Written by Mandy Kain and Radhika Arora
Nightlife is not lacking at Cornell, despite Ithaca’s small size and somewhat remote location. The combination of Greek life and the bar scene provides opportunities to socialize and meet new people, especially from Thursday through Sunday nights. However, nightlife is very limited to the bars and the frat parties, with only a bit of variety in between. Even with the many decent bars in Collegetown and the Commons, going out can become routine and somewhat boring. There are many more bars than clubs in the area, so much of the nightlife centers around drinking, which makes activities even more limited for the under-21 crowd—most places do check IDs and are strict). Most bars have last call at 1 a.m., after which many students go to house or frat parties, so even those who are older experience a limited social scene.
Still, various campus groups host night activities that are fun and alcohol-free. Local bands play at the Nines, Johnny O’s, the Haunt, Stella’s, and elsewhere. In past years, popular bands have held campus-wide concerts, including Moby, Incubus, Dave Matthews Band, Ludacris, and Death Cab for Cutie.