boysx3

We're heading back to Dickinson for a second look at then end of June, and my son will also attend the soccer camp there. Any recommendations for restaurants or other things to do for the weekend while son attends the camp? It's too far for us to just drop him off on Friday am and pick him up on Sunday pm.

amethyst213

There is no shortage of great restaurants in Carlisle. Javid's Indian on Hanover Street, California Cafe on Pomfret, and there's a great noodle house on High street that just opened a few weeks ago, and check out Massey's ice cream for dessert. Gettysburg is just a short drive and would be a nice day trip. Harrisburg is only about 20 minutes away as well. There's not that much to do in Carlisle, unless you like car shows - there's usually one at the fairgrounds on weekends.

boysx3

Thank you so much for the restaurant suggestions ! My son's vote for dinner the night we get there is Javid's. I'm sure we'll enjoy it.

ReneeV

My D and her friends liked the Back Door Cafe for a special dessert treat--lots of homemade specialties, and it's right down the street from campus. Their lunch menu looks good, too.

I called the cafe to order a decorated birthday cake for my daughter last year, and both people I talked to were very friendly and helpful, and by all accounts the cake was fabulous and enjoyed by all who had a taste.

252525

Would love to hear any other comments beyond the restaurants.....culture, social life, safety, etc. Thanks!

rgp47

Back Door Cafe is better for desert than dinner. California Cafe is probably the nicest but also most expensive restaurant. There is an Applebees near the Walmart and a Red Robin near Target if you want to go the safe/chain route. My daughter just completed her freshman year. She knew nobody going in but made many friends and is already looking forward to retuning to campus in August. Although it is an open campus she felt very safe and the school has a very good automated system to alert students and parents if there are problems (for example when the school lost power due to strong storms in March we received calls at home and on our cell phones). The one adjustment my daughter had to make is that drinking is a major part of the social scene and she doesn't drink but I don't get the impression that Dickinson is different than any other college in that regard.

boysx3

Thanks so much for all of the information. My son doesn't drink now but I wouldn't be surprised if he had an occaisional drink in college....I just wouldn't feel comfortable with him in an atmosphere where he felt he had to drink to excess if he did not want to be a social pariah, which is sort of the atmosphere at his high school. Kids drink on all campuses (and he is my third, so I'm not at all naive on this score) but my impression of Dickinson is that it is not as hog-wild as it is on some campuses. I hope I am right? Because we like Dickinson on a lot of counts....

intparent

My D is headed to Dickinson as a freshman this fall, and does not drink much at all (a couple of times while traveling overseas where it was legal, but none other than that). She liked everything about Dickinson, but we do have some concerns about this as well. She does not plan to join a sorority. Would love to hear from some current students or parents about their experiences as a non/very light drinker at Dickinson.

rgp47

My daughter was never isolated socially or felt pressure to drink. However she was the only one of her friends who didn't drink and there were occasional weekends when she would have liked to come home to get away from it for a couple of days. We just live too far away. I really can't speak to how wild or crazy the partying is but I can say that freshmen were drinking openly in the dorm and the sophmore RAs (underage and also drinking) weren't enforcing any rules. All that having been said I don't know that it would have been any different anywhere else. Like many of you, I went on the tour and was told that the school offers "dry" alternatives on the weekend for students who don't drink. According to my daughter, at Dickinson those alternatives are few and far between. Bottom line: Alcohol is easy to come by, the school doesn't rigorously enforce the rules and drinking is a major part of the social fabric. Does that make Dickinson different from where I went to college 25 years ago? No. Does it make Dickinson any different from the majority of schools out there? I guess I don't know for sure but I doubt it. Does my daughter regret her decision to go there because there is a lot of drinking going on? No

intparent

D is looking over the housing forms for Dickinson, and thinking about putting down that she would like to be in the substance-free housing. Does anyone know anything about this - - what dorm? Is it nice or not? How about the people - - D is actually quite extoverted and likes to have fun, just doesn't need substances to do so. She will definitely want a social life (eg, movies, eating out, going to campus events, playing cards/games, etc.). Will she have one if she lives there, or not?

rgp47

According to my daughter from a physical plant standpoint, the dorm is among the worst. Also, although it is identified as substance free, not all of the students in the dorm are substance free. Due to a shortage of beds sophomores who could not get into other dorms were placed in the substance free dorm, and that is also the case this year. Again, according to my daughter, those students are under no obligation to take the pledge to remain substance-free. My daughter's recommendation is to avoid this dorm.

drstrangelove37

As a current student, I would agree with what's been said about avoiding substance-free housing: people have basically the same attitude across campus, regardless of whether their dorm is considered substance-free. That being said, the attitude towards drinking really isn't that bad, especially in comparison to larger party schools. Most people do drink, but I've never felt pressured to do so myself, even when I was hanging out with people who were. As long as you're honest on those housing forms (parents: that means DON'T fill them out for your student, or hover behind her while she's filling it out), you stand a very good chance of getting a roommate whose attitudes towards drinking/whatever else will be similar enough to your own that you can live with her. Be open-minded, join clubs, be smart about who you choose as friends, and you'll be fine.

boysx3

Thanks for all of the ideas. We are leaving for Dickinson next Thursday and we are really looking forward to it. Any more ideas or suggestions? Do you think it would be overly weird if my husband and I took the campus tour while my son is registering for the soccer camp? I've seen the campus but my H hasn't.

dg5052

Not weird at all--your son won't be there to be embarrassed by you, and I would think Dickinson would count it as just another expression of interest by your family. D's move in day is 2 months from TOMORROW--I can't believe it.

boysx3

We leave for Dickinson tomorrow afternoon...any last minute suggestions or advice?

H and I will attend an info session and tour while S is otherwise busy.