1. Social life and friendship at Wellesley |
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Roller blading along Memorial Drive in Cambridge on a Sunday in the fall and relaxing with friends in the residence halls. |
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Your first question is probably, "Will I have a social life?" Yes! There are many opportunities for creating a social life and developing lifelong friendships. On campus, Wellesley hosts numerous activities – social, cultural, political, academic, athletic — that attract students to campus from throughout Boston, Cambridge, and beyond. Many Boston-area students look forward to annual events at Wellesley. Among them are Tower Court Mixers, Munger Mash, Marathon Monday, and Spring Weekend. Film series, lectures, and special events are ongoing. Other recent on-campus activities, deemed as favorites among Wellesley students, include: Shaggy concert, New Orleans-style block party on Tupelo Lane, multicultural poetry reading, WZLY listening party and trivia contest, sledding on Severance Hill, swing dancing at Lake House, watching movies on Severance Green, residence hall parties, competing in regattas, Everclear concert, an 80s party, and the Lake Day carnival. Off campus, ongoing opportunities for you to meet students from other colleges include mixers, classes, and constant social and academic events. With over 250,000 students in the Boston/Cambridge area, there is never a shortage of opportunities for socializing, no matter what your interest may be. Boston's educational institutions, entertainment venues, cultural outlets, history, community service organizations, and natural beauty offer a myriad of choices for enjoyment and exploration. Boston and Cambridge are truly walkable cities, with convenient public transportation from the Wellesley campus. You will need to define what you want your social life to be, and you will see that the opportunities and choices for creating it abound. |
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| "You
can't help but appreciate that you are near a city with thousands
of college students running around. It's great for networking. I have
friends at MIT, Harvard, and BU with lots of parties and gatherings.
A big social network offers big advantages."
Adria '03 |
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| "For
a few months I laughed at the prospect of going to Wellesley. All
women? No way. Most of my friends in high school were guys. But the
idea gradually grew on me. I'm from California and I liked the idea
of coming to East Coast to a small school - with fall, brick buildings,
lamp-lit walkways, campus environment, small classes, relationships
with professors. It's just a feeling you get; you can't not go to
Wellesley. Plus, Wellesley has maintained its status as one of the
best colleges nationally; it's not just a fad. It doesn't hurt to
have alumnae such as Madeleine Albright and Hillary Clinton. After
I'd been here a while, I have to admit that the fact that it's all
women became one of my favorite things. It creates a powerful bond.
Everyone is so passionate and involved; it keeps you motivated. I
know I would never be as active elsewhere. I didn't understand the
extent of opportunities until I got here. What I think is most remarkable
is the tremendous resources for activities and organizations—
social, sport, whatever. People here are passionate about what they
do. No matter what area, people support you." Morgan '04 |
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| "Students
who come to Wellesley branch out. If you're not happy, you change
what you're doing. Wellesley will teach you to be socially aggressive.
You'll figure out what you want and how to do it. For social outlets,
you have to leave your room. There are no parties in the hallways.
For every different person here, there's a way to pursue your interest
- and if it's not here, you develop a way." Adria '03 |
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"I'm
from Hawaii and wanted to go to the East Coast, not the West Coast.
I wanted to be stretched and challenged. Everybody seemed so enthusiastic.
That it was single sex was no big deal. I could see benefits and
tradeoffs. My objective in going to college is not just to meet
guys. I'm not caught up in it, and there are plenty of opportunities
here and afterwards." |
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View a video clip of Wellesley athletics. You will need QuickTime. |
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| Dorm crew offers an alternative to the dedication required for Varsity Crew. Here juniors and seniors practice on the lake to prepare for their annual spring competition. | |
| "Thursday
night ballroom dancing at MIT was fantastic. They're not all nerds.
I also took advantage of attending a lot of conferences.— a great
opportunity" Dana '03 |
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| "Being
at an academically rigorous school such as Wellesley does not mean
an absence of a social life. Nor does being at a women's college mean
having only an all-female group of friends. However, for me, gaining
a coed group of friends required some initiative. I do my best to
get involved in intercollegiate groups like ballroom dancing and community
service. Others reach outside of Wellesley by being politically active,
singing in a choir, going to social events held by their church or
cultural organization, or joining an outdoors club. My circle of friends
at Wellesley really is one of the most wonderful and comforting things
that I have found here. Katy '05 |
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View a video clip of Spring Weekend. You will need QuickTime. |
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| The Wellesley-MIT Exchange Bus provides free transportation between Wellesley and MIT on weekdays for Wellesley and MIT students. In addition, the Senate Bus runs until late at night between Wellesley and Cambridge from Friday through Sunday. |
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FRIENDSHIP |
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"I
felt like I learned the most by talking with friends. Our conversations
may be casual or deep, personal or philosophical. Whether you're
sitting in the hallway, having dinner in Boston, or riding on the
T, it doesn't matter what the activity is—you just bond. Friendships
at Wellesley really ground me in other realms of life. I want to
continue to develop when I leave." |
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"Hands
down people are the best thing at Wellesley. I'd say academics are
a given. I have a group of about eight friends from first year and
we still have dinner in Tower Court at 6 pm Monday through Friday.
I'm very close with my first year roommate. I've worked in the Math,
Science, and Spanish departments, and the Dean's Office. Everywhere
I've been people are fabulous: friendly, open, and wonderful to
work with. We laugh a lot." |
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| The
whole experience of being on the Varsity Crew team has changed a lot
about me. The attitude of the team and the camaraderie and spirit
we have are amazing, and it is the sort of thing I always want to
have in my life! I have learned what it feels like to push myself
to limits I never knew; I have learned a lot about teamwork; I have
learned a LOT about myself and how competitive I am; I have learned
a great deal about sacrifices and what it really means to be a part
of a nationally ranked number one team. Deirdre '04 |
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"To
escape anti-Semitism my family came to the US from Belarus when
I was 10. My roommate had grown up in Shanghai in a completely different
culture from mine, so she saw me as an American. She and I had so
much to talk about; sometimes we would go on for hours. Although
I'd been in touch with a lot of cultures, I had never really understood
or appreciated the differences." |
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| "When
I went out with non-Wellesley friends one Saturday night, I came back
quite late and five of my dormmates were sitting around talking in
the kitchen. I joined right in. It's so nice to come home to great
conversation, no matter what the hour. Friendship and bonding are
unique to colleges like Wellesley that place an emphasis on dorm life.
I was amazed to learn that some of my friends at other schools hardly
knew people in their dorm. Here everyone is friendly." Jennifer '02 |
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Next:
Academic
Scholarship |
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Office
of Admission |
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| "I
love that Wellesley is close to Boston, but not in it. It's a great
stress reliever to go dancing, go to fraternity parties, shop with
friends, and meet friends of friends at Harvard and MIT." Mia '03 |
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View a video clip of Boston. You will need QuickTime. |
| Wellesley College may not have a football team, but many students enjoy attending games among the 50+ colleges and universities in the Boston area as well as in other parts of New England. In the above photo, students trekked to New Haven to watch the Harvard/Yale game in fall of 2003. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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