Brandeis University
Hallmarks and Quirks
Things I'm Good At:
- Balance. I call myself a "liberal arts research university" because I combine small teaching with big research. I like to think I have the best of both worlds.
- Activism. Do you get riled up about injustice? Me, too. I'm named after a judge, after all.
- Student theater and performance. On any given night, there will be more amateur Shakespeare performances, a cappella concerts, and more improv comedy shows than you can count.
- The humanities. I have particularly great psych, English, sociology, and Middle Eastern and Judaic studies departments.
- Swordsmanship. Even though I'm not the most athletic guy in town, I am surprisingly good at fencing. I've even sent a couple of people to the Olympics.
My Top 5 Must-Haves:
- A backpack. How else am I going to haul around everything I need for my classes and approximately 5,000 extracurricular activities?
- A bullhorn. Just so I can publicize my latest political campaign and performance art piece.
- A frisbee, a hacky sack, or a guitar. I might get bored on the quad later.
- My amazing quadriceps. The campus is pretty hilly.
- The free shuttle to Boston. Sometimes it's nice to get away from it all.
Why You Might Have Heard of Me:
- Even though I'm younger than most colleges, I've been in the top thirty-five national universities every year.
- I've graduated three Pulitzer Prize winners, two recipients of the MacArthur Genius Grant, and one Nobel Laureate.
- Both Eleanor Roosevelt and Albert Einstein helped found me. Those are some big shoes to fill, am I right?
- Not to brag, but I invented Smart Balance, the low-cholesterol buttery spread.
- The Rose Art Museum. It's one of the best museums in the Northeast.
On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...
I'm not into huge ragers and I don't have a Greek scene, but I've been known to get a little crazy once or twice a semester. Mostly, I hang out in my friends' dorms or their houses off-campus. I can be a little shy.
I do love concerts and performances. I love bringing indie rock bands to campus, and I've been known to yuck it up at a sketch comedy show.
If I'm feeling restless, I might hop on the free shuttle to Boston to grab dinner, walk around, or meet up with friends from other colleges.
Favorite Hangouts:
- Chum's, a coffee shop and performance space in Usen Castle.
- The library. It's always crowded, but if you're looking for a silver lining, know this: The gym is usually empty.
- The quad. I hate to be stereotypical, but when the weather's nice, I love sitting on a grassy knoll with friends.
Quirks:
- My semester schedule is slightly different than most schools because I take time off for Jewish holidays.
- Every year, some first-year students are admitted to start in the Spring instead of the Fall. We call them mid-years and they usually fit right in after a couple of weeks.
- All students have to take a University Writing Seminar to ensure that their communication skills are up to par.
- If you want to, you can participate in something called a "Justice Brandeis Semester." During that semester, you and a small group of students will spend a long time studying a social justice-related issue like public health or technology…all with a focus on hands-on, experiential learning.
Famous Alumni:
- David Crane and Marta Kauffman, the creators of Friends, are not only alums but they're also rumored to have based Central Perk off of my coffeehouse, Chum's.
- Debra Messing, the lead actress in Will & Grace.
- Jack Abramoff
- Tim Morehouse, an Olympic fencer.
- Abbie Hoffman and Angela Davis, both political activists.