<p>How is life at Bowdoin during the winter months? Is there a lot of drinking and partying? Would someone feel comfortabe if they didn’t do either? Is there drinking that goes on during student orientation? Are there a fair number of students who don’t participate? Also, how would you say the academics compare to a school like Haverford? For someone who is kind of shy, are there people who try and get the freshmen involved and connected? How would you describe the student population at Bowdoin? Any help would be appreciated. Yes, I am a mom!</p>
<p>hi sophie, </p>
<p>i didn't drink 3 out of my 4 years at bowdoin and then, in my senior year, only occasionally. i was part of the chem-free housing for all my years there, and i thought it was great. i had late night conversations about books, politics, identity, and philosophy. i would take classes with hallmates and we would have slow food lunches and talk for hours trying to unpack the ideas presented in class. i say this only to describe a bowdoin that was very much my experience, but which is rarely touted specifically. </p>
<p>there is drinking, but one of the things i found about bowdoin is that no one pressured me to drink. i was on an athletic team for two years and even then the other members respected my decision at parties. i think there's usually only pressure to drink when someone feels insecure that they're drinking. at bowdoin, there are enough people who drink and enough people who don't to make everyone feel secure in their decision. </p>
<p>the academics are equal to haverford or any top LAC for that matter. haverford is a bit smaller, but not enough to make a difference in your decision. there are many shy people at bowdoin, but, then again, in my experience, it's a bookish place. try to get your son or daughter to stay in the chem-free dorm when he or she goes to visit. OR just don't stay in a dorm. sometimes the experience of staying in a dorm (especially for shy students) can be very different and not representative of what can exist as a first year at bowdoin. i visited the campus but never stayed in a dorm. i was too shy. </p>
<p>nevertheless, bowdoin was a great place. despite my being shy, i met a lot of people my first year. it's like any college in that some people might feel a little alienated their first year, but unlike most colleges, the deans, proctors, and upperclassmen are aware of experiences like that. they help out, and encourage shy students to join groups, or take certain classes. it's an uncommon level of community. </p>
<p>i would describe the population at bowdoin as bookish. other friends would describe their experiences at the college as variously preppy, outdoorsy, crunchy, sports-oriented, pre-professional, whimsical, political, apathetic. it all depends on one's community while there. bowdoin is strange in that it's small but can accommodate a number of different experiences, which i think is its strength. </p>
<p>i hope this helped!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your reply. It was very helpful. Did you participate in the outing club? If so, what was your experience? Thanks again!</p>
<p>i didn't participate much in the outing club. i'm more of a city boy. i'm sure others have, so i'll leave it to them to talk about it.</p>
<p>How is life at Bowdoin during the winter months? </p>
<p>Bowdoin is beautiful in the winter months. It's standard New England fare as far as the cold goes. Frigid a lot of days, but manageable if you're used to it.</p>
<p>Is there a lot of drinking and partying? Would someone feel comfortabe if they didn't do either? </p>
<p>No more than any other college, even if some would like to believe otherwise. The second question is harder to answer. I was chem-free my first 2.5 years and I only realized in retrospect how ostracized we were. The problem is that the first-year experience defines a lot of your friendships later on. If you make a lot of strong connections in your first-year you're not going to care whether your chem-free on not. If you're chem-free and hate the people, then you're not going to transfer well over to the drinkers later.</p>
<p>Is there drinking that goes on during student orientation? Are there a fair number of students who don't participate? </p>
<p>Orientation weekends are completely chem-free. That is, no kegs or alcohol parties can be registered. This is purposefully done for pre-frosh safety. </p>
<p>Also, how would you say the academics compare to a school like Haverford? </p>
<p>Haverford has a very different academic tenor since it's students are deeply involved in the honor code and the academic life on campus (I have a friend who goes there). At Bowdoin, the professors are by-and-large fantastic, but students have desire less and have little involvement with academic affairs. That is, the administration has a lot of control over them and is deeply invested in honing each facet of the educational process. It's very top-down.</p>
<p>For someone who is kind of shy, are there people who try and get the freshmen involved and connected? </p>
<p>Yes, it's very in your face. However, once first-year is over the hand holding goes as well.</p>
<p>How would you describe the student population at Bowdoin?</p>
<p>It's hard not to stereotype with a question like that, but by-and-large athletically-inclined with a tinge of preppy. It varies a lot from that median, though.</p>
<p>Is there drinking that goes on during student orientation? </p>
<p>absolutely. While, as ethicka mentioned, it is a 'dry' weekend, that simply means nothing official can happen. You'd better believe that unofficial stuff can and DOES happen. However, for prefrosh to actually find that, they have to be rather outgoing - it takes a certain amount of self confidence to try and crash upper-class parties.</p>
<p>I remember my first day of orientation, when my 20 year old roommate (I was 18) came in, we said hi, and his friend, a 21 year old freshman came in the door with a case of corona. Even then, however, it would have been very possible to choose not to drink at all, and people did hang out in our room that night, and not drink. I can think of one student I know who doesn't drink for religious reasons, but who is very active socially, in a heavy drinking crowd.</p>