Written by Alexandra Patterson
After a little time at Kenyon, you will become very familiar with a little thing called “the Kenyon goggles.” This is a phenomenon that allows average-looking men and women to be thought of as extremely hot by the rest of the student body. There are a great many cuties, but genuine hotties run few and far between. As a result, ordinary and slightly-above-average-looking people find it extremely easy to find dates and hookups, and even the most unlikely student can find someone he or she really likes. The good news is that the looks are improving. While many still feel that Kenyon guys are better looking than Kenyon girls, each incoming class brings in its notable additions, and the general looks of things are getting better.
Once you decide exactly who you have your eye on, you may discover that someone you know has already done, dated, and/or dumped this person. It is not that the students here are overly promiscuous, but dating tends to happen within social circles. Certain guys have been known to tear through particular female groups of friends and vice versa. There is also the strong incestuous vibe that comes with being in such a close community. Everyone knows everybody else’s business, and it is hard to meet someone with a clean slate if you have any kind of history on campus. For that reason, there is not a whole lot of dating. There is a lot of hooking up and a lot of serious couples, but there are not a whole lot of people in the process of getting to know each other. If both parties go to Kenyon, chances are, they already know each other. There are two extremes in Kenyon dating: hooking up with everyone in sight or being practically married. Students tend to choose one route their freshman year and stick with that strategy throughout their four years. Unfortunately, this means that a lot of the "most eligible" bachelors/bachelorettes have chosen to refrain from dating seriously for their college career.