Hamilton College preaches diversity, integration and inclusion. It is highlighted in every campus moment, every marketing campaign and every brochure. And sure, there is a never-ending wide range of personalities and differences on this campus. But unfortunately, integration between these unique individuals is minimal. In fact, Hamilton College’s social diversity is about as present as every other New England preparatory high school.

Here is the deal: people of different backgrounds, cultures, experience levels and interests do interact at Hamilton, quite often in fact. Our wide-ranging classes and broad expanse of options due to the open curriculum do give us opportunities to connect with people that we usually would not, to share ideas and information with them. This is an extremely typical liberal arts construction of education: to integrate and blend many different personalities, experiences and ideologies. But the issue does not lie in education; the issue of integration and diverse social experiences fail outside of the Hamilton classrooms and clubs. Once class discussions and expectations are quelled, these different personalities divide, and students spend their social time with those who are just like them.

Much of this, it can be argued, is human nature. Individuals gravitate towards those with whom they have things in common. It is a normal aspect of human connection. But Hamilton does not try to push these boundaries, and the nightlife is where this divide culminates. Much of the nightlife at Hamilton is exclusive. Greek life organizations and clubs do throw parties off campus, but many aspects of these parties contribute to widening the divide between students on campus. To get to these events, one must be invited, and then further, guests are frequently expected to pay fees for tickets or entrance. Not everyone can acquire an invite, and if they do, they must be financially stable enough to pay for the entry fee and able to find a car to get them to the venue, two more hoops to jump through.

It is not just organizations on campus that contribute to a social divide. On-campus social activities also reek of exclusivity. Sports teams mix with sports teams, while theater kids party with theater kids. It never ends, and not one group is at the core of the issue. So then where does this divide come from? And who perpetrates it? I do not think there is one answer, but instead, a general sentiment that is the root of the cause. We act like high schoolers. Because our college is so small and intimate, students gain a sense of community that may emulate their high school days, and so perhaps students are led to act similarly to their high school days: moving in groups, partying in cliques and keeping their social lives exclusive.

I say this all from experience, not to pass judgment on the students at Hamilton College, but instead to try to invoke a stream of consciousness that reflects upon these divides. For example, I myself am not a member of Greek life, nor am I an athlete, nor do I partake in theater or drama. But I do manage the lovely women’s basketball team, with whom I have had many fun-filled nights, though admittedly those nights are usually filled with other athletes, a descriptor I cannot claim. I am also a DJ for WHCL, whose parties I have graced, though those are filled with students who are passionate about music and arts, neither of which I have much talent in. I have fun at each of these events, but the energy is often palpably different between groups. What I am trying to convey is that — whether intentionally or not — groups of like-minded and like-talented individuals at Hamilton seem to stick together, not blend, in their social lives. Perhaps there is no cure for this, and likely, Hamilton is not alone in this phenomenon. Regardless, I can say that the most fun I have had on this campus is at events filled with the ever-varying personalities Hamilton boasts on their brochures. Days when athletes, artists, innovators, future politicians and actors come together to socialize. Much of this is why I consider C&C day to be the most enjoyable day of our school year — we come together to celebrate another school year past, all of us with one descriptor: Continental. I encourage you to simply consider this divide during your time at Hamilton. Remember that you probably chose this school in part for its eclectic offerings, wide-ranging experiences and diverse community. I urge us all to try to integrate these aspects of Hamilton College into our lives outside of the classroom walls.