Rhode Island School of Design
- Local Atmosphere

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Providence, Rhode Island is absolutely New England. It is the largest city in New England outside Boston, and it behaves accordingly. While culturally, Boston is a big leap from Providence, there are things about the city that make it wonderful. One  is Waterfire, the celebration of Providence art that includes lighted piles of wood all along the canal and ambient music that fills the streets until midnight. Other wonderful things about Providence are its museums and galleries, the shops, and the food. Federal Hill is the mostly Italian section of Providence that hosts some of the best restaurants in the area. While there is a definite city feel, Providence is not devoid of green space, and there are several parks within walking distance that give really pleasant views of the city and its waterfront.

The main activity in Providence is built around RISD, Brown University, and Johnson & Wales University, so the town caters much of its business and attitude toward college students. The surrounding college neighborhoods are fairly quiet and pleasantly residential, and Providence is full of historic buildings that give it the small-town feel that you can’t often get while being exposed to the resources of a city. You get the benefits of being in a college town without the complete bubble. Providence’s size keeps it very accessible, and it doesn’t take long to know your way around. If you’re looking for a taste of the bigger city, New York is fairly close by, and a Commuter Rail train will take you to Boston during the week. In many ways, Providence has the ability to satisfy and frustrate everyone. It does not have the same excitement and culture of New York, and it doesn’t have the natural beauty of the American West but sits in a perfect middle ground, and it will give vistitors a little taste of both.

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Local Atmosphere at Rhode Island School of Design

carmenrisd2013

Chemistry and Chemical Technology '14

3.8

B+

College Town

Providence is a college town, there's Brown JWU within steps of RISD's campus. I don't really interact much with people from the surrounding schools but I know others do. Providence doesn't really have much of a nightlife, so pretty much anything that happens is on campus. Don't go to clubs, lotta' townies.

May 03, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Rhode Island School of Design

knicknack

Printmaking '13

3.8

B+

Providence Local Scene

college town, lots to do, its actually a city but its really compact. most artists per capita

Mar 28, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Rhode Island School of Design

Lilyamelcher

Fashion and Apparel Design '16

3.8

B+

Beautiful City, Even Better Food.

Providence is an amazing city architecturally. Every building is unique especially in the area around RISD. Most students hang out on Thayer st. It is close and is lined with interesting clothing, craft and book shops. Oh and it is home to some of the best food you will ever eat. Nice slice pizza , all the sushi you could ever want/ need, bubble tea, burgers, crazy good ice cream and frozen yogurt. It is located in the middle of the Brown campus too so the few times you do interact with your non art student counterparts, is usually here. This is all , of corse , depending on the fact that you have somehow scrubbed your self clean of charcoal and peeled yourself off the floor of the studio. And if not (which is most likely) most places deliver, so before classes start go around the city and collect menus!

Mar 27, 2012

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Photos of Rhode Island School of Design's Local Atmosphere

Chace Center

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Chace Center The Chace Center was created as a crossroads where students, faculty, and alumni can all come together.

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RISD building

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RISD building A look at RISD at night.

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The MET

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The MET The Met is the largest dining hall on campus.

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