A Culture of Success

Do you think Purdue has a distinct "culture"? If so, what are some of its defining features or characteristics? Given your experiences so far, how would you describe it to others?

Hess refers to culture as "the total knowledge and way of life of a group of people" and references certain "social relations" such as "people's actions, strategies, motivations, roles, and interests." In some ways, Purdue's culture is similar to the culture of other colleges; students are highly motivated by anything free: food, water bottles, t-shirts, etc., there is a high demand for any caffeinated, and the campus is always buzzing with activity. However, in my experience, Purdue has a culture itself that separates it from other universities. First of all, Purdue is a serious school with high expectations and a rigorous curriculum. It's not easy to be accepted into any program here. Therefore, I tend to see that the students enrolled here are a bit more serious and devoted to studying. Personally, I never imagined that I'd be accepted into or be able to afford Purdue. Since my family has made many sacrifices for me to come here, I know that I have to do well or there will be serious consequences. I'm not the only one with this story. The culture of Purdue seems to be greatly influenced by the success driven mindset of the majority of its students. In this, many students are more willing to get involved and follow their interests. While Purdue is comparable to many other colleges, especially in "the typical college lifestyle (i.e. living off Ramen noodles, etc)," I would also argue that the high standards that Purdue sets for it's students shapes this college culture into one which motivates students to be studious, driven, and involved. Not only does Purdue do this by setting high standards, but it also offers many programs directed at helping students in achieving great success. In this, Purdue distinguishes its "culture" from that of other universities by, as my math teacher always says, helping students to "realize their dreams".