Academics

The academics are wonderful! No matter how difficult or easy your courses were in high school, Kenyon classes will challenge you to explore your horizons and think in new ways. The faculty is absolutely amazing here at Kenyon. They are outstanding scholars, and they also invest time and emotional commitment in their students. They really value you, the student, learning and understanding and enjoying, all at the same time. If you plan it right, you can get the classes you want. For really popular courses, there are usually several different sections, and you should list alternate times, but I don’t know anyone who didn’t get a class. The teachers are also really nice about this. If you come to them and say ‘I really want to take this course,’ they will usually let you add it.

Athletics

Kenyon is not a jock school, although I see it rapidly getting there, with the addition of FRA. At the same time, we needed a new facility desperately, and this will most definitely attract student athletes. I don’t want to see it move towards a division in the student body as a cross-country runner. I enjoy the fact that I can be a student, a singer, a writer, and an athlete without feeling the need to restrict myself. Sports are moderately important to students, and not so much to the community, with the exception of swimming, which I wouldn’t consider a jock sport. I think swimming and football get the most attention, for opposite reasons. In addition, the ‘game-oriented’ sports, such as soccer and field hockey, get the most attention. Due to the nature of the sport, XC is overlooked, and golf is nonexistent, but understandably so.

Campus Dining

Gambier itself offers a precious few alternatives to the blandness of Avi Foodsystems. The Gambier Deli makes a pretty good sandwich, but its prices, ($7–$10), make it impossible for them to be a regular part of a student’s diet. The Gambier Grill, whose primary function is the campus’s only real bar, makes decent grill-type food at an affordable price. There is also the Kenyon Inn, which serves legitimate three-star gourmet food, but prices ($40–$50 a head) generally make it an option only when one’s parents are in town.

Campus Housing

There is a range of on-campus housing. We have a few beautiful dorms, mostly doubles and triples, with a few singles, which are populated primarily by frat boys and party kids. The freshman housing is grim, but fosters a real sense of community. By the time you get to be a junior and senior, it’s possible to get an on-campus apartment, some of which are stunningly beautiful, and some of which are pretty ramshackle; we get by.

Campus Strictness

Security will only bust someone when there is obvious evidence that they are drinking underage, and the same goes for the dorms. While security makes regular rounds to make sure college policies are being adhered to, they will rarely intercede, unless there is clear cut evidence of a violation.

Computers

The campus’ computers are top-of-the-line. There are more than enough computers on campus to satisfy the student body, because enough students bring their own computers. I brought my computer, and it’s really been helpful, but in case my laptop crashed, I would never have a problem finding another computer to use, even if it’s a fellow dormmate’s. I think it would be beneficial for any student to have a computer because it would make your life a lot easier since it’s so convenient to setup a computer in your dorm and just work from home instead of walking a couple minutes away. I don’t know, you can definitely survive without a computer, but if you’re attached to the Internet, go ahead and bring one.

Diversity

I would say that at Kenyon, you have a very diverse group of white, upper-middle-class students. Kenyon has a fairly large amount of international students, but there aren’t a lot of African American students that are attracted to Kenyon. I think that the Admissions Office works very hard to find African American applicants, but it hasn’t really gotten to the point where Kenyon is as diverse as it could be. Maybe that has to do with its location being in Ohio.

Drug Scene

Kenyon’s drugs of choice are cheap beer and Camel Lights. There’s a fair amount of pot kicking around, some hallucinogens, a spot of E here and there. It’s not really a big scene at all.

Facilities

The bookstore is a great place to study, hang out, and it has anything and everything you would ever want or need. It has everything and a wonderful staff. Some of the school buildings may have been built close to two centuries ago, but you wouldn’t notice it. Every building is comfortable and well furnished. I lived in a dorm with carpeting and air-conditioning as a freshman! What more can I ask for. The classrooms are wonderful, and the buildings some of your lectures are in were once homes, and it’s just awesome at times when you realize how special of a place Kenyon is. Round-table discussions in almost every class and plenty of opinions to share make up good times!

Greek Life

Greek life is not what it is on bigger campuses. Most of the big parties are thrown by frats, and that seems to be their primary contribution to campus life, apart from the occasional blood drive or fundraiser. The only real tension between Greeks and independents comes when housing rears its ugly head. Fraternities do get a sort of housing advantage in campus residences, but it wouldn’t be a problem if good housing weren’t already in such short supply.

Guys & Girls

Relationship-wise, you find that there is no middle ground or very little middle ground. Some couples are very, very close and tight, almost married, to just occasional hookups, but you’ll probably find that everywhere.

Local Atmosphere

Once you get beyond the initial ‘middle of nowhere’ factor, you really begin to love the village of Gambier. Cars stop for you, everything is really clean, and you are able to interact with other students, faculty, and residents every day just walking through. Mt. Vernon, for what it is, a place to get all life’s necessities, is fine. I actually like Gambier better, but Mt. Vernon is a fun random trip if you feel like it. Kenyon’s location is definitely a positive. Being surrounded by nature without a lot of distractions lets you get your work done, and you’re more likely to interact with other students more because you’re not going into a city often. Plus, Columbus isn’t that far away at all, and there’s a big shopping mecca only 50 minutes away as well. Plus, it’s just beautiful here.

Nightlife

There are a lot of options for nightlife at Kenyon—as many as you can expect at a small school. You hear very few complaints about there being things to do. A lot of people, if there isn’t something to do, will create fun for themselves. I think that is one of the greatest skills you can learn coming out of Kenyon. You really won’t have things arranged or planned for you. People are forced to become very independent and create fun for themselves, whatever that may be.

Off-Campus Dining

If you go into town, there are enough off-campus dining opportunities, especially if you are married to your favorite fast food chain. If not, it’s basically Ruby Tuesday, Jake’s, the Alcove, and Fiesta. Jake’s and the Alcove are the best. Jake’s is like Applebee’s (or a similar chain), whereas the Alcove probably touches $20/meal including drinks, excluding dessert.

Off-Campus Housing

In order to live off campus, you can enter the housing lottery, be assigned to a room, and then choose to live in an apartment and pay both the Kenyon boarding fee and the apartment rent, or you can be approved for off-campus housing by the Office of Residential Life, have your Kenyon boarding fee waived, and pay rent for an apartment. Either way, it’s much more expensive than living on campus (rent is more than the Kenyon boarding fee), and the few off-campus options that exist aren’t terribly different from many of the Kenyon housing options. Despite all this, it’s tempting to live off campus just to know a bit more responsibility and freedom.

Overall Experience

I believe everyone at Kenyon has a ‘Kenyon moment’ that turns a switch and makes you truly appreciate Kenyon for all its good and bad aspects, because with everything considered, it is a one-of-a-kind and wonderful place. As a disoriented freshman, I got lost trying to find the observatory for a Physics lab at 10 o’clock at night during the first week of school. I was somewhere near the athletic facilities, and I asked a lacrosse player if he knew where the observatory was. He said ‘no, but I have a car—we can go look for it.’ So at 10 p.m., after sports practice, a complete stranger drove me around for a half-hour looking for the observatory. It was a completely unnecessary, yet benevolent gesture that I will always remember. It was one of my first impressions of Kenyon students, and one that they’ve certainly lived up to since.

Parking

Parking is awful. At the same time, I wouldn’t want to see parking lots take over Kenyon’s greenery, so I guess we have to deal with it. Surprisingly, parking was easiest my sophomore year when I lived in Mather. We had access to Bexleys and Caples lot and Bexley Hall, and I usually got a spot. Freshman year, prepare to hike, junior and senior year, good luck getting a spot at Leonard or Manning—you probably won’t. You don’t need a car, unless you have an off-campus job, but it is handy. However, enough people have cars (judging from the crowded parking lots), that one is not necessary.

Safety & Security

I started out as a freshman feeling as if security was always out to get me. Whether or not I was throwing a party in my room or going to a party, I always felt as if they were the enemy. As I have gone on and now am a senior, I appreciate their role; I realize they are not out to get us. They have done a lot for the school, and at least 90 percent of the time, they care about the good of the students.

Transportation

In terms of public transportation out of Gambier, there is a shuttle that drops students off in different points in Mt. Vernon. It runs hourly in the afternoons and evenings on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. It is no cost to students, and is a perfect way to escape the hill for a bit, either for a meal, some shopping, or to see a movie.

Weather

I made the mistake of bringing about 10 tank tops, only one of which I used, and I used it as fabric for my quilt-making class. Bring sweaters, sweaters, and more sweaters, along with a light, medium, and heavy jacket. I would strongly suggest getting a pair of UGG boots. Don’t bring just heavy clothes, though. The weather can be spastic, and you’ll find yourself taking off your winter coat and putting on a short sleeve shirt and shorts all within the same day.