Social Life/Surroundings at Bowdoin

Colleges and Universities A-Z Bowdoin College
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<p>I just visited Bowdoin and Bates and could not agree more with a a recent post…</p>

<p>“What sets Bowdoin apart is its location in Brunswick. My d loved the fact that you can step off the campus & you are right on Main St in Brunswick, which is a lovely small college town. There are great restaurants, shopping at cute, small stores & a theater all within walking distance. The town is great for bike riding, too, with safe, flat streets & neighborhoods. You are 5 minutes by car from Cook’s Corner, with more theaters & restaurants. Harpswell, Orr’s Island & Bailey’s island are beautiful with delicious seafood restaurants. Bowdoin is about 15-20 min from Freeport, & 30 min from Portland. The Bowdoin campus is very pretty & easy to get around.” kwoo</p>

<p>Whereas Bates seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, Bowdoin is a 5 minute walk to Brunswick Center, it has Cooks Corner and Freeport. I got a great vibe on campus and am leaning toward applying, but I just wanted to verify a few of my findings with students who other students who actually have experience at Bowdoin. It seems that between the 6 social houses (which you can live and help plan entertainment events, or not live there but still take advantage of the events), Smith Center (which is dedicated as a spot for socializing where most students pass through 2-3x a day), at least one campus wide party on the weekend, sports (which 2/3 of the student body partake in), and the outing club (which hosts 4-6 events per week), there is a plethora of social activities to balance out the top-notch academics. This is the sense that I got during my stay from tour/interview. Can any Bowdoin student speak to the social life on campus? Do kids usually walk down Main St. to Brunswick on weekends + hang out around Freeport/Cooks Corner? Are there many large parties on campus or usually just small gatherings of close friends? How awesome is the outing club and how often does the school organize ski trips to Sunday River? After speaking with students, I go the feel that no one is bummed out to be in rural Maine because there is so much going on on campus and around the area; that a warm happiness to be in Brunswick pervades the student body. My gut tells me the social scene at Bowdoin is thriving but can any students corroborate this? thanks</p>

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<p>Ok, to try and answer things....</p>

<p>Next year there will actually be 8 social houses, to match the 8 freshmen dorms.</p>

<p>Social life is fun - in terms of Maine street action (yes, the main street is actually called Maine street) I go there to eat lunch every saturday and sunday with a group of kids. Cook's Corner is a destination to either watch a movie, or grab something at walmart, not really to hangout. And group shopping trips to Freeport happen occasionally.</p>

<p>I can't speak about the outing club, and ski trips are largely on your own. You can get discounts through the school, or take a telemark class from the outing club.</p>

<p>There are both large and small parties. Manytimes you'll go from a mid sized party (15-30) with mostly people you know, to start an evening, before heading to a big social house party, and then heading off with small groups (3-8) to end the night. </p>

<p>Other nights, like tonight, you might take a group of 15 down to see a Portland Pirates hockey game, eat dinner in the Old Port, and then come back and relax and watch a movie.</p>

<p>It really is what you make it - there are TONS of options.</p>

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<p>theres a pretty cool bar scene down in portland if u wanna make the 30 min drive there</p>

<p>gay/lesbian scene is pretty open there too
(not implying anything)</p>

<p>great restaurants in portland</p>

<p>try : The blue spoon, The Front Room, and Lola's at the top of Munjoy Hill</p>

<p>really great prices and awesome food</p>

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<p>Oliver,
Since you are part of the Outing Club, why can't you speak about it?</p>

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<p>I'm not actually a part of the outing club. There are 3 of us Olivers at Bowdoin, two in my year. The other Oliver is the one who is heavily involved, if that's what you're thinking. I'm the college democrats Oliver :-p</p>