Providence College
- Local Atmosphere

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Providence College - Local Atmosphere - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.46

Local Atmosphere

Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. Providence has more coffee and doughnut shops per capita than any other city in the country.
  2. The Rhode Island State House was depicted as the U.S. Capitol building in the movie Amistad. The city was also utilized in There's Something About Mary, Outside Providence, and NBC's TV show, Providence.
  3. A state referendum exempts artists living in Downcity (downtown) from state income taxes.
  4. The Dunkin' Donuts Center (the Dunk) is an indoor sports and entertainment venue that seats 14,500 people and is home to PC's men's basketball team, as well as the Providence Bruins.
  5. The plans drawn up by the architects of the State House originally called for a female figure to sit atop the dome. The Independence Man now residing there is 11 feet tall and stands 278 feet off the ground.
Notable Natives
  • George M. Cohan – America's first acting superstar
  • Nelson Eddy – actor, singer
  • Bobby Hackett – jazz artist
  • Ruth Hussey – actress
  • Galway Kinnell – poet
  • H.P. Lovecraft – fiction writer
Local Slang
  • Bubbler: What a Providence native calls a water fountain
  • Cab'nit: Milkshake
  • Downcity: Downtown Providence
  • ProJo: The Providence Journal
  • Soggie: Hot dog
  • Sub: A hot sandwich known elsewhere as a hero
  • Wicked: An adjective used instead of the word "very"
Points of Interest
  • Federal Hill
  • Fleet Skating Center
  • Providence Place Mall
  • The RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) Museum
  • Roger Williams Park Botanical Gardens
  • Roger Williams Park Zoo
  • Thayer Street
  • WaterFire

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Pop! You have stepped off Huxley Avenue, popping the “PC Bubble.” The small, private, Catholic campus is precariously encircled by poverty-stricken North Providence. While the area directly surrounding campus is one that anyone with presence of mind avoids, PC is minutes away from downtown Providence. The heart of this cleaner, smaller version of Boston is home to numerous hot spots for college students. The Providence Place Mall is five floors of carpeted consumer bliss, and it houses such eateries as the Cheesecake Factory, Joe’s American Bar and Grille, Napa Valley, Uno’s, and Fire and Ice. An eclectic mix of shops and restaurants can be found on Thayer Street, near Brown University. With numerous entertainment venues from the Providence Performing Arts Center to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, Providence has something for everyone.

Providence College has all the benefits of a small, close-knit school in an urban setting. For students who don't enjoy the drinking scene, there are countless options to keep you busy around town. Walking places is not the best idea in the vicinity of the school, which can be unsafe, but biking, cabs, the PC Shuttle, and free RIPTA buses are always an option. Overall, Providence is a city irradiating a vivacity and youthfulness that can only be attributed to the several nearby colleges and universities.

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Providence Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at Providence College

ccomolli

Political Science and Government '13

4.6
A

Water Fire

Providence has turned in to a great city with lots of events including concerts, sporting events, and night clubs. They also have a water fire which makes you feel like you are in Europe.

May 03, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Providence College

abol123

Psychiatric and Mental Health Services '15

3.5
B

Local Atmosphere

The local atmosphere around Providence College is energetic and exciting. Providence College is located in the heart of Providence, and students have very easy access to the train station, the Providence Place Mall and Federal Hill. All students have free public transportation, and Newport beaches are only an hour away!

Mar 16, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Providence College

friar26

English '13

4.2
A-

So Much to Do... If You Take Advantage of It

The city is a short, free bus ride away. There is a mall, great restaurants, clubs, a performing arts center with fantastic plays. Problem is that many students much prefer the bars in the area right around the school and don't take advantage of the many other things there are to do.

Aug 22, 2011

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User rating for Providence College - Local Atmosphere is 4.6 out of 5 based on 20 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • Providence Place Mall
  • Thayer Street
  • White City Shopping Center
Major Sports Teams
  • Boston Bruins: hockey
  • Boston Red Sox: baseball
  • New England Patriots: football
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Boston: MA: 1 hour
  • New York City: NY: 3 hours

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Avon Cinema
260 Thayer St.
(401) 421-3315

Providence Place Cinemas 16 & IMAX
10 Providence Pl.
(401) 270-4646

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Amanda Mathieu
Hometown
Groton, CT
Major
English/Business

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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