<p>My D only has experience in 2 halls thus far. She was in Trever last year and is an RA in Hiett this year. My take is that residence life is pretty decent. The RAs put together programs and a good number (but certainly not all) residents take advantage of them from time to time throughout the year. The residence halls are clean and well-maintained from what I have seen.</p>
<p>The alcohol use on campus is what I would call "relaxed" meaning that it is not promoted in any way and underage drinking is discouraged but some students have alcohol in the residence halls and there are a few fraternities on campus so there is alcohol there also. To my knowledge, the administration does not do random checks for alcohol in rooms, for example nor would they expel an underage student for underage drinking, I don't think. My observation is that alchohol use is common on campus but not as central to campus life as it is on, say, a Big 10 campus. The students tend to stay on campus and do not, in any large numbers, frequent the bars downtown that I can tell. I think this is a very good thing. Campus security has a pretty strong presence and if students are found to have had excessive alcohol, security will get them to the ER -- this is NOT a common occurrence but it does happen from time to time. Overall, my sense is that the role of alcohol on campus is moderate. My frame of reference is my own regional university experience and midwest Big 10 campuses (very strong alcohol presence). To my knowledge, the substance-free rules are followed in Kohler. For some residents, that means they do not drink or otherwise indulge and for others, it probably means that they do but don't want it happening where they live.</p>
<p>To your final question, residence halls are not segregated by groups although many conservatory students do request residence halls closer to the conservatory for convenience.</p>
<p>Good luck -- we think Lawrence is a wonderful school.</p>
<p>Kohler is called "tower of purity" given it's the tallest building in Appleton, and "substance" free meaning no alcohol,tobacco or other weirdo stuff. (but u can get drunk outside, and return to the hall with alcohol in your stomach)
musicmomic, so your D is a sophomore? or she lived in Trever for couple years?
basically Hiett is the junior/senior hall for it is luxurious and is like an apartment!(very nice, but almost impossible for sophomores to get in)
Trever is slightly far out from campus, but will be close to the campus center in 2009, (living in trever is what we call the off-campus hall)
alcohol is not the main thing, but existence of it is inevitable. and yeah, most students don't frequent bars in downtown, cause we're college students and we're poor! haha cheers~</p>
<p>Son is in Hiett this year and it is very, very nice. I mean very, very nice with a view of the river through the floor to ceiling window. He started out in Plantz and loved it and then Sage.</p>
<p>Freshman daughter is in Ormsby and loves the close knit community and social life. They spent a relaxing weekend together at Bjorklunden last week...</p>
<p>I saw pictures also from what looks like a frozen tundra- presumably the lake. But inside it's warm and cozy. Several groups go every weekend it seems- classes, clubs, dorms, etc. It's a nice extra. I hope my d gets to return in the spring.</p>
<p>alex: out of curiousity, in the student world of LU, how are the substance free members viewed? Completely the same as any other student, or might they be considered like a 'different class' perhaps? ("*Those * students") I notice the 'tower of purity' epithet.</p>
<p>I was wondering the same thing. I don't drink or smoke (just a personal thing) and if I go to Lawrence I would be interested in the substance free dorm. What is it like? How are substance free students viewed?</p>
<p>There are a few jokes about Kohler; how it kind of is in the shape of a beer can and of course the tower of purity joke. However, it's actually a really nice dorm. The RAs there hold a lot of events in the dorms so there is a social scene there with other like-minded people. However, there also are a lot of other students sprinkled throughout all the dorms who don't drink or smoke. I live in Colman and my roommate doesn't drink, at all, ever. It's also really easy to avoid places where alcohol is going to be at. Most of the time, the sponsored parties on campus won't have it; you usually have to go out of your way to find it if you're underage. </p>
<p>People are in general respectful of other's choices here. Most people, if you say you don't smoke or drink, will be cool with that. There is occasionally the rude person or two who presses the issue, but most people here who smoke or drink won't pressure you to do it. If you ask nicely, they won't smoke around you either. The tower of purity comment is more of a joke than a jab at someone.</p>
<p>thanks everyone, your posts have been really really helpful
i'm just thinking about whether to go to Lawrence... it just sounds so nice, i think i've fallen in love with the school already XD</p>
<p>Haha, yeah 'tower of purity' was a joke.
Anyway,though it's small, LU is really a college with not much pressure social wise, you just hang out with people you like, the key is to keep an liberal mind for stuff...haha...(there were some culture shock for some international student for a like a week)</p>
<p>However, though the social scene is relaxed, don't expect the same in academics, because classes are rigorous and gradings are fairly tough. The good thing is even the most notorious jock or the most laid back person is a nerd near exams, which is a nice thing where the environment is good to study. </p>
<p>Kohler has nice location. Plantz too. = ) cheers~</p>
<p>thanks for the input on student life - helps a lot. Here is another question:</p>
<p>How competitve are the students regarding, say, grades? Some colleges draw the distinction in this regard of competitiive / cooperative ( I have heard from Kenyon and Earlham that students there are especially cooperative with each other. In fact, Earlham, I was told, does not even rank students.</p>
<p>Does Lawrence rank students? </p>
<p>How often do students study in groups? Is it allowed ?</p>
<p>Lawrence is proud of their honor code. Lawrence</a> University Honor Council and Honor Code
"No Lawrence student will unfairly advance his or her own academic performance or in any way limit or impede the academic pursuits of other students of the Lawrence community."
They help each other out. They study together. They sweat blood and tears together. It is a close community from what I have been told.</p>
<p>"The Honor Code is a great privilege and a great responsibility. The Faculty trusts that students will do honest academic work and this trust allows students certain privileges. For example, exams are frequently unproctored, or sometimes given as take-home exams. This privilege brings with it responsibility. Lawrence faculty and students, as members of our community, are expected to report all potential honor code violations, for example, cheating on exams or plagiarism on papers and assignments. This is our responsibility."</p>
<p>From what my son says, it works. I find it heartening in our society of cheats.</p>
<p>Agree with overseas -- the atmosphere is very rigorous but very supportive from what I have seen. More cooperative than competitive -- the students tend to celebrate one another's accomplishments. There is certainly some competition but that is not the predominating mode, I don't think.</p>