Bates College

Shelbsshreds

Shelbsshreds

Member
So, I'll be up in Maine this Fall for school. Out of curiosity.. Does anyone on ns go here?? I've never skied in the Maine area. How is the skiing? And what is your opinion on the school?
 
Bates is a really good school. I have one friend who just finished his freshman year there and another who is going to be in your grade.
 
youre going to be like an hour away from sunday river and 2 hours away from sugarloaf. Both of which are a high quality resorts with great parks and glades. Just beware, Maine is cold and windy in the winter.
 
sorry for the double post, but i should also mention that Bates is a really, really nice school. however Lewiston is the Detroit of Maine.
 
13444502:St.joseph said:
sorry for the double post, but i should also mention that Bates is a really, really nice school. however Lewiston is the Detroit of Maine.
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This, however I know they have an active ski community. My girlfriends sister plays on the basketball team and I have some friends who are heading there in the fall too.
 
I graduated from Bates last year and loved it there. There are a ton of skiers at Bates so finding folks won't be tough. That being said there are not too many park rats. If you can't find rides your first year, just go with outing club or shred club. I mostly skied the river but prefer the loaf. Btw you get a really good deal on season passes (covers sunday river, loaf, and loon) as a student. My last two years there I got 60 plus days with a good winter schedule.

Putting skiing aside, Bates is a great school academically so seriously take advantage of what it has to offer. I don't know what your interests are, but I can highly recommend the psychology and geo departments (both are pretty tough but super interesting/rewarding). Everyones got their own thing, but I wouldn't recommend majoring in environmental studies since all you do is read about understanding "place" and how the world is ending (plus all my es friends can't find decent work in the field). If you care about environmental issues and want to get a job either major in bio/geo for science or politics for policy.

The jock culture is annoying as fuck but there are a lot of smart, fun, and down to earth people there. If you enjoy outdoorsy, folksy, and artsy good times then there will be a crowd for you (outing club and shred club are a good place to start). Don't be intimidated by older students. Everyone is super nice and willing to get to know anyone who puts themselves out there. Work hard during the year, fuck off during short term, trip mushrooms in thorn crag bird sanctuary, and go to Mt. David at least once a week.

Also sorry to say it, but the new school President is fucking horrible.

Sorry for the wall of text. Enjoy Bates! I miss it a ton.
 
13444502:St.joseph said:
sorry for the double post, but i should also mention that Bates is a really, really nice school. however Lewiston is the Detroit of Maine.
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this is true, but if your creative about it Lewiston/ Auburn has some nice urban potential. Plus you're near sugarloaf and saddleback
 
13444970:slugworth said:
this is true, but if your creative about it Lewiston/ Auburn has some nice urban potential. Plus you're near sugarloaf and saddleback
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I grew to love Lewiston over the years. Spent a summer there and got to know some awesome locals. That being said. Be Careful!!!! There are great people there but also some real bad apples.

Things my friends and I experienced living in Lewiston.

A guy pooping in the middle of a road when it was 5 degrees.

Body across street not found until people smelled it.

Walking through crack deal to get into my house.

Friend got slammed in the face by a glass bottle wielded by a random crazy lady.

Woken at 6:30am every day by domestic abuse. Called this "the lewiston alarm clock"
 
13444703:Hodor said:
I graduated from Bates last year and loved it there. There are a ton of skiers at Bates so finding folks won't be tough. That being said there are not too many park rats. If you can't find rides your first year, just go with outing club or shred club. I mostly skied the river but prefer the loaf. Btw you get a really good deal on season passes (covers sunday river, loaf, and loon) as a student. My last two years there I got 60 plus days with a good winter schedule.

Putting skiing aside, Bates is a great school academically so seriously take advantage of what it has to offer. I don't know what your interests are, but I can highly recommend the psychology and geo departments (both are pretty tough but super interesting/rewarding). Everyones got their own thing, but I wouldn't recommend majoring in environmental studies since all you do is read about understanding "place" and how the world is ending (plus all my es friends can't find decent work in the field). If you care about environmental issues and want to get a job either major in bio/geo for science or politics for policy.

The jock culture is annoying as fuck but there are a lot of smart, fun, and down to earth people there. If you enjoy outdoorsy, folksy, and artsy good times then there will be a crowd for you (outing club and shred club are a good place to start). Don't be intimidated by older students. Everyone is super nice and willing to get to know anyone who puts themselves out there. Work hard during the year, fuck off during short term, trip mushrooms in thorn crag bird sanctuary, and go to Mt. David at least once a week.

Also sorry to say it, but the new school President is fucking horrible.

Sorry for the wall of text. Enjoy Bates! I miss it a ton.
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Thanks so much for the info!! This really helped a lot :) fortunately I don't have to worry about the ride thing because I they got so annoyed with me asking for a permit they just gave up haha. It is hard to get a ride home when you live in PA so I kinda need one. I'm not sure about what I am majoring in yet. But thanks for informing me about environmental science because I was considering it. That does make sense.
 
Super long season you can probably get turns after spring semester ends excellent snowmaking at SR and good lifts the Loaf is possibly the best mountain itself on the east coast but the lifts suck you should be happy assuming you wanted to go somewhere small your guaranteed skier friends and lots of days. Super cold buy the warmest shit you can afford for those days. Most people from Maine are pretty solid I like the locals I meet on the hill up there.
 
13487568:PeppermillReno said:
Super long season you can probably get turns after spring semester ends excellent snowmaking at SR and good lifts the Loaf is possibly the best mountain itself on the east coast but the lifts suck you should be happy assuming you wanted to go somewhere small your guaranteed skier friends and lots of days. Super cold buy the warmest shit you can afford for those days. Most people from Maine are pretty solid I like the locals I meet on the hill up there.
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Hey Peppermill I always tend to agree with u on most of ur points, but man you are way off the mark here. First off Bates is located in a shit town that is very unsafe, secondly PPl from Maine r redneck as fuck
 
13444498:UncleJoe said:
youre going to be like an hour away from sunday river and 2 hours away from sugarloaf. Both of which are a high quality resorts with great parks and glades. Just beware, Maine is cold and windy in the winter.
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Maine is ALWAYS windy in the winter. Resorts listed from most windy to least: Sugarloaf, Saddleback, Sunday River

13446374:Hodor said:
I grew to love Lewiston over the years. Spent a summer there and got to know some awesome locals. That being said. Be Careful!!!! There are great people there but also some real bad apples.

Things my friends and I experienced living in Lewiston.

A guy pooping in the middle of a road when it was 5 degrees.

Body across street not found until people smelled it.

Walking through crack deal to get into my house.

Friend got slammed in the face by a glass bottle wielded by a random crazy lady.

Woken at 6:30am every day by domestic abuse. Called this "the lewiston alarm clock"
Click to expand...

I couldn't think of a of a better articulation of the oddities of L/A (Lewiston Auburn) life.
 
13487582:KushDrugsWeed said:
Hey Peppermill I always tend to agree with u on most of ur points, but man you are way off the mark here. First off Bates is located in a shit town that is very unsafe, secondly PPl from Maine r redneck as fuck
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Yea the people at the gas station might be but on the hill the locals are OK lol and if you ski doesn't really matter which part you're from its sort of all the same and pretty redneck.
 
13444703:Hodor said:
Also sorry to say it, but the new school President is fucking horrible.
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Clayton sucks so much.

I graduated in 2013 and Bates was great. There is a big ski scene but a much smaller park scene. Fortunately one of my freshman year roommates was a big park guy, but my close friends and the people I skied with the most were just regular skiers. Shred club and outing club are good ways to meet other skiers.

Also, hit the downrail on campus on alumni walk to the left of Pgill. You'll learn which one I am talking about. I always wanted to and it's perfect but I never did.
 
Don't live in that area nor do I go to school at Bates but the skiing at Sloaf is all time. I've never been to SR but from what I have observed Sugarloaf has the best terrain but SR has better terrain parks (sugarloafs are still really good).

Also the Detroit of Maine post is probably the most accurate thing stated in this thread.
 
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