Purdue University - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

West Lafayette revolves around Purdue University and very little else. The tranquility of West Lafayette serves Purdue students in the best way possible, allowing them to focus on their academics without many distractions. However, the Lafayette area is filled with restaurants, parks, historical attractions, and other diversions that are very similar to other medium-sized cities in the nation. Keeping an open mind and stretching your imagination will net you with plenty of activities. And if all else fails, Indianapolis is only an hour’s drive away. 

To most students, hanging out with their buddies on significant places like Memorial Mall and the Union are the most amusing. When the weather is warm, nothing beats getting a bunch of friends and running through the famous fountains. Greater Lafayette has numerous places to walk, especially the walking bridge that connects West Lafayette and Lafayette over the Wabash River. When winter hits, head over to the outdoor skating rink at the Wabash Landing, or grab a sled (or lunch tray from the dining halls) and sled down Slayter Hill. Don’t let your laziness conquer you. You are here for a very short time and are responsible to make the best of it. If you’re friends opt for a walk around campus at 3 a.m., go for it! At Purdue, fun can be created out of anything.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

West Lafayette is basically just... West Lafayette is basically just Purdue, so the population is mostly us college kids. You don’t really have to worry about offending older people with music or college stuff, because you rarely see people above the age of 23. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

West Lafayette doesn’t have that... West Lafayette doesn’t have that much to visit, and I don’t think that Lafayette does, either. There aren’t any other universities in the area, but I love the atmosphere in West Lafayette. That’s one reason I miss it so much during the summer; it’s just all people my age walking around, just chilling and hanging out. During the summer, spring, and fall, people are everywhere outside: having fun, listening to music, grilling out, drinking, and playing sports. It’s a great atmosphere. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

The local atmosphere is pretty... The local atmosphere is pretty relaxed, when you don’t have anything to do, or a place to be. Stay away from campus during home games. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

samiej says: Purdue University 2015 Other

There is literally nothing to do... There is literally nothing to do in this town except drink. 12345 Local Atmosphere: April 11, 2009 Report

Anonymous says:

Visit the Horticultural Park and... Visit the Horticultural Park and the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor. By campus, there are plenty of coffee shops, as well as a new ice skating rink! There are hundreds of student clubs to provide you with entertainment of your choice and keep you out of trouble—and if you don’t find one that suits you, make your own! I did. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

5 Fun Facts about Lafayette:
• Lafayette was named after the Marquis de Lafayette and was staked out and named by William Digby on May 25, 1825.
• The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought several miles outside what is now Purdue University in 1811.
• Elliot Hall of Music, capable of seating 6,027 people, is one seat larger than New York’s Carnegie Hall.
• Happy Hollow Park, according to legend, was so named because there used to be an illegal location in the ‘hollow,’ and people would head there to ‘get happy.’
• In its early days, Lafayette was a major shipping area. Cargo was shipped in from all parts of the country and then transferred to New York by train.

Famous People from the Lafayette Area
Bill Bailey (a.k.a. Axl Rose) – Lead singer of Guns N’ Roses
Amelia Earhart – Famous aviatrix, former Purdue faculty member
Shannon Hoon – Late lead singer of Blind Melon
Anissa Jones – Former child actress
Ward Lambert – Famous Purdue basketball coach
Sydney Pollack – Director of Tootsie, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Sense and Sensibility
Tangra Riggle – Miss Indiana 2003
Alvah Roebuck – One of the founders of Sears & Roebuck
Vernon Smith – Nobel prize-winning economist, former Purdue faculty member
Izzy Stradlin – Rhythm guitarist for Guns N' Roses

Local Slang
Pop – The Midwestern term for any carbonated non-alcoholic beverage.
Tool – As in ‘he/she’s a tool’; meaning dork, nerd, or someone that did something stupid.
Word – A positive response to any statement, question, or idea.
Hoosier – A term that generally refers to poor white people. Also, students from Indiana University (Purdue’s rival) are called by this name.
Concretes – Frozen custard
 

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