Gettin' Down In The Big Easy

Introduction
Tulane definitely strikes a chord with certain students. Most of the campus is smart students who like to party. It seems like most of those didn't party so hard in high school, and are now getting into the hardcore partying. I chose Tulane because I wanted to be in a city, but in a respectable yet fun school. It is very much a work hard, play hard school. In spite of it all, the student population actually is smart, and I cannot emphasize that enough. And it is not only a party school, we have all kinds of students here, and there's definitely a niche for everyone.

Campus Life and Social Life
Party party party. At Tulane, there are so many partygoers. The weekend starts on Tuesday nights, where The Boot, a bar nearby, has 50 cent nights. But even then, you will see people working hard before it - cramming for exams, writing papers, whatever the case might be. There's a balance. And the kid you saw stumbling home drunk the other night is the kid you'll run into at the library the next day, perfectly fine, intently reading out of a Chemistry book. Sports, our teams basically suck. Baseball is our one good thing, but even then, students do show up to games. We don't go in large numbers, but as someone else here said, there is so much Tulane pride, we just don't all show it by going to games. And again, not everyone parties, so there are options for those who don't party. Not to mention that we are in New Orleans, which has so many activities and is so rich in culture and history. The school definitely offers events as well, even if those aren't as well-attended or even as regularly scheduled as they'd like to have you believe. Academics
Most of our departments are generally good. There are rotten eggs in each, but there are exceptional professors available as well. Math students tend to be the ones going for tutoring at the ERC. We have a great Pre-Med program, and so many kids start off on that route. We also have a great Business school - currently ranked #10 in the WORLD - and great programs in Architecture, Latin American Studies, and more. There are many science majors, many Business majors, and then lots of students doubling or minoring in a foreign language. Spanish is a favorite, as are French and Italian. A number of students go for Chinese as well. We have lots of theatre kids, lots of communications kids, literature, dance, just about a taste of everything imagineable. I cannot stress enough how we are committed to academics, in spite of the constant partying.

Student Body
It definitely seems as if a certain student chooses Tulane. The majority of us are very much into partying, some more regularly than others. However, it's not as if we jeapordize our studies for it. Contrary to what some might say, we do stay in sometimes. We are big on frat parties, partying at the bars, or just hanging out in the city. Bourbon Street and the French Quarter aren't as popular as one would think. It's good once in a while, but overall is just too expensive. We prefer partying at bars, as there aren't many clubs in New Orleans. A lot of students are rich, but there's a balance, as Tulane is very generous with financial aid. [Just call and they'll reevaluate the package!] Students are very stylish and it is not uncommon to see girls walking to class looking like they are on their way to a party. For the homosexual students, there are a number of gays and lesbians on campus, although the lesbians are definitely much less visible. The gays aren't all stereotypically effeminate, but we do have lots of closet cases. As a whole, it is a very accepting campus. And I cannot forget to mention that this is very much a Jewish school - in fact, it is nicknamed Jewlane.

In Closing...
Honestly, Tulane is a perfect place to spend your college years. New Orleans is so lawless, particularly about underaged drinking, that it makes for a fun time. It is a northeastern school in the liberal nugget of Louisiana. Although there is crime in the city, as long as you're smart, nothing happens to you. Nothing has happened on campus yet, either. Crime tends to be petty, like robbing cellphones or indecent exposure. Again though, it is not a concern so long as you're smart. For the ethnic minorities, we have a little bit of everything here. We are predominantly caucasian, but we do have sizeable ethnic populations as well. The black students tend to self-segregate, although that is purely by choice, as no one here willingly excludes. Asians are very visible on campus, especially Indians, and although there is some self-segregating (usually the Chinese), more than half of them definitely integrate. Hispanics are a small population here, but we are definitely around, and we tend to mingle with the other students, although it is easy to come in contact with one another.

Overall, Tulane is simply an amazing school, and I could not imagine being elsewhere.