Flat caps, denominationally-based friend groups, and conversational Latin: The eccentricities of Hillsdale College students are many.

When freshmen arrive to Hillsdale each fall, they soon learn to recognize the peculiarities present across campus.

The wide range of students stood out to sophomore Joshua Mistry when he transferred to Hillsdale.

“The homeschool students, depending on how sheltered they were, sometimes they’re dressing like it’s the ’20s with the Newsies caps and a four piece suit,” Mistry said. “And then they’re sitting next to a football player in sweats and a hoodie in Great Books reading the ‘Odyssey.’ It’s hilarious to see that.”

According to sophomores Catherine Graham and Aidan Christian, some adopt a retro style. Christian listed unconventional items he’s seen peers wear: flat caps, dog tags, watch chains, and rings.

“Men dress like their grandfathers and women dress like their mothers,” Graham said. 

Sophomore Aidan Christian agreed. 

“My grandfather wore this outfit yesterday,” Christian said jokingly. “I come by it honestly.”

Junior Madeline Scheve found that Hillsdale students often make assumptions about people with piercings or tattoos. 

“Like, if you have more than one piercing, then you’re probably a socialist,” Scheve said. 

Graham said the same assumptions go for blue hair. 

“If you dye your hair, you’re a communist,” Graham said. 

Hillsdale’s Core and liberal arts environment creates opportunities for students to study a wide range of disciplines. Sometimes, according to Graham, the combination is comical.

“People have weird major-minor dualities,” Graham said. “People study totally unrelated things, and then get a job that has nothing to do with either of them. It’s a great thing. It’s just unique.”

The small-school environment also means Hillsdale students tend to know their peers and professors well — perhaps too well, Graham said.

“People create cult followings of specific professors,” Graham said. “I feel like that’s not normal.”

According to Graham and Christian, Hillsdale students don’t think philosophy belongs only in the classroom.

“People think deeply and have philosophical reasoning for everything that they do,” Graham said. “People are overly intentional about everything.”

“They have a thought-through justification for having fun on a weekend. I hear that stuff all the time,” Christian said. “Not a single person cares.”

Scheve said this hyper-intentionality also seeps into Hillsdale’s dating world.

“People talk about dating culture every day and never actually do anything to change anything,” Scheve said. 

According to Scheve, Hillsdale’s small size means many students talk about the couples on campus, whether spotted in a booth at Saga or strolling across the Quad.

Mistry said he was surprised by how scholarly Hillsdale students were compared to Texas A&M, where many of his friends went. 

“The balance of academics and sports is very different here,” Mistry said. “There’s other things to do on the weekends that are much more focused on the academic side of the school.”

According to Scheve, Hillsdale students adopt odd academic interests.

“We read a lot of weird books,” Scheve said. 

Graham pointed out how many students speak ancient languages — something unheard-of at many universities. 

“People learn ancient Greek, and it’s not frowned upon at all,” Graham said. 

While many students take their studies seriously, Scheve said that few seem worried about their future salaries. 

“There’s an overall lack of concern for money,” Scheve said. 

Graham said that because many of her female peers anticipate getting married and raising children, they take a different approach to their professional life. 

“It’s like universally agreed upon that if you’re female, you only have to have a career if you want one,” Graham said. 

Hillsdale’s religious culture stood out to Scheve.

“Students wear a sweatshirt that openly declares your denomination,” Scheve said. “That’s kind of weird.”

Teder said he came into contact with a wider variety of Christian groups when he came to Hillsdale.

“I did not know there were American Anglicans until I came here,” Teder said. 

According to Graham, the Honor Code creates problems for her when she leaves Hillsdale. 

“I have to remember when I’m not at Hillsdale that I can’t just leave my stuff around,” Graham said. “Airports are very difficult for me.”