<p>Swarthmore social life is usually unfairly stereotyped. This is why I decided to address this topic and recount my own personal experiences in hopes of helping other students who are potentially considering Swarthmore.</p>
<p>I am skeptical of people who say they feel like the school culture has prevented them from establishing friendships or enjoying the social life on campus. When I arrived for my freshman year in late August, I came in with the mindset of making friends and taking the time to reach out to people and to get to know them. I remember feeling a bit anxious, as I did not have a very significant network of close friends in high school and am not naturally a very extroverted person. Soon after arriving at Swarthmore however, I felt very welcomed. Especially during freshmen orientation, most people are very open, friendly, and will say “Hi” and strike up a conversation with you. Although I did not stay in contact with all these people, it was nice to know that Swarthmore was not just a giant collection of socially awkward “nerds” as people often say. In fact, I actually feel the student body of Swarthmore is much less nerdy and less quirky than most of the descriptions I read prior to coming to campus. It is true however, that students who may have felt more socially uncomfortable in the past, as I did, feel much more comfortable at Swarthmore than they did in high school.</p>
<p>Upperclassmen are approachable for the most part, and I have never felt judged due to my status as a freshman. This is especially true of student organizations, who were very excited at meeting all the freshmen interested in joining their groups at the start of the year and made getting involved with student groups a very easy process. I say this as a gay student of color, who used the groups at Swarthmore’s Intercultural Center not just for guidance but also as a source for many of my existing friendships. </p>
<p>I remained in the closet up to the point I arrived on campus at Swarthmore, and now I live my life here as an openly gay student. I feel blessed that Swarthmore is a place where the queer community has ways to find support, and where homophobia, though obviously not non-existent, is not something I have ever felt directly threatened by. How many other schools can two guys dance together in the middle of a frat party? </p>
<p>A few of my closest friends admit to being uncomfortable with homosexuality prior to their experiences at Swarthmore, and it is just an example of how I feel the culture at Swat facilitates tolerance and open-mindedness through real experiences, not just forced politically-correct behavior. </p>
<p>The best way to meet people are through your dorms, your student activities, and of course through friends. It can be difficult to get to know your classmates well in larger classes, but discussion-based classes, including the first-year seminars, which have a maximum enrollment of 12 students, can be opportunities to meet students with similar interests. Ultimately, I feel like for people who make the effort and are willing to maintain a proactive stance toward meeting people, Swarthmore offers the opportunity for every student to establish meaningful friendships and to feel accepted. </p>
<p>I do understand however, that students who are naturally more passive may feel left out of the initial wave of “friend-making” that occurs near the start of the term, thus the perception of Swarthmore as “clique-y” arises. Passive doesn’t necessarily mean shy, it can simply be someone who chooses to not focus their attention on meeting people. My group of friends includes both outgoing people and more timid individuals. Even if all of us aren’t the stereotypical conception of the nerd, I feel like most of us can relate to being in uncomfortable or awkward social situations, and therefore we understand and attempt to reach out to our fellow peers. Shy people will usually either find their comfort zone and become a little more outgoing or will be invited by others to join activities. Introversion is not a barrier in making friends.</p>
<p>I have, in these first few months, developed a group of friends who are not only diverse ethnically but also socioeconomically and with varying academic interests. Some of us drink, other don’t. Some attend parties every weekend, some have not since the first week of classes. I feel fortunate that I have had the opportunity to meet so many people I feel completely comfortable around. </p>
<p>There are multiple parties essentially every weekend, where alcohol is common and easy-to-access. I personally choose not to drink, but I enjoy attending parties and have never felt pressure to drink. There are also alcohol-free social events in Parrish Parlors and in varying spaces across campus. Drug use is less obviously noticeable, and its presence is more restricted to within certain social groups rather than campus-wide. For students who don’t enjoy the large-party scene, I feel that it is just as common, if not more so, to simply spend a Saturday night with a group of close friends, talking, watching a movie, or binging on tasty junk food. People usually understand if you have work to do and will not pressure you to join them, because ultimately for Swarthmore students, academics are a high priority.</p>
<p>Please feel free to ask any questions! :)</p>