Cornell University - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

It’s no secret that Ithaca is not an urban environment. Those used to large cities may find Ithaca’s activities to be limited. However, the town is actually quite dynamic, with beautiful outdoor scenery allowing for fun recreational activities, local festivals, lots of restaurants/shops, and a vibrant activist community.

The Cornell campus itself is teeming with activities, as is Collegetown, adjacent to the campus—you never have to leave Cornell to find something to do, but there’s plenty of activity in Ithaca if you look for it. Activities range from athletic, like salsa-dancing, to academic, like any one of the many distinguished speakers who lecture on campus. For those who crave an urban setting, New York City, Philadelphia, and Montreal are all within reasonable driving distance. It’s no secret, though, that Ithaca’s weather, like much of the Northeast, is often gray, cold, and dreary. Still, the campus’s beauty is unparalleled in the spring and summer.
 

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

It’s no secret that Ithaca is... It’s no secret that Ithaca is remote and isolated; it’s thanks to Cornell University and Ithaca College that it has a place on the map. But surprisingly, the town is dynamic and vibrant, not only when school is in session, but during the summer as well. There are many things to do: visit Buttermilk Falls and Cascadilla Creek, swim in the gorges when it’s warm but steer clear of the cliffs, go on booze cruises at Cayuga Lake when it’s warm, and ski at Greek Peak in the winter. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

You live in Cornell world. There... You live in Cornell world. There is no reason to leave campus since everything is around you. This is a college town with bars and restaurants to entertain each and every college student. Ithaca College is located about a mile away, and you can meet IC students all around (they have prettier girls). 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Ithaca College is across the hill,... Ithaca College is across the hill, but the two campuses don’t interact that much. The town is relatively lively and has a lot of shopping and many events during the warmer periods. Cornell is a college town with many students everywhere. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Ithaca is a great place. It’s... Ithaca is a great place. It’s small, but there are a ton of things to do. Ithaca College is close so students come to Cornell a lot on the weekends. But honestly, you don’t have to leave campus. There’s always so much going on—movies, plays, a cappella groups, performances—you’ll always find something to do no matter what your taste. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

There are a couple of other... There are a couple of other colleges and universities around. We don’t really mix with them since they’re separated. The parks near us are really nice, and there are many waterfalls. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

5 Fun Facts about Ithaca:
• Ithaca offers more restaurants per capita than New York City.

• An alternative currency called Ithaca Hours was founded in 1991 by Paul Glover. Ithaca Hours are honored locally by more than 400 businesses.

• The downtown Ithaca Commons was named one of the New York's top design projects of the century by the state chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

• Cayuga Lake splits the upper half of Tompkins County in two. The lake stretches about 40 miles northward from Ithaca, is the longest of the Finger Lakes, and is one of the deepest lakes in the eastern United States at 435 feet.

• Newfield Covered Bridge was erected in 1853 to protect those crossing the Cayuga Inlet Creek in Newfield. It is still standing and is the only covered bridge in the Finger Lakes District.

Famous People from Ithaca:
Gillian Anderson
John Lithgow
Gavin MacLeod
Christopher Reeve
Carl Sagan
Rod Serling
David Foster Wallace
Paul Wolfowitz

Local Slang:
Beast – Refers to the beer Milwaukee’s Best, which you’ll find in kegs at most fraternity parties.
Full Suicide – The Full Sui, found only at Hot Truck, comes on a half loaf of garlic bread. It is built by layering tomato sauce, mushrooms, sausage, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese. Finally, it is baked to perfection. What a sandwich!
IC – Ithaca College, sometimes called IK.
Ithacating – The perpetual mist, similar to a light drizzle, which is unique to Ithaca
Libe Slope - The hill that leads from west campus to the libraries and the quad of the College of Arts and Sciences is fondly called Libe Slope. The length of Libe Slope at the longest section is 480 feet, and the steepest angle is approximately 18.8 percent.
Nasties: Name given to Bear Necessities, a convenience store/dining hot spot located in Robert Purcell Community Center on North Campus.
Prelims: Short for “preliminaries.” Some classes, rather than having a midterm and a final, will have 1-3 prelims spaced throughout the semester, as well as a final.
 

There are large, beautiful gorges all over Ithaca, including on Cornell’s campus. Almost everyone seems to own a shirt that says, “Ithaca is Gorges,” or some variation there of.

The Ithaca Friends of the Library used book sale is the third largest in the country. On the last day of the sale, you can buy a bag of books for $1! The fall sale is for two weeksin October.

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