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College Prowler

Nightlife

Our school is small, but there are usually about 2-3 parties every weekend that much of the party crowd ends up revolving through. They can be fun but get cramped around 11-12ish and then it just gets sloppy. Seattle does not sell alcohol after 2 a.m., so unless you are stocked up, the party dissolves around then anyway. A lot of people drink with larger groups of friends (5-12 people) in their homes before going out, and that is usually the most fun. Nightlife 21+ is pretty diverse from breweries to pubs to small bars and taverns. These places are super close to campus, so it's easy to just grab a drink or stay out all night and walk the block back to wherever you live.

Off-Campus Dining

There are a lot of good restaurants in this area, especially because we are so close to downtown and Broadway. Restaurants are always nice in order to get a change of pace from cafeteria food. One of my favorite restaurants is Zeena’s (on Madison), which is a breakfast and lunch place. It is excellent. Taquerilla Express on Broadway is an excellent place for authentic Mexican food. Their food is to die for! Another Mexican place is Bimbo’s Bitchin’ Burritos. This place is small, but the food is amazing!

Off-Campus Housing

There are places around campus that are affordable, but it is also very expensive. I think that if you dislike the dorms, it is better to move off campus and find a house or apartment nearby. I would just suggest getting an apartment at the beginning of summer and staying there for the rest of the year; it clears away a lot of the hassles of trying to find a place right before school starts. Then, if you find the right place with the right rent and the right roommate(s), it is definitely worth having a little place to call your own.

Overall Experience

Seattle University is the best place ever. I am very, very happy with my choice to come here. Seattle is a wonderful city to be a college student in, and the actual University has a very unique and wonderful balance between being small enough to accommodate the needs of students and big enough to accommodate their interests.

Parking

People complain a lot about parking, but the problems are usually because of the drivers. People want their own spot, and they want to park in the closest lot, only sometimes, you just need to look in another lot. Ticketing does happen often for students who park illegally or don’t have permits, but appeals are available here in the Public Safety office. My advice: when you come in with your ticket, don’t yell at the front desk girl, don’t cuss, and don’t say ‘I’m not paying for this.’ Be nice and apologetic if you need to be. We like nice people.

Safety & Security

The buses around Claremont are terrible. They have a half-hourly schedule, but frequently they’re late or don’t come at all. One experience I had was that of waiting for the bus, only to have it drive right by without stopping. There’s a taxi service you can do that will take you a mile or two anywhere for just a few dollars, but I’ve heard that takes a lot of time as well, because you have to call ahead for them to pick you up.

Transportation

Public transportation is great, and parking prices are increasing annually. Buses run frequently, and they take you anywhere. The bus passes are also 55 percent off for students, which is a great deal. I recommend using the bus if you can, and only bring your car if you absolutely need it.

Weather

Weather is great starting in July and going through the beginning of October. September is beautiful here; fall colors start appearing, but it’s still warm enough to wear summer clothes. It’s pretty dark and rainy from November through February. March is usually beautiful—good shorts weather—and April through the beginning of June is rainy. Bring all sorts of clothes. Well, you can probably leave your snow boots at home. It rarely snows. When it does, it’s usually an inch, and the whole city shuts down (because everyone wants to go play, not because it’s dangerous). The downtown hills get bad, but just take a sled instead of your car.

Drug Scene

Most students will either drink or smoke weed, which causes little or no problem on campus. Many students will go off campus to do these things so as to not even worry about involving the school. On a few occasions, I have heard of other students doing drugs harder than alcohol and weed.

Facilities

There are good facilities on the campus. The Student Center is big and can house quite a lot of people. The computer labs are getting bigger, and that is nice. The athletic center could definitely be renovated because it is smaller and really only geared towards the athletes. The gym is always full of athletes, and there is not much room, since the facility is so small and people can start to feel cramped.

Greek Life

There is only one Greek organization on campus, the business fraternity. It does not play that big of a role on campus, but if you are involved with it, you come into contact with some great opportunities

Guys & Girls

There are not a lot of guys to choose from here at SU. Unfortunately, a lot of the guys who are available are jerks because they know that they can have their pick from all the girls that go to SU, so that is a downside. There are tons of pretty girls, though. If I were a guy, I think that I would like SU’s social scene. For girls, it’s not always so much fun.

Local Atmosphere

The atmosphere in Seattle is very easy-going and diverse. Walking around, you see business people, homeless people, college students, and many different ethnic groups. There are other universities, but none of them are right next to the SU campus. There are definitely areas that should be avoided at night, especially if you are alone. Broadway, for example, gets extremely shady at night unless there is an event with a lot of people going on. Seattle is definitely a place to walk around and see things, but the buddy system is preferable for safety reasons. There are hundreds of things to visit: Pike Place Market, the EMP, all of the boutiques and shops on Broadway and 15th. The Space Needle is a little overrated, but its fun to do for dinner one night. The waterfront is nice, and downtown shopping is a must, and for any Starbucks fans, the first Starbucks ever is the Pike Place Starbucks, and they have one-of-a-kind stuff there.

Academics

I have had such amazing experiences with the teachers here at Seattle U. The teachers (for the most part) are eager to help the students and devote their time to the questions that the students have. I think that Seattle is a great place to go if you are a student who wants one-on-one interaction with teachers and staff. I think that the core classes are extremely interesting, save a select few. As you progress in the years, the classes start to become more interesting because you are allowed to choose which classes you are most interested in, but I think that all of my core classes were interesting in some way.

Athletics

I would say that IM sports are more popular than the varsity sports. We just are not much of a sports school, and so I think that it is more fun for people to play IM sports than to watch other sports. Basketball and soccer can usually draw crowds to cheer them on, and it is fun to go watch varsity sports.

Campus Dining

The food is adequate. I wish there was a larger variety of low-fat or fat-free options at the Bistro and the Sidebar, because that is where a lot of students grab their snacks and stuff. The cafeteria is also a good place to eat, and there are a lot of options. The only problem I had when I was on campus is that the food eateries are only open for select hours, although with the Bistro, that has changed a little bit. It’s good food, but it could stand to be a little healthier.

Campus Housing

I lived in the dorms for two years, and I lived in both Bellarmine and Campion. In my opinion, the best place to live was Campion, because it was bigger and nicer than Bellarmine. You meet a lot more people in Campion, and you feel a little more disengaged from the campus. The good thing about Bellarmine, though, is that there is a microwave and fridge provided for you, whereas in Campion, you’re not allowed to have them at all.

Campus Strictness

Public Safety takes procedures to dispose of any illegal substances that may be found on campus. In terms of alcohol, it becomes a concern when underage drinking occurs or when intoxicated individuals begin to cause a disturbance on campus. Over-intoxication is not tolerated, and students are subjected to various consequences if they are found with illegal substances or are abusing their privileges.

Computers

The computer network on campus is nice because of its speed, but that isn’t much help if you have to wait for a computer, which I have done on many occasions. The computer labs are crowded during finals times and at some other random times, but if you’re willing to wait 10 to 15 minutes, then you’re fine. I would definitely bring a computer for writing papers and checking class-related e-mails. Also, if you’re ever sick, you’ll want a computer close by to e-mail your teacher.

Diversity

It’s cool. The diversity that surprised me the most was the religious practices. I knew that not everyone would be Catholic when I started, but because it’s a Jesuit university, I expected more. I was glad to see that most of the students have varying religious backgrounds. It makes campus life more interesting.