mbm07

Hampshire is notoriously known for...

Hampshire is notoriously known for being a "Reefer Madness" campus. However, there are some penalties for being found using alcohol or drugs. Our campus' public safety has become less easygoing, mostly because they have brought Mount Holyoke "police" on campus. If you were found using drugs, you'd probably get a warning and your drugs confiscated. After a couple warnings, you may be put on housing probation. But, in general, the campus' faculty and staff is very understanding, and if you aren't out of control, then they leave you to your own. They treat you as adults—yes, they will enforce the law, but they will not invade your privacy to do so. Going along with the liberal politics of the campus, the authorities on campus do still respect privacy, only stepping in if someone's safety is involved.

The computer network is impressive...

The computer network is impressive because of the students' accomplishments within it. There are a bunch of different online communities. Hampshire College has its own Wikipedia sector, "Hampedia," and a LiveJournal. The actual computer labs are almost always available. With the amount of students who have laptops on campus, there are often computers available in one of the computer labs. If there isn't one open, then the University of Massachusetts has a 24-hour, 26-story library with computer labs. You can also order books from its extensive on- and offline collections.

We have no Greek life, which has...

We have no Greek life, which has its pros and cons. There isn't the exclusivity of fraternities and sororities. On the other hand, I find that Greek life can be a way that people form communities and connections. But, opposed to Greek life, Hampshire has themed and identity-based housing. These include, but are not limited to, Kosher, queer, "gaming," substance-free, quiet, one-gender, people of color, vegan, and communal living spaces. You can also apply for a themed living space, so, you can create your own community within the flexibility of the campus. Also, Hampshire consists of a lot of on-campus apartments and mostly single rooms. So, some advantages of Greek life have already been addressed in the very fundamentals of living on campus.

I personally think that the whole...

I personally think that the whole experience of college is just enhanced by living on campus. Though the cost is a little pricey in comparison to off-campus options, the conveniences are definitely worth it. Hampshire may have a lot of red tape concerning off-campus housing, but there are definitely ways around this. Hampshire also allows for many study abroad, field study, and off-campus programs, so although it may seem difficult to obtain off-campus experiences, the options are there.

I would definitely come to...

I would definitely come to Hampshire again. All of the warnings are real—there are some pretentious hipsters, there are radical vegans, and there are a lot of privileged, upper-class, white kids fighting the system only because they can live so well within it. However, as a lower-class, Hispanic student who comes from a single-parent household, I have found my own support group within the college. Though it can be frustrating, Hampshire allows me to learn. And they gave me so much financial aid that I really believed the College was understanding of the situation. There's a lot of things to do to better educate people about classism, racism, ableism, and sexism, but these are issues that are everywhere. Hampshire College brings up all the questions within the system. Sometimes it executes its ideas and questioning poorly, which tends to push people away, but the College's intentions are good. And this is more than most colleges attempt to do.

PVTA (Pioneer Valley Transit...

PVTA (Pioneer Valley Transit Authority) is extraordinary. The public bus system brings students to any of the five colleges or stops en route. The buses run until about 2 in the morning on weekends and midnight on school nights. There are also numerous ride shares, designated driver services, and carpooling systems. PVTA is so convenient that even though I have a car, I use the bus system. You can get just about anywhere within the area with just a bus or two. And, if not, chances are there is a car you can borrow or people who are going in the same direction that are more than happy to take conversation, snacks, or shared gas money as compensation for a ride.