Favorite Things To Do
Despite the small campus and moderate town size, there are many things to do. Artistic productions are regularly put on by students, including dance shows at Pickard Theater, plays and improv shows, art openings at Fort Andross or the Visual Arts Center, and numerous a cappella concerts at the chapel. Bowdoin also provides a number of diverse fitness facilities, which makes exercise and recreational activity extremely accessible. Students should also check out the Bowdoin Outing Club (BOC), which does backpacking, canoeing, cross-country skiing, fly-fishing, hiking, kayaking, knitting, snow shoeing, whitewater rafting, winter mountaineering, and more! The BOC maintains a cabin in Monson, Maine, at the start of the Appalachian Trail, and owns Merritt Island on the New Meadows River.
A typical Bowdoin student usually becomes involved in lots of activities, and eventually gets caught up in a chaotic but rewarding routine. To unwind after a long day, students like to take walks, chill out and read on the quad, visit the Walker Art Museum, toss a Frisbee around between the dorms, tune into the campus radio station WBOR (91.1), or flip on the Bowdoin Cable Network. Others go to the Smith Union to enjoy the company of friends, a cup of java, sushi from the café, or play a game of pool. Another favorite thing Bowdoin students enjoy doing is attending guest lectures. The College has been known to bring in experts from time to time to speak about their professional and life experiences—past notable speakers include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Barbara Walters. Many students also like to hang out at the ITS Center while doing “work”—around finals time, you’ll find more of a social setting here than actual studying.