Transferring from a city school to a party school is a whole different situation. Coming from a place that has many sources of transportation nearby, stores all around the corners, and a variety of communities within their own cultures all over the city. To a school in the middle of nowhere that has limited transportation, not as many stores, and only thing to really do is go out to bars and frat parties. Both are different, but still carry their own Pros and Cons which I will pointing out.
Athletics
DePaul is D1 school that does not partake in the football culture and is very limited while their top event is Men’s and Women’s basketball. They try and be as inclusive with what they get and host tailgating events for soccer. Although they still do not get the same recognition as Illinois who is big D1 school that is a part of Big Ten and they have a big Football culture as well as popular athletic teams. They have many opportunities and are recognized more even with their RSO’s and classes.
Cultural Environment
DePaul has two campuses one in Lincoln Park and another in Chicago which both locations have the bus system and the CTA which provides transportation to local communities. In Chicago you can immerse yourself with Latinx, Polish, Greek, and other cultural communities. They are all a few minutes away from each other and they all have different restaurants and events that they throw for people to gather around and get to know each other. They also have different multicultural clubs that you can relate with each other and learn about their traditions. While at Illinois you do not get as much as variety, they also have clubs that host events that speak towards each other’s culture and traditions. There are a few restaurants that serve different cuisines, but there is a limited amount of grocery stores that target different communities and the foods they eat.
Partying Culture
Partying is a very limited experience at DePaul you either belong to a clique and get invited to parties, go to McGee’s the local bar, or have apartment parties that are limited. They don’t regular frat parties since the houses are smaller and when they throw it is usually packed and gets closed quickly. While at Illinois you are surrounded by many different frats, bars, and you see many darties at the tailgates. Which tailgating is not a huge thing in Chicago since the athletics aren’t as popular. College has the Universal party all weekend, but I have noticed it goes harder in Illinois because you are able to go to bars at 19 compared to in Chicago you must be 21 to enter and if you have a fake ID, you must be aware it can get confiscated quickly.
Although both have their ups and downs it all depends on the person and what you look for in a school and the environment.