Wesleyan University - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

At first glance, Middletown appears to be a quaint riverside community detached from the hustle and bustle of Hartford and New Haven. The collection of old-fashioned diners, antique toyshops, and upscale restaurants along Main Street paints a picture not at all unlike a Norman Rockwell depiction of small-town life. In certain places during certain hours of the day, this portrayal is not too far from the truth. There is, in fact, an excellent collection of diners throughout Middletown, and some great municipal buildings, such as the Green Street Arts Center. However, Main Street is deceiving in many ways. Most families visiting Wesleyan will only see this pleasant town strip. Underneath the quaint collection of storefronts, however, is a rambling, rundown community criss-crossed by gritty, dangerous highways littered with superstores like Staples, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot. Logistically, having these stores within driving distance is a major convenience for students in need of school and dorm room supplies. However, it should be noted that the whimsical small-town ambiance that exists on Main Street exists only there (and only during daylight hours).

At night, crime is prevalent in Middletown, especially immediately surrounding the University. An underlying tension between the town and the University occasionally rears its ugly head, as assaults on students by local gang members occur from time to time. The homeless population has proven to be somewhat of a nuisance, as well. Overall, students should be aware that, like Main Street, a façade is carefully rendered in the Middletown community, perhaps for the sole purpose of getting parents to send their children (and their money) here for four years. The hard truth is that the students who decide to enroll here will eventually discover the very unromantic realities of this seemingly typical lower-middle-class community.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

New attractions are always opening... New attractions are always opening up in Middletown. There’s an arts center on Green Street, and the Destinta Theater is fantastic. There’s not much of a nightlife, but campus offers pretty much everything you need as far as parties go. There’s a bar or two in town, but they’re seedy places. I’d avoid the town bars if I were you. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Middletown more or less has... Middletown more or less has everything a student would need. There’s a grocery store (buy food there—it’s cheaper than WesShop), a cinema, and some good restaurants. There are banks everywhere. Get yourself a bank account with Bank of America if you don’t already have one. There’s a branch right down the street from Wes, and the only ATM on campus is a Fleet ATM. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Middletown isn’t great, but it’s... Middletown isn’t great, but it’s not a disaster either. You could certainly go to school in worse neighborhoods. On the surface, the town looks pretty clean. There are some good places to eat. Some of them even accept Wesleyan meal points, and I guess more and more establishments will do so as time passes. Russell Library is fantastic, as well. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Stay away from Middletown. That’s... Stay away from Middletown. That’s all you need to know. This place is crawling with odd people. And not the good kind of odd, either. Most of them hate Wes students, so it’s a good idea to avoid town altogether. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Middletown is pretty much the... Middletown is pretty much the definitive quaint college town. The nearest university that I know of is Yale, which is roughly a half hour away. There are some not-so-safe sections of Middletown. However, if you stick to the main street, you’re pretty much fine. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Fun Facts about Middletown:
• Located on the Connecticut River, Middletown was once a Dutch Trading Port.
• O’Rourke’s Diner, Middletown’s oldest diner, was featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives”.
• Hollow Creek is an 18-hole golf course recently established in 2003.

Famous People from Middletown:
Allie Wrubel, composer of Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

Local Slang:
Bubbler – A classic New England term, also used in parts of the Midwest, meaning “water fountain.”
Frappe – A thick milkshake.
Slush – The gray, dirty snow, usually very wet, often found on the side of the road in the winter.
Steamed Cheeseburger – Meat and cheese steamed in metal boxes and put on bread. Looks like a wet sock, tastes like heaven.
Tonic – Apparently New Englanders use this term in place of “soda” or “pop,” though personally I have never heard it used.
Wicked – Typical in New England parlance. Usually is used to mean “very” or “extremely,” such as “the Red Sox are a wicked good baseball team.”

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