<p>My mom wants me to post this because she knows that I don't get along with hipster/activist types, even though I'm a nerd and a liberal myself. It's not my fault for being intolerant---I have tried and tried to befriend hipster/activist students at my school, but they reject my friendship because I like the "wrong" music, movies, TV, books, and art. I don't want this pattern to repeat itself at Earlham.</p>
<p>I’m old, so you’ll have to help me – please define “hipster.”</p>
<p>The definition of the word “hipster” is controversial to say the least, but I define a hipster as someone who is too “cool” and “alternative” for their own good. Hipsters think that their taste in independent music, avant garde art, quirky cinema, unusual fashion, and postmodern literature is the be-all and end-all, and they will patronize and ignore anyone who disagrees. Imagine them as reverse-intolerant anti-preps.</p>
<p>My son is a sophomore at Earlham and he is NOT an activist or a hipster, but more of a nerd. All of his friends are just like him, very liberal, but not way out there. They’re a great group of kids who don’t drink or do drugs. They play video games and computer games, go out to dinner, movies, bowling, but mostly hang out in each others rooms. They also do a lot of cooking in the dorm kitchens. Actually, every time I’ve been out there, I see more kids like him then the so called activists. It’s a very accepting college of all types of people. My son loves it there and is definitely being intellectually challenged. I went through the same thing when I decided to attend a rather large extremely liberal activist type of campus. My parents didn’t want me to go, but I did, loved it and did fine. Not everyone was like that, you can find your niche especially at Earlham.</p>
<p>My D is a senior at Earlham, from California. Since she’s home for the holiday I asked her about the population of hipsters at Earlham. She said they’re there, but not in particularly large numbers (she said that a number of them live out at “the Farm”). She herself is neither hipster nor nerd, and has a wonderful group of like-minded friends. She has always said that Earlham has a very diverse student body and that there’s “someone for everyone”, no matter what sort of person you are. With a school like that you really have to visit to see if it feels right to you.</p>
<p>My freshman D also confirms the presence of hipsters, but as utzybuzzy and suzybelle have said, Earlham is nothing if not diverse. There will be exceptions, but people tend to be tolerant and accepting of almost anything that’s not outright destructive. There are alot of student clubs and school activities where you can find other students who share your interests and values. </p>
<p>I agree with utzybuzzy that you should visit if possible, just so you can feel the Earlham vibe for yourself.</p>
<p>My son and I visited, agree with the previous posters. We spent a fair amount of time with a number of students, felt very much like they were very accepting people. Very, very comfortable environment. I think I know what the OP is talking about, we visited a few schools where it felt like it would not be confortable if one were not conforming in the non-conformity. Earlham definitely not like that at all.</p>