Clark University - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

Worcester has its good spots and its bad spots. However, Clark happens to be in one of its worst spots, and not much time will go by before the dean’s office will send out one of its “timely warnings” describing some theft or attack that occurred on or around campus. A lot of students are frightened by the area at first but tend to grow out of that fear as they explore the area a little more. Given some time and a little knowledge of public transportation, the better parts of Worcester can be explored and enjoyed. Being a city, Worcester provides more than adequate outlets for culture and the arts, and it is a great place for college students to open up to new ideas and people.

Clark is part of a consortium of schools, which makes for a very youthful crowd of people when school is in session. When out at bars and clubs, students will generally run into other Clarkies or people from one of the surrounding schools. However, when not interacting with a fellow student, some find that the local Worcester residents are not the most jovial people to interact with. The term “sketchy” is used on a daily basis to describe the members of the surrounding community. It’s not all bad, though. Clark’s location places it very close to many restaurants, bars, grocery and convenience stores, and a lively downtown club scene. The average student can certainly have an enjoyable time without running into any trouble in Worcester as long as they use a little bit of common sense and pay attention to their surroundings.

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Students Speak Out

ClaBD says: Clark University 2016 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies, and Humanities

Worcester reflects the school in... Worcester reflects the school in many cultural ways—it truly is a melange of different people. We are surrounded by other schools, including Holy Cross and Worcester State College. The Worcester Art Museum is wonderful—it's small but has a lot to offer. 12345 Local Atmosphere: March 09, 2009 Report

ClaMD says: Clark University 2016 Undecided

I know many people are able to get... I know many people are able to get out and about in Worcester, but I have been limited because I don't have my own car, and I do not have a lot of money to spend on cabs. However, there are ways of getting around on the weekends if you take advantage of the opportunities. Personally, I do not get off of campus enough for my own liking, but I am sure that in the years to come I will discover more of Worcester. However, the local atmosphere I have seen is truly amazing! When friends and I go walking during the day to run errands nearby we always end up engaged in a friendly and interesting conversation with someone who lives nearby, and they seem to have a great impression of Clark students. 12345 Local Atmosphere: February 21, 2009 Report

ClaPG says: Clark University 2015 Philosophy and Religion

The town is rather lousy, in my... The town is rather lousy, in my opinion. I grew up in Boston, and I love it there so much more than Worcester. Clark is in the worst part of town, too. Our students get mugged a lot, and Clark won't close the campus. I think we've given the town its chance, and it's about time we shut the campus at night. The best thing to visit is Shrewsbury Street, where there are tons of restaurants—it's easy to take the shuttle bus safely there. Stay away from Main Street, which is Clark's address. There are about 10 other colleges in Worcester, at least, and there's a shuttle that will take you from one to the other. But, I never interact with the other schools. 12345 Local Atmosphere: February 21, 2009 Report

Clasw says: Clark University 2015 Other

Worcester is an expansive city... Worcester is an expansive city rich in culture and diversity. However, Clark is in a very poor section of the city, but this allows for Clark students to benefit the city and enrich themselves by participating in various programs that aid the community. 12345 Local Atmosphere: February 18, 2009 Report

Anonymous says:

There are a handful of colleges in... There are a handful of colleges in the city: WPI, Holy Cross, Becker, and Assumption, and there’s a free shuttle bus that will take you around to all of them. Off campus in Main South is not the best place to be, so if you’re going to hang out off campus, go downtown. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Five Fun Facts about Worcester:
• Worchester’s nickname “Wormtown” is not meant to be a derogatory term. In fact, it isn’t meant to be a nickname at all! It was actually coined by the radio station WCUW’s DJ L.B. Worm as a label for the underground music scene that helped rejuvenate the airwaves more than 20 years ago.
• Worcester is home to the first public park, Elm Park, which was granted to the city of Worcester in 1854.
• The Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research is world reknowned for its hand in the creation of the birth control pill and in vitro fertilization.
• Worcester is the third-largest city in the state and is in the heart of Worcester County, the largest county in Massachusetts.
• The smiley face symbol was designed in Worcester by Harvey Ball in 1963.

Famous People from Worchester:
Robert Benchley, Elizabeth Bishop, Jaki Byard, Bob Cousy, Zara Cully, Esther Forbes, Samuel Fuller, Rich Gedman, Robert Goddard, Norman Greenbaum, John Michael Hayes, Abbie Hoffman, Arthur Kennedy, George Kennedy, Stanley Kunitz, Dennis Leary, John Lurie, Eddie Mekka, Albert Abraham Michelson, Roger Salloom, R.A. Salvatore, Allan Steele, Major Taylor, Alicia Witt

Local Slang:
Bubbler – Water fountain
Jimmies – Tiny candy that goes on ice cream, a.k.a. sprinkles.
Main South – The area of Worcester that is most dangerous.
Packy – Massachusetts calls its liquor stores “package stores.” Packy is an abbreviation of the term.
Three Deckers/Triple Deckers – Three story apartment buildings, usually with one apartment to a floor. They were popular back at the turn of the century when Worcester had money; hence there are a ton of them.
Wormtown/Woosta – Both are nicknames for Worcester.

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