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Wesleyan University
- Local Atmosphere

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Wesleyan University - Local Atmosphere - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler2.31

Local Atmosphere

C
Where does this grade come from?View all Local Atmosphere rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Local Atmosphere Grades:

Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. Hollow Creek is an 18-hole golf course established in 2003.
  2. Located on the Connecticut River, Middletown was once a Dutch trading port.
  3. O'Rourke's Diner, Middletown's oldest diner, was featured on the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives."
Notable Natives
  • Willie Pep – boxer
  • William Ranney – painter
  • Amari Spievey – NFL player
  • Alton Stanley Tobey – artist
  • Allie Wrubel – American composer/songwriter ("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
  • Steamed cheeseburger: Meat and cheese steamed in metal boxes and put on bread; it looks like a wet sock but tastes like heaven.
  • Tonic: Apparently New Englanders use this term in place of "soda" or "pop."
  • Wicked: Typical in New England parlance, this term is usually used to mean "very" or "extremely." For example: "The Red Sox are a wicked good baseball team."
Points of Interest
  • Broad Street Books
  • Center for the Arts
  • Connecticut aMAIZEing Maze
  • Foxwoods Resort Casino
  • Goodspeed Opera House
  • Harbor Park
  • It's Only Natural Market
  • Long Lane Farm
  • Lyman Orchards
  • Mattabesett Trail
  • Oddfellows Playhouse
  • Powder Ridge Ski Resort
  • Six Flags New England
  • Vinnie's Jump & Jive
  • Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate
  • Wesleyan Potters

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

If by atmosphere you are referring to the general feeling and aesthetic of Wesleyan, then the Wesleyan campus is gorgeous and as chill as they come. The community is welcoming, and the students are unique, driven, and decidedly weird. 

If by atmosphere you are referring to the surrounding area, however, the response is less positive: Middletown is quaint and has one of the cutest Main streets in the United States, but it is not the safest place, and has been described as anything from "depressing" to "worrisome," depending on the time of day and number of people with you. There are a lot of tasty restaurants, a Rite Aid, and a theater within walking distance, but you have to drive to get to a supermarket or a Starbucks. All in all, Middletown is not the ideal "college town," but it doesn't ruin the Wesleyan experience.

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Wesleyan Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at Wesleyan University

sdwarica

Anthropology and Archaeology '15

3.5
B

Attractions for Wesleyan Students

Wesleyan University is located in the small, quiet town of Middletown, Connecticut. The area is generally very calm with a lot of activity taking place on main street which is the focal attraction for most campus students. Main Street is littered with a variety of restaurants, pubs and parks. Other than that there is not much to do. However, the university is only half an hour away from New Haven and and hour away from Hartford which makes going to the cities a lot of fun. Sometimes it is easy to go to New York as it is located just two hours away. Generally, being at Wesleyan presents a lot of opportunities to go out and have a great, fun, safe time.

Jan 26, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Wesleyan University

wesroth

Economics '14

2.3
C

Okay

Middletown has nice dining downtown. City and campus atmosphere is sub par with rival NESCAC schools. Kinda has a depressing dark vibe about it.

Jan 26, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Wesleyan University

squidmastah1

Economics '15

4.6
A

Middletown Is Cute

Despite several of the people who believe Middletown is a horrible place, it's really pretty nice. If you come from a city, sure it may seem less lively but that is because its a town. Main street is a great place to go during the day and at night too! Several students go to bars and clubs in town and have a great time.

Oct 28, 2011

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Page 1 of 8
User rating for Wesleyan University - Local Atmosphere is 3.5 out of 5 based on 23 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • Westfarms Mall
  • Westfield shopping mall
Major Sports Teams
  • Connecticut Whale: Professional league hockey
  • New Britain Rock Rats: Minor league baseball
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Boston: : 2 hours
  • Hartford, Conn.: : 30 minutes
  • New York City: : 2 hours

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Destinta Movie Theater
49 Main St.
Middletown
(860) 346-4000

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Anya Morgan
Hometown
Los Angeles
Major
English and French
Grad Year
2014

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.