U of Chicago Social Scene

momofapp · 10-31-2009, 06:56 PM

Can anyone comment on the social scene at U of Chicago?

SmithieandProud · 10-31-2009, 06:59 PM

isn't their motto "Where Fun Goes to Die"?

momofapp · 10-31-2009, 08:17 PM

Yes! But even Wake Forest students seem to like the motto "Work Forest". The students seem to enjoy fostering the reputation, but what are they really doing on Friday and Saturday night? Even my straight-laced senior is concerned about the characterization. Help on this, anyone?

momof3sons · 10-31-2009, 08:27 PM

momofapp.
Try the U.Chicago forum because I think there are actual students who post there regularly. Of course, it is Saturday night and they're probably out playing.

I think the "motto" is an exaggeration, of course. I have a senior, too, who checked out the university in person a couple of weeks ago, and I think his similar fears were allayed.
University of Chicago - College Confidential

Seashore · 10-31-2009, 08:45 PM

The motto is "where fun COMES to die," an important distinction. It's U Chicago students' way of saying that they work really hard but that they are having a lot of fun doing it.

Chicago is a pretty intensely academic place, and if that's not what you want, you should choose somewhere else. But it's college. There is a lot of time for fun.

One way that the school encourages the social side is their house system--instant friends to get you started until you find your own niche. Like all schools, there are lots of student organizations and things to do on campus. And the city is easily accessible by public transportation.

Nova10 · 11-01-2009, 11:04 AM

At UIC, we hated it when we had to deal with the UofC students. They were considered boring and not fun. They were up tight. We had no problems with students from Loyola, DePaul, etc. Students at Northwestern tended to keep to themselves.

gadad · 11-01-2009, 03:09 PM

Here you go:
Where fun comes to die....

runnersmom · 11-01-2009, 03:36 PM

Short answer....it's what you make of it. Long answer...my S (Class of '07) and my D (Class of '11) have had active, interesting and varied social lives at the U of C. There are many avenues for socialization and many diverse types of students. I cannot think of a time when either of my kids complained that there wasn't something to do, or someone to do it with. But yes, there are times in the quarter when school takes precedence, even on a Friday or Saturday night. It's the nature of the beast.

applicannot · 11-01-2009, 05:14 PM

I read somewhere that the University of Chicago has a "hanging out" culture rather than a "partying" culture. As a prospective student only, I can't contribute to the validity of this statement. However, if it's true, the University of Chicago has gone up ten notches in my book. I prefer hanging out with friends to partying any day - and to be honest would rather be alone or study than "party" - and even at schools that don't have party school reputations, visits have proven to me that partying is often the primary social outlet. I'm sure I'll find "my people" almost anywhere, but it's nice to be around an entire university of people somewhat like you.

kantianethicist · 11-01-2009, 05:44 PM

You should look up the poster "unalove'' --she's a frequent UChicago poster and will likely give you lots of info.

Where fun comes to die is kind of a humorous badge of honor there... I think they have tshirts.

Also, on the colleges forum--look up UChicago--there's a thread where you can ask someone from UChicagoPSAC questions about student life.

idad · 11-01-2009, 05:59 PM

Here is another thread on the UofC forum that may be relevant.

Workload

JHS · 11-01-2009, 10:17 PM

As a parent of Chicago students, I used to think "Where Fun Comes To Die" was terribly unfair. Both of my kids have had plenty of fun, maybe even shading over into too much fun at times. However, I have come to appreciate the screening function of that slogan. First, anyone who doesn't appreciate the joke probably doesn't belong at Chicago. Second, I don't particularly mind if people for whom "Fun" is job #1 decide not to apply there, or attend.

Anyway, my kids' social experience at Chicago has been great. Lots of friends, lots of things to do with them, lots of social relationships centering around activities or shared academic interests. What there isn't much of is drinking (or the equivalent) as the principal focus of an evening. People certainly do drink, but it doesn't seem to be an end unto itself. And kids who don't want to drink aren't excluded from or uncomfortable at most activities. It's not so much a "work hard, play hard" place as a "work hard, kick back and relax or do something else interesting" place.

On the whole, students come to Chicago, most of them, because they have serious academic/intellectual interests. Social life there is not separate from academic and intellectual interests; students' work (or personalities) carry over into their social lives. The shared frame of reference provided by the Core facilitates that. Some kids thrive on that; some would no doubt find it oppressive.

idad · 11-01-2009, 11:33 PM

As typical, JHS has provided a very well stated description of the University. My S's experience reflects that of JHS's kids. Much of the fun comes from the intellectual culture of the school blending into the social.

S believes another Chicago t-shirt slogan more aptly describes the school, "That's all fine and well in practice, but how does it work in theory?"

JHS · 11-02-2009, 09:04 AM

Yes, that and "Where the only thing that goes down on you is your GPA".

(I suspect that the foregoing is, like "Where Fun Comes To Die", not strictly speaking true.)

idad · 11-02-2009, 08:47 PM

S1 and friends recently returned from a Halloween visit to Madison WI. He said it was fun, but made one appreciate the U of C community even more.