So I know all about the opportunities for experiential learning, and that there are tons of clubs to join to make friends and get involved, and that obviously you are in Boston so plenty of music, culture etc. to find in the city. But are there ever any big campus events that bring students together to enhance a sense of community - big name music/Rock bands/entertainers; events on the quad when the weather is nice - those types of more All-campus type activities. I have the sense the answer is no but please correct me if I’m wrong.
Jason Derulo and AWOLnation are coming this weekend, Retta tomorrow night, and Josh Peck on Wednesday. In the past we’ve had Kid Cudi, Nelly, Sara Bareilles, Snoop Dogg. In the fall we bring speakers like Kevin Spacey, Sarah Silverman, Russell Brand. This year in our auditorium I’ve seen Adam Devine, Jay Pharaoh, Laverne Cox, and I’m going to both Retta and Josh Peck this week. Idk if this is true, but supposedly Chiddy Bang did a pop up concert on Centennial a few years ago.
RSA puts on a movie night on Centennial once a semester, with a huge inflatable screen and movies like Mean Girls, the Avengers, etc. This fall we had Pumpkin Palooza where the entire quad was covered in pumpkins for students to carve and paint, with caramel apple dipping, cotton candy, pumpkin pie, photo booths, etc. When it’s just nice outside, students are everywhere on all the grass- slacklining, playing ultimate frisbee, enjoying the Adirondack chairs.
I would think all of these qualify, but let me know if you have other questions.
@novafan1225 yes! That works! Thanks so much…
@novafan1225 what are some other high lights of northeastern’s student life?
Our school does not really have a huge sense of community. Most people do their own thing, although we do try our best to hold events on the quad during the warmer months there is not a huge feeling of everyone coming together and the “family” feel. You feel it for a couple weekends in the fall but it does not really return thereafter. My feeling is that most people here do not care much about clubs consistently because people are constantly entering and leaving campus for co-op, study abroad, dialogues, etc. and there is rarely that unity you get at most campus-centric schools and schools with large sports teams. It is agreeably difficult for Northeastern to be a campus-centric school without greek life, sports events, and a huge culture of established organizations and clubs (many are still growing and the campus is taking steps to be more progressive with the new orgs) while also being in a major city (people like to leave and make the most of the various things to do around Boston). If you have any further questions, please message me!
@hagbardceline to each his own, but I have had an entirely different experience than frostedcupcake. I just posted this on another thread, but I think it’s worth reposting: most everybody I know is very involved in at LEAST one, and a member of multiple. A capella, Greek life, interest based clubs, skiing/hiking, debate, student government, cultural orgs, dance groups, improv, theatre, politics, learning languages; I know people involved with each of those just within the few doors down my hall. We definitely do care about clubs, definitely have Greek life, and definitely have sports. Our sports aren’t crazily successful but it’s no worse than any other school outside the top 25. Our Doghouse isn’t humongous for most of the year (though it gets that way for BU games, Beanpot, homecoming, etc.) but they are CRAZY about the games and go hard as possible. It’s all there if you want to take advantage of it, and many do… my guess is frostedcupcake didn’t.
Speaking directly to what @novafan1225 said, I have actually very much taken advantage of every opportunity that interests me at this school. I am heavily involved in a business frat, a mentorship program for young girls in communities around Boston, and an activist club. I hold e-board positions in all these clubs and in addition I have started a mental illness awareness campaign and am working on a case team. Please don’t judge my on campus involvement based on my objective analysis of this school. Don’t get me wrong, I love Northeastern so much but I want to keep it as real as possible so you make the right decision and have the right impression if you haven’t visited. My biggest problem with clubs here is the lack of consistency as the executive board changes every semester and the the club dynamics become different under new leadership. There is more conflict and disorganization and a lot of the time what ends up happening is that there’s no resolution and the club becomes pretty inactive for most of the year. As I mentioned in another thread, I’ve found the clubs I am most passionate about and ran for e-board in order to enact real change within the organization and make it better. There are some clubs that are super involved and foster a sense of family and there are some that people just do as a resume booste but if you want to find your niche in clubs you’ve got several different choices and there are the ones that will give you what you want. In terms of the community feel, I think it is harder to have it at NEU because of the unfavorable weather most of the year which prevents us from holding activities on the quad and the stream of students coming in and out. But regardless CUP (council for university programs) and RSA (resident student association) really try to bring a variety of events to school. There are also parties every weekend and people celebrating even in the dead of winter (aka when the Pats won!!!) and St. Patty’s gets truly wild. When I mentioned lack of unityI guess I was comparing our school to campuses in the west coast such as USC and UCLA where I have friends and there is a much more vibrant, spirited and unified atmosphere but we do what we can for a city school. This school is amazing in many ways and has so much potential for further growth. My conclusion I guess is that student life is adequate and if there’s something you don’t like you can be a part of the change - I was! I hope my comments are helpful in some way or other 