Stony Brook University - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

The area surrounding Stony Brook University is basically a small town. The Three Village area is upper-middleclass and quite safe. The campus is fairly removed, so a car is desirable. More than half of the student body commutes, so they already have cars. However, public busing is readily available. The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Station is located on the northern tip of campus, and a bus that will takes you there directly from the Student Activity Center Loop. The train goes into Penn Station in New York City. On the downside, the ride there takes around two hours because of a transfer.

Malls, bars, supermarkets, and other amenities are all within 10 minutes from campus by car, but it can be a far walk. On the weekends, there is a bus that will take students to and from local shopping centers. However, the schedule is not always reliable. Luckily, there are many taxis in the area that offer relatively speedy service for a low price, which comes in handy for getting to and from clubs, bars, and Thursday night frat parties. The area around Stony Brook is definitely not a college town, though. Most of the surrounding area has retained its old world charm, though there are also plenty of new developments and shopping centers for students to patronize.

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Students Speak Out

StoVH says: Stony Brook University 2012 Psychology

It's really quiet and peaceful.... It's really quiet and peaceful. I'm not aware of any nearby universities. 12345 Local Atmosphere: February 19, 2009 Report

StoZL says: Stony Brook University 2011 Law and Legal Studies

Long Island is full of things to... Long Island is full of things to do, you just need to go out looking for it. It sort of stinks that you cannot technically have a car until you are a junior, but it is easy to find ways around that. 12345 Local Atmosphere: February 18, 2009 Report

StoJT says: Stony Brook University 2020 Agriculture and Related Science

Visit some frat houses, and check... Visit some frat houses, and check out the mall. Stay away from the clubs and Jager Bombs. 12345 Local Atmosphere: February 17, 2009 Report

StoKC says: Stony Brook University 2012 Other

It's Long Island, so you can... It's Long Island, so you can always go to the Manhattan. In terms of the town, there isn't a lot. 12345 Local Atmosphere: February 22, 2009 Report

sjdouglas says: Stony Brook University 2013 Psychology

Atmosphere B- Middle-class surrounding neighborhoods, large mall a bus ride away 12345 Local Atmosphere: March 10, 2010 Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Five Fun Facts about Stony Brook:
• The Stony Brook Film Festival showcases dozens of independent films every year. The facility, which boasts a 40’ wide screen and state-of-the-art 35 mm and 16 mm projection equipment, is a great festival venue.
• Completed in 1941, the Stony Brook Village Center has long been considered the first planned shopping center in the United States.
• Stony Brook’s original settlers, the Setalcott Indians, referred to this area as “Cutsgunsuck,” which translates to “brook laden with stones.” This is how Stony Brook got its name.
• The Washington Spy Trail, spanning almost 100 miles along the North Shore of Long Island, hosts a series of attractions that follow the route of George Washington’s first post Revolutionary tour in 1790.
• I-CON is a three day festival celebrating interest, creativity, and literacy in science and technology through science fiction. Over 6,000 people attend each year to listen to guest speakers share their experiences in their fields.

Famous People from Stony Brook:
Blue Öyster Cult, rock band
Joseph Durso, sportswriter
Anthony Famiglietti, Olympic athlete
Micah Hawkins, American poet, playwright, and composer
Kevin James, actor/comedian
Lee Krasner, abstract expressionist painter
Stan Lee, Creator of Marvel Comics
Ward Melville, American philanthropist and founder of the Thom McAn shoe chain
William Sidney Mount, painter
Jackson Pollack, American painter
Dee Snyder, singer of Twisted Sister
 

Local Slang:
Clutch – Performing under pressure, coming through “in the clutch." Something awesome happens. “That was so clutch!”
Chickenhead – Derogatory term for women, i.e., slut.
Fo’ reals? – I don’t believe you!
Wats good b – What’s up?
Wrap up – Sandwich wraps available in the SAC.

Past films at the Stony Brook Film Festival
have included Garden State, The Secret Lives of Dentists, Shelter Island, The Book of Stars, The Deep End, The Bread My Sweet, Don’t Let Go, Almost Salinas, Diamond Men, The Grey Zone, The Weight of Water, The Jimmy Show, and included guests like Ralph Macchio, Tilda Swinton, David Arquette, Frank Whaley, Campbell Scott, and Tim Blake Nelson.

At the top of the village green in the Brook Village Center,
a wood-carved mechanical eagle with a twenty-foot wing span is perched in the pediment of the post office, and still flaps its wings every hour on the hour from 8:00 a.m. to
8:00 p.m. daily.

Programming at I-CON spans a wide range of topics and interests, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic books, Japanese animation (otherwise known as Anime), medieval reenactment, and science and technology.

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: Barbara Ross
Hometown: Hopewell Junction, NY
Major: Business Management

Fun Fact: Barbara is a diehard Yankees fan.

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