Social life at Kenyon

wildwood330 · 08-18-2009, 09:10 AM

We recently visited Kenyon College for an summer open house and loved it. Although small, the positive academics and atmosphere seemed to outweigh the lack of a town. Now I am hearing that alcohol is predominant in the social scene and that the college tolerates it as there is not much else to do. The reports I am getting state its usage to be more than social drinking, but more like drinking until one is ill. If there are current students or recent alumni reading this, could you please address the issue of alcohol and drugs. While on our visit, a student panel acknowledged the presence of alcohol at parties, but stressed that no one would be pressured to do anything if they chose not to do so. Still, if it is predominant at all non structured activities .... Is any of this accurate?

rdt425 · 08-18-2009, 08:21 PM

Alcohol is definitely part of the social scene at Kenyon. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you. That being said, the student panel you heard from is correct, there usually isn't any direct pressure to drink if that is not your thing. It all depends on what you are looking for and the type of people with whom you associate. It is possible to go out and drink every single night or to never drink all 4 years, it just depends on what you want. Most student parties do have alcohol; however, there are many non-alcoholic events that the college sponsors. It might take a little more creativity, but there are always things to do and the college has recently increased their efforts to plan activities that don't center around alcohol. There are always plays, concerts, movies, bands, guest lecturers and such visiting campus. Many students also go to Columbus on the weekends.

As far as students drinking until they are ill...it is unfortunate that it sometimes does happen. I have been a CA the last 2 years and I can confidently say that the number of students going to the hospital because of alcohol poisoning has gone down. There has been a big push for students to be more conscious of their actions and for students to be more accountable for their friends. Also, there is the Good Samaritan Policy on campus, and students are encouraged to get help if their friends are sick, without fear of judicial action.

MolBioAce06 · 08-18-2009, 11:15 PM

I agree that alcohol is available at most parties...that is what college students do sometimes, and for a few, many times. Kenyon is not really about pressuring one to drink, but rather enjoying the moment however you choose to do it. As the collective Kenyon community has written here many times, there are tons of things to do that are fun and don't involve alcohol and also do not require a car to get off campus.

Your son or daughter is going to drink at some point during college, perhaps not until they are of legal age (though I must say I had a roommate one year who did not due to religious reasons). Just try to have an open dialog, encourage them to find their limits...i.e. don't end up needing a run to the hospital, and also encourage them to join a wide variety of groups that may choose to have fun without alcohol or limited drinking some weekends/evenings.

wildwood330 · 08-20-2009, 09:05 AM

Thanks for both of these informative responses. I do realize that drinking at college is a part of the social scene. It was part of my social scene while at college, though was probably limited to a party once or twice a month. What I am hearing is that there are parties at least three nights per week. Currently, my daughter is involved with drama productions and dance outside school. She is not part of a crowd that engages in high school drinking. The description of Kenyon students as "loving the stage and the page" fits her to a tee! From a young age she was viewed as a bright girl who was always reading. She has her group of friends, but is eager to expand her life socially. And maybe Kenyon is too small for her as a result of her needs...or maybe not, maybe it would be a good transition. It's difficult to know from a one day visit or reading a brochure. She will try an overnight visit and may have a better feel then.

We all felt something very special for her while walking that campus and speaking to the professors. We are not willing to let it go easily. It seems so much a fit for her in many ways.

We speak to our daughter openly about our concerns and actually have talked about how to drink socially yet safely. "Parties three to four times a week because there is nothing else to do." ... We want there to be a lot for her to do. We're torn.

MolBioAce06 · 08-20-2009, 11:19 AM

I happened to have a friend with a dance and drama major at Kenyon....she did not drink very often, was heavily involved in major productions and blackbox, and really enjoyed her time at Kenyon from what I know. She also had a wide group of friends. I realize your daughter may not want to major in dance and drama, but my friend should still be able to give good advice. Please PM me if you would like her contact info to ask some questions.

foolsgold · 08-21-2009, 07:43 AM

There's drinking at Kenyon, but probably no more or less than at any similar college, and I'm confident there's much less than at most big state schools or far less selective schools with the exception of the military colleges and some very religious institutions.

kenyon_10 · 08-23-2009, 01:04 AM

I agree with the posters on this forum. The three nights you refer to are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and to be honest, perhaps only 10-20% of the students at Kenyon party on Wednesday I personally know of people who don't drink at Kenyon and have thrived in the environment. Here's an example:

Karki '09 Wins Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship - Kenyon College

If your daughter is mature and responsible enough, she will do well at a place like Kenyon.

collegefreshie · 09-13-2009, 07:11 PM

As a current Kenyon freshman I can tell you right now that alcohol is a BIG deal here. There really isn't much else to do on the weekends but party and alcohol is always present.

rdt425 · 09-13-2009, 07:52 PM

I disagree with you, collegefreshie. Yes, there are parties. Yes, people drink. However, you have only been here for a little more than 2 weeks. I would give it some time before you jump to the conclusion that there really isn't much else to do on the weekends.

#1travlr · 09-19-2009, 05:51 PM

Wildwood 330: checked out Vassar for your daughter's interests?

wildwood330 · 09-21-2009, 10:31 PM

I can't say I know much about Vassar. I was thinking it was still for women only, but I see it has been co-ed for a while now. How is it for English/History majors? This is getting to be quite an ordeal for her and me. There are so many good choices and not enough time to check them all out. We're having a difficult time narrowing the list of schools to which she wants to apply. Right now the list is at 21--way too many! What is your knowledge of Vasser?

#1travlr · 09-22-2009, 09:09 AM

Wildwood: you will find much information on the Vassar website to interest both you and your daughter. I would suggest spending time with the various links on the site. They have student blogs as well. Add yourselves to their mailing list. Go to the Admissions webpage which will provide you access to wide-ranging information. English and Haistory at Vassar are both very, very good; Vassar has an innovative curriculum stucture as well that fosters student initiative and creativity. Their arts scene is unparalleled for a small liberal arts school. Beautiful, historic campus. We found the student guides to be very friendly and knowledgable. Our daughter was waitlisted there and it was too late to rework all her plans when she was admitted off the waitlist. In retrospect, I wish we had made that switch as she has since transferred to another university from the college she attended initially. Vassar would have been better for her.

MolBioAce06 · 09-23-2009, 01:01 AM

Enough with the Vassar ad, your kid didn't even go there! #1, please feel free to list all 21 schools and I/we can narrow the list down to maybe 15?

MolBioAce06 · 09-23-2009, 01:15 AM

Also...an English or history major at full price from a LAC would be a terrible idea, as it always has been for those not planning to get a graduate degree or join the family business and or enjoy their trust fund. Yes, I know there are exceptions (some billionaire who hit it big creating the history channel or something), but most students are not so lucky, especially those hunting for a job right now.

A quick addition, I know that many parents will pay the full cost...but is it worth it over somewhere like Madison etc?

foolsgold · 09-23-2009, 12:49 PM

errr, terrible idea is probably a little harsh, "terrible investment" would be more accurate. English can be a wonderful subject to study, and if English is your thing that's great, but as a practical matter, it would be best to supplement one's study of English with something more marketable. Possibilities include a double major with math, chem, bio, physics, and econ; even poli-sci or a language can add some value. Of course if you're looking at law school or grad school, then an English major might be perfectly fine, and let's not forget that most students don't pay the full price tag, and for those of us who do, putting food on our tables is unlikely to be a problem.