I know that there are a lot of on campus events, and such- but does it get boring or feel isolated?
I feel as if this shouldn’t be a problem for me- I’m really involved in clubs, outdoorsy, and a big partier- but I’m a little worried about the location. I hope that my fears will dissipate if I am accepted, attend and settle in. Anyone have anything to comment?
My daughter grew up in a major city with millions of people, and she can feel bored and isolated in a city of 250,000, so she wound up attending a university in a major city. I think the answer to your question is very personal, and you will know better than anyone else if you would feel bored and isolated at Kenyon College, or liberated at being on a beautiful campus surrounded by nature experiencing four distinct seasons, and comforted by all the familiar faces at the small college. Ask yourself whether you would want to be walking to lots of different restaurants whenever you like, attending major theater productions or concerts or professional/college sports at various venues, watching the latest movies in an IMAX theater, interning at a government office or major corporation during the academic year, riding public transportation to the airport to travel home, or otherwise taking advantage of what a big city has to offer. Or alternatively, whether you would be perfectly content visiting your friends on campus, hanging out playing cards or games and having a house party, going for hikes or runs in nature, reading a book, producing or attending small shows on campus with people you know on the stage, walking into the dining hall each day for all your meals and running into friends and classmates, leading clubs, etc. Both are fine experiences, but they are very different. You can of course do all of the things at a university in a city that you can do at one in the countryside, but the reverse cannot be said – you cannot do all of the things in the countryside that you can do in the city. However, that intimate and familiar environment of a small college cannot be replicated elsewhere, and that can be a very special and rewarding experience. If you want the best of both worlds, you could check out some LACs in major cities or their suburbs.
Hey there! I go to a high school close to Kenyon, so I’ve visited about 3 times, two of which to hang out. I am a city person, but there is just something about being in that environment that is so peaceful and comforting. They have a coffee shop that all the students kind of hang out at and study, so that was nice to see. I met a sophomore (tour guide) and she was actually going to study abroad in England, so the opportunities are endless even if you’re not in a big city. Mount Vernon is very close by, so there is civilization. Columbus is only about an hour away. People are extremely friendly and the architecture is very similar to schools like Duke. They grow a majority of the foods on campus at their local farm, so the food is very healthy. It is definitely not isolated, but very community oriented. Hope this gave you some insight.
Have you seen the film “Liberal Arts?” Most of the scenes were shot at Kenyon.
Hey everyone, thank you for your comments. I really appreciate the detail. I just was having a crisis about my ED1 to Kenyon, as it’s a big commitment. I realized soon enough that I was just freaking out for no reason- I love Kenyon, it’s just more rural than where I live so I got caught up in that.