<p>What's there to do in Middlebury, VT?
Is getting away to Burlington for the weekend a common occurrence?
Do people who were born and bred in the city find it 'stuffy'?</p>
<p>Completely and utterly rural.
Five to ten minutes or so away from town, where there is... nothing.
But, the campus is so beautiful and huge, and there are so many on-campus events that it doesn't matter that much.
I would've been more than willing to spend my next four years there.</p>
<p>The town of Middlebury has quaint shops (books, clothing, arts and crafts, etc.), a small movie theater, a dozen or so restaurants and bars, supermarkets, banks, a McDonalds, and a few hotels. Burlington is around 35-40 minutes away, but most students stay in Middlebury during the weekend because there's so much happening on campus (movies, plays, sporting events, concerts, dance parties, etc). There are plenty of people from cities at Middlebury. If you really crave big city life, you can go to Montreal, which is around 2.5 hours north.</p>
<p>I LOVE Middlebury! The campus is gorgeous and the town is quintissential New England. Incredible facilities. Wow!</p>
<p>Unfortunately, my D could not see herself there for four years and decided she needed/wanted a more urban/suburban college experience. Oh well. Made room for another kid off the waitlist!</p>
<p>So, basically, although it's super-rural, there is no dearth of things to do?</p>
<p>There's plenty to do. And because Middlebury is larger than most other NE LACs (2,400 students), it doesn't feel as isolated.</p>
<p>Good to here, thanks.</p>
<p>One last question - will a non-drinker and moderate partier like me feel out of place? Because, as far as I know, alcohol tends to dominate the social scene in rural northeastern LACs</p>
<p>The drive to Middlebury from MA can be quite scary. It does not end. The whole time I was thinking to myself, who will visit me while I'm here? I passed by many tiny tiny towns before getting there. General feeling is "economically depressed" and people "cling to their guns and religion"
The burger joint in the town is decent, but for $8 a burger, it's quite pricey. Bring in In&Out please.<br>
That said, the campus is gorgeous although the cementary right across the street is unsightly.</p>
<p>Of course they "cling to their guns and religion". I myself had to "land under sniper fire" and "run with our heads down to get into our vehicles".</p>
<p>Did you check out Burlington? I think Midd students stay in Middlebury and find most of what they need there, but it's good to have Burlington nearby (just as Williams students find it good to be able to take the occasional jaunt to North Adams, Pittsfield, and Albany and, further afield, Boston, NYC, and Montreal).</p>
<p>Woah, middsmith... Yes, there are tiny towns. Yes, it's rural and so there are areas that are "economically depressed," but to call that a general feeling is a little strong I think. And people do not all "cling to their guns and religion..." As a native Vermonter who clings to neither I just don't want to see people taking these over-generalizations to heart and have it influence their perception of Vermont and Middlebury. As for the burger joint... I don't even know which place you're talking about (Mister Up's?). There are tons of incredible restaurants in the area! It might not be burgers, but there's Noonie's for a good lunch. Or the Storm Cafe, which has really good, under $8 lunch stuff. And there are other places like Tulley and Marie's, American Flatbread, The Swift House, Cafe Provence, The Black Sheep Bistro, Park Squeeze, The Starry Night Cafe, etc.
And Burlington is awesome and has even more. (Burlington's also the polar opposite of "economically depressed" and "cling to their guns and religion")</p>
<p>Any answers to my second question?</p>
<p>There are hundreds of students who opt for substance free dorms every year. You'll be fine.</p>
<p>Klink, I don't mean to disparage Middlebury or Vermont, I'm sure there are things I have not yet seen that are amazing. I'm just borrowing words from what-his-face to describe to the OP what I felt/saw when I visited.<br>
The burger joint is next to the Indian cuisine.</p>
<p>Tully and Maries?! Tully and Maries is most certainly not a burger joint. That would explain why you thought it was pricey. There isn't anything in Middlebury I'd call a burger joint.</p>
<p>Anyway, OP...I don't drink and I'm quite happy at Midd. It probably took me a bit longer to find likeminded people, but there are a number of nondrinkers around. I have friends who drink heavily and friends who don't drink at all. You will certainly be welcome at parties, sober or not.</p>
<p>OK that is great to hear. Middlebury will definitely be on my list then. Thanks!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Tully and Maries?! Tully and Maries is most certainly not a burger joint. That would explain why you thought it was pricey. There isn't anything in Middlebury I'd call a burger joint.
[/quote]
I don't remember the name, but I saw a sign "eat here." From the inside, it looks like one of those swanky 1970s hamburger joints, I ate outside overlooking a small river. It was cold and it was sad. The missing student probably drowned in that depressing river.<br>
I heard it was rural, I just did not know it was that rural. But I'm sure had I decided to go to Midd, I'll be very happy there.
tetrisfan, I didn't know you will be applying, I thought you already got in and needed to make a decision.
You must visit in this case.</p>
<p>Please tell me A&W on Route 7 just outside of Middlebury is still there!</p>
<p>It's still there. The last one in the country from what I hear...</p>