Social life at Kenyon - Page 2

mythmom · 09-23-2009, 03:49 PM

foolsgold: Not true. My dad was a very prominent business man who did hiring for a Fortune 500 company. He always hired English majors. He said, "We want employees who can write." There are not that many people who write really well and there will always be employment for those that do.

wildwood330 · 09-24-2009, 11:04 PM

I am past trying to change her mind about her major areas of study. She was originally thinking big, but we looked at Kenyon because of its reputation for English and writing. My thinking is if English/Writing is what you want you better go somewhere where it is done well. She has done a complete turnabout with thinking LAC now. She is thinking she might like to pursue advanced degrees and possibly even teach at the college level. Law is also a thought, but not a real strong one at this time. I had always thought she would do medicine, but she didn't love chem, even though she did well in it. Now that I have dropped suggesting any math or science areas, she casually mentioned she may pursue medicine after undergraduate school. I am not sure if she was really serious. She is well aware a LAC degree most often needs a follow up. Also, if the financial package does not make the college reasonably affordable we will have to pass. I am not at a point in my life where I am willing to take on debt nor do I think one should have to do to get a good education. I will have three in college at one time and my husband and I are not young parents. She will be applying to OSU and MU as financial "safety" schools, though I think she would blossom as a person at the smaller LAC.

wildwood330 · 09-26-2009, 10:06 AM

Oops. I just read my own previous post and saw why I shouldn't try to write while hurrying out the door. Sorry for the omitted words. Now, back to the topic here. In addition to our summer visit of Kenyon, I have now gone to a presentation by the admission directors of 8 schools. They all seemed like great schools, but we continue to like Kenyon very much. After getting the e-mail from a Kenyon alum, (thanks to MolBioAce06) who seemed to have interests very similar to my daughter's, my concerns about the social scene at Kenyon and its presence of alcohol are decreased--not gone, but definitely decreased. She will be going for an overnight visit. I hope it goes well. She will be looking at other schools as well, but I can say that I would be excited for her if Kenyon chooses her and she chooses Kenyon.

China · 09-26-2009, 01:04 PM

wildwood330 - I sent you a private message.

collegefreshie · 09-27-2009, 10:49 PM

I am a current freshman at Kenyon. I live in a freshman dorm in a room that shares a wall with the girl's bathroom. This morning I didn't fall asleep until nearly 3 because of people puking in the bathroom. I go to the parties to dance, but the drinking is very prevalent and easy to get at any age. It's true about what people say: Kenyon students study hard and party hard.

foolsgold · 10-13-2009, 11:15 PM

Collegefreshie-
Ya, it's a college, I'd suggest earplugs, a sleeping pill, or a couple shots of scotch. Three is later than I can ever remember being kept up until; you might try coming out of your room with a baseball bat and seeing if they don't find another bathroom to be loud in, or you could ask politely, though I really don't see the fun in that. (The baseball bat thing was a joke, although if someone was keeping me up until three, I'd be very tempted)

MolBioAce06 · 10-13-2009, 11:54 PM

Sounds a little crazy, but fairly plausible... frosh are prone to drinking too hard for sure. I would maybe call security on them at 3am (not like 1am though) if they do this often, if nothing else they might need someone else to check on them beyond their drunken friends.

China · 10-14-2009, 09:20 AM

I'm absolutely NOT commenting on drinking/puking/partying......I am going to say that the post from collegefreshie was written on 9/27 - a Sunday. That means he/she was woken up on a weekend. It would be totally different if it were a weeknight (in my opinion.)

Also not saying it's polite or right or considerate. But this is college, this is a freshman dorm, and I think that this type of thing might be expected - especially when they are all adjusting to the freedom of college life and pushing the envelope. I'm hoping things get better for collegefreshie 'cause he/she really does NOT seem like a very happy camper up to this point.

foolsgold · 10-15-2009, 10:28 PM

I'll comment on it...
drinking/puking/partying = ok / learn your limit dude! / can I join?
I believe what collegefreshie said, and it sucks, but on a Saturday night it's the sort of thing that can happen. I'll admit to partying too hard sometimes myself. I think generally people are respectful, and if you asked them to quiet down, and it was three in the am, they would be likely to oblige. I was next to a bathroom my freshman year, and I can't remember the noise being bad at all, but maybe the walls in my dorm were thicker. Anyway, the scariest thing that ever happened to me was when some kid came into my room at about three thinking he was walking into the bathroom (my roommate and I never locked our doors, and certainly not when we were in the room). Thankfully, he realized that he wasn't in the bathroom before he needed to empty his bladder.

foolsgold · 10-15-2009, 10:50 PM

Wow, I just read over the last string of posts. Funny how bad we can make the drinking thing sound, especially my suggesting some scotch as the solution, guess I was in a joking mood when I wrote that. I just figured I'd say that the whole issue of drinking and partying at colleges was a much bigger issue when I was looking at colleges than it is now that I'm at college. A couple stories can make the nicest places sound awful. People drink, but usually, and by usually I mean for the majority of students, its a weekend night party and they're having a few drinks. Especially as the years go on, I think people come to understand the line between acceptable and "not cool." While most college kids have an experience or two where they drink too much, it's not like most Kenyon students just get-insert favorite word for being way too drunk-every weekend.

aplomb · 11-08-2009, 12:13 PM

The website said that all first year housing is smoke- and alcohol-free. Does this just mean that you can't smoke/drink IN the first year housing, but you can outside of it (and then come back drunk)?

rdt425 · 11-08-2009, 02:10 PM

Yes, you cannot smoke in any college building; however, you can smoke outside. Also, alcohol is not allowed in any freshman dorm, whether or not you are 21. However, if you go out somewhere to drink and come back to your room drunk, that is your own business.

aplomb · 11-08-2009, 07:49 PM

ah, okay. I guess the problem still remains, then... I knew it was too easy, haha. thanks for clarifying.

foolsgold · 11-09-2009, 11:30 PM

wellness housing = living with a bunch of underclassmen who agree to, you know, live well