<p>I found this paragraph from an op-ed in the most recent issue of the Maroon quite interesting.</p>
<p>
[quote]
We students spend a lot of time and money to have our r</p>
<p>Haha obviously this article makes heavy use of hyperbole, but a lot of the columnist’s points ring true. In terms of student life, Hyde Park now reminds me of the West Philly surrounding UPenn in the mid-90s. HP is sorely lacking in the college-neighborhood feel. It’s REALLY parent-friendly (lots of bookstores and cafes), but in terms of college life (the late night eateries stumbling distance from the dorms, bars, etc.), it’s pretty lackluster. </p>
<p>There are a few reasons for this, but I think it all ultimately comes down to this: U of C The college is basically grad school in undergrad. Now, it’s like a closely-knit, large, welcoming grad school, but in looking for ways to describe the experience, it’s best to describe it as grad school for undergrads. I say this because, at other schools, academics can take a backseat to EVERYTHING else if a student so desires. At U of C, as far as I know, this simply isn’t possible. Every major, from sociology to math to art history, is pretty demanding. Sure, you can do well and grade inflation has started to rule the day, but as long as the trimester system rules and professors try to cram a semester’s worth of reading and learning into a trimester, the U of C keeps its vibe going. It’s why the malaise that hits Chicago students closely mirrors what a lot of grad students have to say about their PhD programs. They may generally love their classes and what they’re learning, but the intensity of the grad school experience can make life a bit of a grind. </p>
<p>With all this in mind, I’ve often wondered about ways to improve the student life aspect at Chicago. It’s saddening to note that - even when using hyperbole - Chicago Maroon writers still refer to Chicago as “miserable”. Op-eds like these seem to pop up at least once every trimester (or quarter in the Chicago vernacular). </p>
<p>With that in mind, what are some initiatives that could be undertaken to make student life better? Just throwing money at the problem and creating bars and clubs is NOT the answer. The core of the college at chicago is essentially creating a grad-school like experience for undergrads, so academics will of course rule the day, and most students just can’t find the time in a busy trimester to party 3-4 nights a week. </p>
<p>I was thinking one option would be to expand the pub in Ida Noyes. Move the Chicago maroon to a new place, and really spruce up the pub. Expand its menu options, and make it open for all classes (with of course only those 21+ able to drink). Have weekly quizzo nights, maybe some specials for different dorm houses during different nights of the week (that might encourage mingling between houses). </p>
<p>I don’t know if this is possible, but if the school could get involved with the greek life in productive ways, it might help student life. Most chicago students aren’t going to get trashed 4 nights a week. If the different frats spruced up their houses (some of the houses in my day were atrocious), and offered a late night drink option on wednesdays or thursdays, that might work well. </p>
<p>Also, maybe expand Doc films to become an expanded movie theater? Bring in actors and speakers to Doc films more readily - and maybe show mainstream films more often. I think library culture is huge at Chicago, and the school should create social options around this. Kids will be at the library studying until late, so maybe have weekly study breaks that feature late night food from the neighborhood, or activities like that. </p>
<p>Big point of the matter is, Chicago undergrad is going to - and should - keep its feel as grad school for undergrads. Once it loses that intensity, it will lose its character. All interested parties should proceed with this idea in mind, and look to find activities and venues that will lead to the happiest grad-school in undergrad environment as is possible. Acknowledge that academics takes the front seat, and develop activities that work around that. It’s why quiz bowl nights, jeopardy nights, late night food, and the like could be good. All the social stuff SUPPLEMENTS the academic environment - and the social stuff should be created in an easy-access way. At other schools the social experience can be central, but at Chicago, the social stuff should buttress the academic mission. This means more study breaks, movie nights, or basically social options that work seamlessly with an intense academic environment. Again, these are all just thoughts, and I’m eager to hear what others think.</p>
<p>I just get disappointed when I read articles like the one unalove posted above. Yes, it’s tongue-in-cheek, but I hope for the day when students can’t even smirk any more about how “miserable” the U of C is, because calling Chicago miserable would not carry ONE KERNEL of truth.</p>
<p>I have to say that I thought that op ed was moronic and completely unfocused. What does Ms. McNear’s desire for a high-paying job and her whining about being miserable have to do with a community garden and the Obama Presidential Library?</p>
<p>The community garden thing is completely a non-issue. Of course it’s a nice community institution. Of course the people who are happy with it there don’t want to move it. Does that mean you don’t build the new Theological Seminary building where it makes sense to build it? Of course not! Google Earth shows a heck of a lot of vacant land in Woodlawn. Should the University kick in some bucks to help the gardners reestablish elsewhere? Of course! But giving squatters’ rights to some nice zucchini plants and a chance for neighbors to say howdy – that’s just nuts.</p>
<p>I completely missed her point about the Obamabrary. That Zimmer et al. were uncool? That’s a surprise?</p>
<p>Meanwhile, none of the kids I know at Chicago seem to think that it owes them a high-paying job. It owes them intellectual training and a context in which to accomplish things, experiment, and enjoy each other’s company. You have to get on public transportation to go to Belmont or Ukranian Village? Boo-hoo-hoo!</p>
<p>Sure these articles may be ill-advised and “moronic,” but fact of the matter is, at least once or twice a quarter, some columnist writes an article on the “misery” that is U of C. It’s pretty much always tongue-in-cheek or filled with hyperbole, but I have a feeling more than a few students read these op-eds and - just like unalove - feel like there’s a kernel of truth in them. </p>
<p>This has been going on since at least the late 90s. As far as I know, no other top school (except for perhaps Columbia) sees the constant recycling of this theme in the student newspaper time and time again. It’s disappointing to see.</p>
<p>I enjoyed the comment about the cape. Of all the colleges we toured, Chicago was the only one where we spotted a young man in a cape! We also saw many other purposely outlandish outfits. My son has no problem with nonconformity; in fact, he cultivates it to an extent, albeit in pretty subtle ways. But this dude, coupled with several other “costumes” we saw, as well as other vibes we picked up, contributed to the feeling our whole family had that Chicago was just kind of a pretentious place. He was attracted by the “where fun comes to die” motto, and got the joke. But the visit just turned him off. He was accepted but turned it down for a “lower ranked” school (I guess I should post on that thread too). I admit I keep second-guessing his decision though, which is why I keep peeking in at the Chicago forum.:)</p>
<p>Here’s a way to think of it:</p>
<p>Pretend I’m a columnist for the Maroon. I have to write something once a week. I have two general topics to choose from.</p>
<p>A. I am enjoying my classes. The weather is chilly, but nothing miserable. I just spend three hours surfing facebook. </p>
<p>or</p>
<p>B. Let me whine, complain, and snark! It’s fun!!111!!! </p>
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<p>One of the problems (attributes?) of Chicago is that people take their academics seriously. When I went to sit in on classes at another elite college that one of my relatives attended, I noticed that there was a range of levels of interest; there were the kids who were very active and clearly did the readings carefully, the kids who tucked a copy of Sports Illustrated into their notebook, and the ones in between. </p>
<p>At Chicago, I would say that in a class of 20, 18 or 19 are actively engaged with the material, with only a few people clearly devoting class time for online shopping and facebook messages. The majority of the class is really, really into it. So, if anything, it’s the culture of the school and the students who tend to come here. And it’s quite likely that those 1 or 2 online shoppers or chronic class-cutters are up to interesting things.</p>
<p>If I only did academics and paid work, I could party 3-4 nights a week, too. And I have gone for stretches of weeks here and there where I did party and socialize 3-4 nights a week. However, I have a lot of commitments that are, to me, far more valuable (and interesting!) than partying. If Chicago wanted to be more social, as in Thirsty Tuesday social, it would definitely have to get wealthier students to attend and students who actively want to party as much as they can. Most of us spend the 10-15 hours a week that we (hypothetically) could spend partying at part-time jobs. If Mommy and Daddy gave us all generous allowances… or Chicago was rumored to be “work hard, party hard”… things might be different.</p>
<p>Ah, unalove, but I fear “work hard, party hard” is EXACTLY what’s on the lead page of the first-year admissions page.</p>
<p>As for me and mine, we are Ted purists.</p>
<p>I’m not sure on the statistics for this, but I think Chicago students probably come from pretty similar economic backgrounds as their peers at NU, Cornell A&S, etc. There might be some slight variation in percentages, but all top schools feature an enormous amount of kids from wealthy backgrounds. There might not be as much overt wealth as say, princeton, but Chicago kids mostly come from upper middle class backgrounds. I’d be shocked if the majority of the class came from middle class backgrounds.</p>
<p>Also, you mention that you have maybe 10-15 hours free to hang out/party a week. What’s different is, at other schools, kids have maybe 25-35 hours a week free to do this stuff. Again, Chicago undergrad is like going to grad school in college. Most college students - even at top schools - have far, far more free time than their compatriots at Chicago. With a trimester system, everything always feels more rushed. Chicago is more intense generally because of the way it’s structured, and that gives the school its distinctive character.</p>
<p>If Chicago ever LOST its “grad school at the undergrad level” vibe, that’s when matters would really get to be touch-and-go.</p>
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<li><p>I have more than 10-15 free hours a week; I just don’t spend my free time partying. I technically could. I just don’t. And that wouldn’t change no matter what school I went to. What I meant to say was that if most of our students had 10-15 more free hours a week than what they currently have, then a good chunk of that time might go into partying. And presto, U of C becomes more of a party school.</p></li>
<li><p>I’m sure that there is wealth here, but it’s a more mute kind of wealth compared to what I was culture-shocked into on the east coast. I come from a middle-class background inside of an area that contained both very poor and very rich, and went from public schools to prep school in the blink of an eye. The kids from my high school and ones like it attend elite colleges in droves; almost none of them attend schools like Chicago. Because their parents support them 100%, they have even more time to make fools of themselves if they so choose. By comparison, almost everybody I know has a paying job, way more than the 50% of students who are on financial aid. Perhaps this is the case at other institutions, in which case I would argue that part-time job + active interest in academics + extracurriculars= not tons of free time. At any school. But at Chicago, that’s how almost everybody operates.</p></li>
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<p>S1 reports to me that the “where fun comes to die” meme is grossly over exaggerated. He seems very happy with sunny disposition all around. Methinks the kids wear the “miserable, tough U Chicago” as a badge of honor, rather than a source of real gripe.</p>
<p>When I was working in an internationally renowned research lab with a reputation for relentless pressure for excellence and original research, we all griped about it endlessly, but secretly we were all so fiercely proud to be part of that institution. </p>
<p>It’s just a rite of passage.</p>
<p>Unalove - yah at other schools I think the difference is, there are a lot of ways to make the academics take a far, far backseat to everything else. At Chicago, if you have a paying job, you also have to keep up with the academics. </p>
<p>What surprised me the most at other top schools is that there are a bunch of majors that are, well, easy. Combine that with a chill semester system (compared to the crunched feeling of a trimester), and you just get a very different vibe.</p>
<p>Intense is right. This is the first time we’ve visited during regular classes. Between 3 problem set classes, 1 extensive reading class, and a tutoring job Saturday morning, we were only able to squeeze about 6 hours of time with S (including lunches, dinners, and a one and a half hour concert) between Thursday and Sunday over Parents Weekend. He’s not complaining, though. We are.</p>
<p>Cue, I like the analogy to UG @ Chicago = grad school – certainly that’s the way S has approached it. His job as a math Junior Tutor basically ensures he has five classes a quarter (he’s required to sit in on the lectures for his class, plus run the recitation section and grade papers). He’s also involved with a couple of other campus activities. He likes being this busy, though – says it’s easier to keep organized.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Believe me, unalove, I am sympathetic to the demands of being a columnist and needing to write something, anything. It just seemed to me that this particular column was singularly uninspired – a bunch of random stuff, any part of which might have been developed into a decent column, but instead it was all stuck together with a little chewing gum.</p></li>
<li><p>I don’t know if I buy the undergraduate-grad school idea, but unalove seems on to something about what contributes to Chicago’s special culture. When I think about how my kids spend/spent their time – school work represents a bunch, of course, and paid work (one year my daughter was actually drawing 4 university paychecks – they had to cut her off, because she was technically a full-time employee for a month), volunteer/extracurricular work, and sports (or at least exercise). And then there is doing stuff in Chicago – rock shows, theater (mostly fly-by-night, underground), the Art Institute, cheap restaurants, thrift shops. And food shopping and preparation, including dinner parties with friends at your or their apartment. Put that all together, and toss in a little hulu (and its less-legal equivalents) and Facebook, and occasionally a smidgen of romance, and there really wasn’t a whole lot of extra time for the getting-wasted variety of fun.</p></li>
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<p>Their lives are not characterized by constant academic intensity, not by a long shot. Misery, neither. But there isn’t a lot of room left for toga parties.</p>
<p>Speaking of theater, did any of you see that Redmoon production on campus last weekend? I wanted to go, but I was at the Alpace Exstravaganza in Grayslake.</p>
<p>S1 has a very busy quarter, 4 courses. He has time for his GF, his fraternity, and a little consulting gig he landed. What he does not have time for are the (lucrative) jobs he has turned down which would have required a commitment of about 20 hours a week. The jobs would have led to a post graduation position. He could have taken one less class, and one perhaps easier class and put in the 20 hours. But, in his words and in the spirit of this discussion, he said that is not why he came the University of Chicago. He wants the life of the mind more than he does a job guarantee. I support him 100%.</p>
<p>The U of C college = grad school analogy was of course only a rough analogy, but Chicago is characterized by a type of intensity or, at least, high level of productivity. I think a lot of it is brought on by demanding professors and the quarter system. Whatever the case is, Chicago students always tend to be BUSY. Most are busiest and most concerned with their coursework, but you certainly get a fair number, like idads son, who is busy with a whole lot. What is interesting though, is I can’t think of pretty much anyone at Chicago who just does NOTHING. It sounds silly, but when I visited friends at other colleges, there always seemed to be a group of kids who literally just did… well, nothing. They skipped class a ton, could just coast by, played a lot of xbox… You just don’t see that at Chicago.</p>
<p>At the same time, I use and like the grad school analogy because it’s the only environment I’ve seen where I got a similar vibe. Of course, U of C the college is kind of like a more exploratory, highly supplemented version of grad school (tons of resources and offerings and sports and theater and arts and the like), but it’s the same in the sense that, the academic experience - for MOST students - oftentimes becomes one of the most central components to the overall experience. It sounds crazy, but this isn’t the case at other schools.</p>
<p>Case in point, when Chicago alums get together, unless there’s a shared extracurricular activity, the talk always comes back to academics. “Oh what did you concentrate in?” “Oh how was that professor? I heard mixed reviews.” That stuff comes up DECADES after graduation. At other schools, this just isn’t the case. Chicago alum interactions always seem more akin to my interactions with alums from similar grad programs talking.</p>
<p>I can support this. I attend many alumni functions and I can’t remember anyone talking about the keggers or “that party.” Common professors is a frequent topic. A couple of S1’s graduated friends came by not long ago, they were waxing nostalgic for the academic environment, no real mention of the social world of the University.</p>