Social Life at Smith

<p>I have a question for a current Smith student... what exactly is the social life like at Smith? What do you do on the weekends? Is there a prevalence of drinking and partying or is it mainly spending time with friends? </p>

<p>As a student at a high school about the same size as Smith located right outside Washington, D.C., I'm used regular parties or spending time with friends on the weekends. I think I'm leaning towards Smith but the all-female aspect would definitely be a bit of a culture shock for me. I'm just curious about how--if at all--the all-female dynamic parlays into weekend plans? </p>

<p>Does the school ever host parties for Five College students? Do Smithies ever attend soirees at other schools within the Consortium?</p>

<p>Well, if you mean soirees like where we all wear 1950s cocktail dresses and sip punch while chit chatting/scouting our future husbands, not really :-) though Smith did throw mixers like that for many years back in the day. Today, parties are open to five-college students as long as they are a guest of a Smithie (which usually means, you just met them in line and offered to sign them in). </p>

<p>Most weekends people hang out with their friends, go to movies or concerts, or go to parties. Most of my friends stick to parties on campus just because logistically they are easier, but I also know some people who only go to parties off campus. </p>

<p>I don't think that the women factor really affects weekend plans, we do pretty much the same things kids do at almost every other college. Sometimes people drink, sometimes people party, and sometimes they just chill.</p>

<p>If you do intercollegiate sports/clubs, attend off-campus events (a capella, Head of the Charles, etc.) or just take a Five College class, you should have no problems getting acquainted w/ people from other nearby institutions (not just AC/Hampshire/UMass but also Williams, Wes, Harvard, etc.), if so inclined.</p>

<p>(Obviously I'm not a Smithie but am related to three and are friends with two recent alumnae.)</p>

<p>Hello all!</p>

<p>How easy is it really to attend parties off campus? </p>

<p>I know there is the PVTA bus system, but does it run regularly/ do people get tired of leaving campus? </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>It’s pretty easy to use the PVTA to get to social events as long as you budget your time and don’t miss the last bus (which I think is at 2 am on weekends? maybe 3, depending on where you’re coming from). It runs sometime between every 20 minutes and every hour depending on the time of day and individual bus line. And it’s definitely doable.</p>