Is Swarthmore for me? Need help URGENTLY!!

YifanW
Tue, 15 Jan 2013 01:23:34 +0000

Hi,

I’ve applied swarthmore winter ED, but I’m having second thoughts now.(I just want to make sure if it’s a fit for me before I do anything about it.)

I’ve heard from various sources(current student reviews and alums online) that students tend to be nerdy and socially awkward, and that it can be hard to make new friends since most people aren’t that open and adept at socializing. I think this can be true to some extent cos you have to admit that" a place to make lifelong friendship" isn’t exactly the school’s selling point. Anyway, I’m wondering if the relationship between students are limited to intellectual conversations and academic collaboration. I’m also worried that everyone is uptight and serious in such an academically serious school.

Also, I’m not completely sure what “nerd” implies cos I’m from China and we kinda have different definition of the word. So does that imply someone who’s socially not confident, obsessed with certain stuff(sci-fi, comics or poetry maybe?) and have a distinctive definition of “having fun”?(I admit I learn my nerd knowledge from The Big Bang Theory.)

To be short, I wanna know at swarthmore if i can easily find someone who would happily agree and do stupid, crazy and cool stuffs with me when I say “you know what? we should climb on the roof!” or “Let’s pretend to be someone else when we go in that shop!”

It would be the best if any current student and alum could answer my questions, but any information would be very much appreciated.