Hi, I’m a senior and thinking about applying to Sewanee. However, I’m from a small town in rural New Jersey that’s really pretty depressing. The other schools I like (Rhodes, Davidson, Tulane, etc.) are all in or near cities. I really like the idea of a school where I can explore a city, but Sewanee’s campus, reputation, and sense of community have just blown me away. That said, I’m wondering if it’s too rural and the towns of Sewanee, Monteagle, and Winchester are too boring. What is there to do within a thirty-minute radius of campus? Will the party scene at the college be enough to keep me from feeling like I missed out on opportunities to live in a city? Also, I’m not hugely interested in land-based outdoor activities like hiking or rock-climbing, but I’m a fan of fishing and swimming in lakes.
There’s not a lot to do in the towns of Sewanee, Monteagle or Winchester. Students who feel the need to escape campus for a city typically head to Chattanoga, about 45 minutes away, or to Nashville. The latter is especially popular for concerts with its vibrant music scene. There are also plenty of activities on campus to keep students entertained. But if you are looking for a school with the hustle and bustle of a city, Sewanee is not it. On the other hand, it is a beautiful campus with a very strong sense of community. And it does have a lake.
@hearroroym There is a great waterhole near Sewanee. The outing club took my D and a number of other freshmen to it when they arrived on campus last year.
Remember, you are on campus for about 32 out of 52 weeks of the year. There are 5 other months of opportunity to spend in an urban environment if you wish, not to mention doing a sophomore or junior year abroad. So don’t let Sewanee’s rural-ness stop you. It is a truly unique environment, unlike just about any other school in the country. Most people can move to a city to work, or for grad school. But an experience like one gets at Sewanee (or Berea, or, say, Middlebury) is very difficult to replicate in one’s adult life.