The Bowdoin Orient

In the October 17 issue of the Orient, the Bowdoin community was asked to respond to the question, "Are you satisfied with Bowdoin's social scene?" The following replies were submitted.

Adairro Fuller '11

Bowdoin's social scene can be improved. During homecoming weekend, some alumni expressed that they wish Bowdoin still had fraternities and sororities, and many students on campus wish Bowdoin had these social groups as well. It is unfair that the Board permanently abolished such social groups because of "accidents" and segregation amongst students? It is unfair that we are dealing with the consequences, in which we did not create the problem? When we go to dinner do we still sit with a certain group of people or a person? Do students still drink so much that they pass out?

Little has changed since these organizations have been abolished, but what has changed is how more open-minded the students at Bowdoin have become. The students here are more accepting than past generations. It is tradition for some students to attend Bowdoin because certain family members are alumni. It is also a tradition to belong to a particular sorority or fraternity that dates back generations in your family. So does the Board have the right to destroy certain family traditions?

Sophia Seifert '09, BSG President

I am really awkward. Sometimes, I'm really, really awkward. And I know I am not the only one on campus who behaves this way. In fact, many Bowdoin students take pride in their awkwardness, as though it marks them as a true citizen of our socially inept polar bear nation.

But I don't exactly enjoy being awkward. The times when I manage to behave like a normal, friendly person are way more fun than the times I spend avoiding eye contact.

Luckily I have a choice. I can continue to walk around paralyzed by social anxiety, and probably still have a great four years at Bowdoin.

Or, I can take time to examine my behavior and think seriously about what triggers it. I can change these habits, and subsequently have an even better four years at Bowdoin.

The same phenomenon applies to the larger Bowdoin social sphere. Each member of this community has attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions that contribute to the atmosphere of our campus.Too often we do not question our own conduct and thought processes with the same rigor we apply to our studies or activities.

Though we are privileged to live and study at Bowdoin, there is always room for improvement. And nowhere do we have the agency to affect change more than in our social sphere.

The Bowdoin Student Government has begun examining the forces that contribute to the social dynamics of our community. We have assembled a task force to engage the student body in frank discussion about how we live our lives so that the quality of our experience can improve.

The first step is simply to ask questions.

Here are some that we have begun to consider:

- What is the perception of sex and hooking up? Does it have to be a walk of shame?

-If everyone seems to criticize political correctness, why are we such a PC campus?

-Where are there opportunities to actually meet new people at Bowdoin?

-Are we a tolerant campus? What's the difference between tolerance and support?

-Why do students behave differently in class then out of class? Why don't class friendships seem to go anywhere?

-Are Bowdoin students really apathetic, even though they claim to be engaged?

We hope to discuss these questions, and others, with you soon.

Once we have a sense of your answers to these questions, it will be time to act. Do not complacently remain the awkward kid. Instead, join us in asking these tough questions and working to ensure the highest quality Bowdoin experience possible.

Chester Eng '11

Having been at Bowdoin for a year now, I would have to say Bowdoin generally has a great social scene. It is a small college, so there is the opportunity to meet lots of new, interesting, and smart people and really get to know them closely. It is very easy to see friends and spend time with them on a regular basis, something that is not as possible at much larger schools. However, there are downsides as well. The student body seems to be divided in two ways that becomes most apparent on weekends: those who drink and those who do not. Drinking is a social activity that many students enjoy here (myself included), but it should not be used to define social groups on campus.

That being said, I also feel that there is tendency for the students on campus to be cliquey. Everyone here is generally friendly and outgoing, but at the same time, there does not seem to be much intermingling between social groups. There are groups of people who always seem as if they are always together, whether they are at parties or simply eating in the dining hall. Given the small size of Bowdoin, this dynamic makes me feel as if I am back in high school once in a while.

These are merely observations that I have made and they do not reflect how I truly see Bowdoin's student body. I have lots of wonderful friends who I enjoy immensely spending time with and probably would not be as close to at a place larger than Bowdoin. My statements could just easily be said at any other college or university.