Colgate Social Life

blaineko · 10-26-2004, 12:41 PM

I am interested in attending Colgate, and I was wondering what people did for fun, whether joining a fraternity makes a difference, and what the typical Colgate student does on the weekends.

RaboKarabekian · 10-26-2004, 01:08 PM

Typical weekend activities at Colgate include sporting events, movies, "jugging," frat parties, concerts, etc. There's not a whole lot of nightlife in Hamilton. The only places open past 6 are bars and the coffeeshop. You should check out the Colgate Maroon news (I think it's on the website). Reading just a few articles will give you an idea of what goes on. I picked up a random issue once, and got to read how one guy decided to not go out on Friday, and discovered that he had fun anyway, and how wetting the bed is better than typical Colgate hook-ups. Not everyone joins a frat, and I think frat parties are pretty much open to everyone. The administration is trying to cut down on the frats though.

blaineko · 10-27-2004, 04:46 PM

Thanks Rabo!

I was a little worried about the greek scene, as some of my friends said it seemed a bit overwhelming.

RaboKarabekian · 10-27-2004, 08:17 PM

Basically, if you don't have a group, the frats can be overwhelming. However, you'll notice that not everyone pledges. I have plenty of friends who aren't in frats or sororities, take advantage of their parties, but basically have their own groups of friends.

blaineko · 10-28-2004, 12:32 AM

Kewl...now is location a big deal, and do you get to Syracuse once in awhile, or do most things take place on campus? Is having a car a must, or just good to have?

Sorry about all the Q's...just like Colgate.

Have a good one.

RaboKarabekian · 10-28-2004, 12:50 PM

I should clarify that I'm not a student. I just live in the town. However, I do interact with Colgate students an awful lot. I don't think freshmen can have cars on campus, but I'm not sure. Regardless, parking is a bit of a problem. Cars definitely help, since the shuttle is somewhat unreliable, and winter is cold, so walking downtown can suck. As for trips to Syracuse, they don't seem to happen with any great frequency. A lot of freshmen never seem to leave campus on their first semester or so, except to go to the bookstore.

collegeparent · 10-28-2004, 04:11 PM

Freshmen can definitely have cars on campus. While it's not exactly on a definite schedule like a bus route, the Colgate Cruiser runs all the time and is very convenient. Most Colgate students spend a great deal of time on campus because there's so much to do -- and it's where their friends are.

blaineko · 10-29-2004, 06:24 AM

Thank you much Rabo and Collegeparent.

Most of the guide books mention how "isolated" Colgate is, but I'm glad that there is lots to do and that first-years can have a car.

Mahalo.

wjb · 10-29-2004, 08:51 AM

Parent of a Colgate first-year here. She doesn't post on CC, but I think I can speak for her.

You can have a car as a Colgate freshman, but I would say that most students, even those who do have cars, stay on campus most of the time, other than maybe to make a trip to Walmart. They stay on campus because they want to. The student body is socially extroverted and active, and they have deliberately chosen Colgate because they want a school where life centers on, not off, campus. I would stress that you should not go to Colgate, Blainko, if you're uncomfortable with the geographic isolation. Most kids who choose Colgate, I think, are seeking to be a part of the close community that flourishes as a consequence of that physical isolation.

reidm · 10-30-2004, 10:07 PM

Blaineko - Colgate is bigger than the average LAC, so there are decent-sized clusters of students with varied interests. On a visit though I definitely got the idea that greeks, parties and sports were a pretty big part of the picture there, bigger than at most of their peer institutions.

blaineko · 11-02-2004, 02:00 AM

Wjb & Reidm...

Just a quick thank you for the input and advice. I've been away for a few days, and just saw your responses. I'll definately ask more questions, so stay tuned. Sorry this is so short, I'm doing work and other things at the same time.

Aloha!

LuckyMe · 11-07-2004, 08:37 PM

Does anyone have any idea if Colgate is more isolated than Vassar, Wesleyan or Connecticut.

jrpar · 11-07-2004, 08:44 PM

Yes, Colgate is located in a rural small town; Poughkeepsie (Vassar) and New London (CC) are both small cities; Middletown (Wesleyan) is a mid-sized town located close to both Hartford and New Haven.

blaineko · 11-08-2004, 05:28 PM

Colgate is about 45 minutes from Syracuse.