Written by Alessandra Hickson
For a small school, there’s a decent amount of things to do here on any given day. True, there are not a lot of “hangout” places, so if you really want a social event on the spur of the moment that has more structure than going to Blanchard, finding some friends, and sitting down to watch the big-screen TV, you’ll have to go off campus. Mount Holyoke is bursting with cultural and educational opportunities. There are always many more speakers on campus in a week—on topics ranging from biology to politics to literature and beyond—than any student has time to see. The art museum, which often has special exhibits that are displayed for a limited time only, and the greenhouse are both excellent places to go if you just want to walk around and be visually entertained. The theater, often overlooked, hosts a series of student-run productions throughout the year. And there’s always the gym, which has nearly everything you could want for exercising, even if you’re not an athlete.
In general, the campus is very aesthetically pleasing. It was planned to be that way—the layout was originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed Central Park in New York City. The entire campus is built on a series of hills, so there are many places where you can get a great view of other parts of campus. The dark red brick buildings, many of which date from the first half of the 20th century, are interspersed with trees that turn brilliant colors in autumn. Even the newer buildings were designed so that they would blend in as unobtrusively as possible, although some might say that the towering dome of Kendade, the science building, interferes with the skyline.