Visiting Wellesley

<p>Hey guys, I'm going to Wellesley as a freshman next year.
I'm visiting Wellesley on it's last day of school before graduation b/c I just didn't have time to ever do it. Any recs about what to do there, how to spend my time wisely there to get the best feel for the school? I'm really clueless, any tips are really helpful, thanks!</p>

<p>Let's see...Be sure to walk around Lake Waban since that area is strikingly beautiful (but then, there aren't many places at Wellesley that are unsightly). Perhaps you can explore some of the buildings that house classes of your interest, just to get a feel for where you'll be taking your classes next year. And if you like art, be sure to visit the museum since it will be closed for renovation for at least a year after this school year. Even just wandering around the campus can give you an idea of its atmosphere, but I don't know how different it may feel right now since it's almost the end of the year.</p>

<p>Hope that helps.</p>

<p>Well, there will be no classes, and mostly seniors there, so I'm not sure what kind of feel you will get. The lake is a nice diversion, but only walk the whole way if you have an hour to spare to do it. If you want to check out the lake, good places to do it are behind the library and behind the campus center. I'm not sure how long the walk is- my roommate ran it twice in some days, and even she doesn't know. The Davis Museum might already be closed- I saw work being done last week when I was still at Wellesley.<br>
I would be sure to visit the academic quad. Since you are coming on a Thursday, I'm willing to bet the buildings will be all unlocked. In Green Hall, they've built a "Humanities Center" on the second floor where admissions used to be (it should have stayed there in my opinion). Construction is done enough that you can walk around (or it just wasn't locked the Saturday I happened to do it). Green Hall houses very few classrooms- for typical Humanties rooms I would check out Founders and Pendleton.
The Science center is also on the must list. Don't just walk in, there's the library, Sage lounge, classrooms and labs. It's a fun building despite the ugly. With graduation a day away and Baccalaureate the day you are there, you will be able to get away with a little more poking around because they'll think you're some senior's family. Be sure to enjoy the taxidermy specimens. Also look for the remains of the seniors' purple decorations- Grounds probably has them mostly gone- but the purple streamers on the coyote should remain.
Behind the Science Center is the Observatory. It's great to visit, but whether or not you get a tour is at the whims of the Summer Research Students. You can't walk in and expect to be shown around by people who are doing other work. However, you might get them at that time of day.
If you like theater, there's Alumnae hall. There are also pictures of all the Alumnae Achievement Award winners.
Finally there's the campus center. Gift shop and regular food are on the fourth floor. Third floor had a TV and pool table, but is otherwise useless. Second floor has mailboxes and the inconvenience store/coffee bar. Ground floor has the pub and Cafe Hoop, both of which are student run and therefore closed. The rest of the building consists of ugly chairs.</p>

<p>I love those chairs....</p>

<p>Have a meal in one of the restaurants in the town of Wellesley. There is a nice Thai restuarant with an old style ice cream shop a few doors down.</p>