<p>Don't try to make this about me.</p>
<p>You're absolutely right IF you're writing in your personal capacity, otherwise it's quite deceptive. I think people who WORK for the school should disclose that so students/parents can judge what they're reading. </p>
<p>Knowing where ANY poster is coming from helps people gauge what they're reading . . . we're not talking about social security numbers here: </p>
<p>I am a recent Vassar grad, presently in graduate school, with a brother graduating from Wes next week. He loved the school. I have tremendous respect for the student body and professors. Wes is one of the best schools in the country, full stop. Every single of the 3 dozen or so times I've been there I've had a blast. Middletown just doesn't do it for either of us.</p>
<p>Context is always helpful when there's nothing to hide.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure that isn't a universal feeling, JVssrGirl - I'm a current student at Wesleyan (sophomore) and I really like Middletown. It's not a city, and it's not a small idyllic college town, either - but it's kind of a really great balance. It's a real town, with all the essential stores and such you need. It doesn't depend on the university for its identity, but they have a pretty decent working relationship with each other. There aren't ridiculous clubs and such, but to be honest, with the nightlife that goes on on campus, who needs it?</p>
<p>Main Street is such a short walk away from campus, and had great restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream shops, good laser tag, a roller rink, etc. It has what a college student wants from a college town. Additionally, it has its own character dissociated from Wesleyan's - and I think that's a great thing. Its identity might not fit into one of the streotypes you listed, but I don't think being not easily categorizable makes something unremarkable - just not easily categorizable. I think the same applies to Wesleyan STUDENTS, actually - they're not easily categorizable, but that doesn't mean they don't have a unique and interesting identity. I don't know if I want to live here when I graduate, but it's a fantastic place for a college.</p>
<p>Also, I think it's pretty low to suggest that johnwesley just has alterior motives. I'm pretty sure he's an alum he really loved the school - maybe he has other connections, (I really have no idea), but does it matter? He provides useful information is helpful to everyone.</p>
<ul>
<li>a student who still comes on CollegeConfidential just because she loves Wes</li>
</ul>
<p>Well said Madjoy . . . I don't happen to share your opinion, but I take your point and it makes sense. As I have said before, I expect that perspective will ring true for some and mine will for others. That's what's usefull about the structure of this site . . . </p>
<p>If John's just an alumn, or even faculty or adminstration, who just loves Wes and Middletown, there's no issue, and I would apologize for suggesting otherwise. It has been suggested elsewhere that it might be more complicated (see Wes vs. Mid thread). </p>
<p>And while I respect that it doesn't matter to you so long as the information is helpful, it just feels a little dishonest to me if the adminstration has a hand in trying to control the nature of the info here. If that's not going on, its VERY easy to clear up . . . and as I have said, I will apologize for suggesting otherwise.</p>
<p>give it a rest.</p>
<p>JVssGrl05 - johnwesley is quite tame compared to other staunch supporters. Take a look at Harvard, Yale, Penn, etc. and you will find plenty of regular posters that are willing to fight to the death over the perception of their school. Johnwesley just happens to love his school and, in my opinion, he has not been overbearing at all.</p>
<p>Hey, I believe in democracy and consensus seems to be to move on though it seems an easy uncertainty to dispell.</p>
<p>I appreciate your comments on Middletown.</p>
<p>My D is going to Wes this year as a freshman. She and we love the school and look forward to seeing her prosper there. She is going to a community of kids and teachers and professionals who together seem to have a strong bond towards their school community.</p>
<p>During her college search we saw Amherst, Middlebury, Williamstown,Hamilton, and alot of other beautiful college towns. Middletown isn't as "cute" but there is one hell of alot more to do there than the 1/2 block that is Williamstown,the small village that is Amherst or the cow pastures of Vermont and Hamilton. Visually I would want my second home in Vt. or the Berkshires where I could fish and hike and canoe. So what does this entire discussion mean you guys. The kids are happy with the schools they chose and whether there is a pretty church at town center or a few more bars it is the college that will provide the fun so let's all make nice and put this one to bed.</p>
<p>Dana's Dad</p>
<p>I agree, danalynne. Middletown is a nice village with a few bars and a couple of restaurants that won't break the bank. There's even a nice dance studio. Plus, Middletown is a very short drive or bus trip from New Haven, which has quickly turned into one of the best college towns in the country (the largest university there is Southern CT State, then Yale, and it's now packed with hundreds and hundreds of shops, theaters, nightspots, cafes and restaurants), and not much farther than that from New York or Boston. Middlebury and Williamstown are totally in the middle of nowhere and if it snows badly, you're stuck there no matter what. They are literally hours and hours and hours from the nearest city of any significance & street life, which is probably New Haven or Boston or even Montreal, because Albany certainly doesn't count. Williamstown is so boring and tiny that I think most young people would bury themselves in a pillow all weekend long if they ended up there. The town is literally like a quarter of a block long. Middlebury is a little busier, but gets old quickly, unless you have hundreds of dollars to drop on overpriced boutiques (it is, however, very beautiful). As a result, based on what I have seen, students in those isolated places resort to a lot of excessive drinking and drug use. Wesleyan (and all schools) have some drug and alcohol use too, of course, but it's much more limited and social in nature.</p>
<p>When I first toured colleges in '99, Middletown was pretty grim, (i.e. boaded-up shops, somewhat sketchy esp. at night.) When I returned last year, I found that it's changed a lot for the better... Now it's safe, and Main St. is bustling. I like living here.</p>
<p>PosterX--this is off-topic, but why doesn't Albany "count?" ("Certainly," no less!) The area around Lark St. in Albany is as cool as anything in New Haven... Arguably, Albany has had more success revitalizing than New Haven.</p>
<p>Also, JVssrGrl05, lay off johnwesley--he's good people.</p>
<p>Here's another article about the town, from the Wes paper.
<a href="http://www.wesleyanargus.com/article.php?article_id=4983%5B/url%5D">http://www.wesleyanargus.com/article.php?article_id=4983</a></p>
<p>thanx for the article posterx. The only thing that I would add is that the "distance" some unidentified students cite in the article, consists of three city blocks. Obviously, its more a pyschological distance than a physical one. Here are a couple of other articles to round out the picture:
<a href="http://www.wesleyanargus.com/article.php?article_id=5119%5B/url%5D">http://www.wesleyanargus.com/article.php?article_id=5119</a>
<a href="http://www.wesleyanargus.com/article.php?article_id=4618%5B/url%5D">http://www.wesleyanargus.com/article.php?article_id=4618</a></p>
<p>Wesleyan should bridge that "distance" by building part of its campus over on Main Street or even on the other side of it (I agree it is more psychological, but in some ways that is even more important than physical distance). I know locals would protest, just as residents did when Yale built on the other side of New Haven's main street in the 1970s, but it would ultimately serve to unify the town. Unfortunately all of Wesleyan's new construction seems to be in the other direction.</p>
<p>That's a very interesting and I have to admit, constructive proposal, but in all honesty, I think the only thing that would unify the town and the university would be a lowering of the drinking age to eighteen as it was in the fifties and sixties. Some of the fondest memories of returning Old Cards are of lifting a few brews with Middletowners at a bar on the corner of William and Broad Street called, George's Place, as the shifts changed at the old Goodyear rubber plant. Up until the early eighties, Middletown was full of bars that catered to workers and students who loved the chance to get off campus without having to worry about finding their cars afterward.</p>
<p>I often wished the campus were closer to Main St. or more connected with it. But in fact, the city has repeatly Wesleyan not only not to build or acquire new property close to Main St., but to actually divest of the houses that it owns on College St., Court St. and William St. between High and Main. They would prefer the area to be inhabited by long-residing families instead of transient students. Wesleyan isn't really in a financial or logistical position to acquire buildings (let alone build new ones) closer to Main St. anyway, and even if it were the city would definitely not welcome such development.</p>
<p>While I agree it would've been nice if that had been how Wesleyan developed in the first place, the chances of it happening now are basically zero.</p>