonight and my director’s already mad at me for taking time off because I had the swine flu!
SUE: Dude I feel you, I’ve got a huge test on Tuesday that I haven’t been able to study for because I’m too busy doing MCAT stuff, plus my special research project with Professor Frink is going horribly because even though I spend 6 hours in the lab every day my samples aren’t developing at the proper rate! Also my girlfriend just broke up with me. And my purse got stolen. And my dog is dead. Just like my soul.
…It’s the game where EVERYONE loses! [insert cheesy, dead-eyed smile here.] But then again Bob, Joe, and Sue probably love the ever-living crap out of at least ONE of the things that they’re studying, and this little game was played during the middle of a late-night discussion about the failing infrastructure that contributed to the neglect and gentrification of post-Katrina New Orleans… which sounds depressing as hell but was actually incredibly interesting and enjoyable and passionately fueled by all, even though it’s not usually one of their specific interests (seriously, I have learned SO MUCH here just from listening to my crazy smart friends).
TL;DR: Everyone here is stressed but at some point you will learn to let the small stuff go and it will make you a better human. Also, you’re only as good as your friends, who are some of the most amazing and passionate and bizarre people you’ll ever meet in your life.
Sorry this answer was so long, as I said I have a day off and I don’t know what to do with myself! xD
@lalalemma: It is good that you are asking these questions now. Over time, you should find several schools that are a good fit (and others that are not). As for Swarthmore, it is demanding, but many students are able to participate in a range of activities while keeping up with their studies. We were on campus recently and spoke with a student who serves as a resident assistant, a teaching assistant, and a tour guide, while also playing a varsity sport. We know of many others with similar schedules. Obviously, such a schedule is not for everyone; I mention it only to reinforce the point that many students can balance schoolwork and multiple extracurricular activities.
By the way, there was a short thread about misery poker earlier this year. It provides a slightly different perspective on the matter: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/swarthmore/1754330-misery-poker-please-explain.html