<p>So I just got back from the Penn Previews Day/Multicultural Scholars Preview and, I was exposed to a social aspect of college that I always knew existed but never thought I would see. </p>
<p>I'm the kind of guy who covers my nose/mouth whenever someone smokes (I even wore a medical mask at New Year's---even though I have no breathing problems whatsoever). And I promised myself that I would never drink alcohol after seeing its effects on my father. </p>
<p>At my HS, I knew some people took drugs/drank alcohol but I never really saw it. So when my host's other student hostees (most of them less than 18 y/o) came back drunk and high from an "after party" [to Penn's sponsored one], I was shocked. They said that they were passing out weed at the party. The first thing I said to myself was : "Isn't that illegal?" I guess I'm not as "liberal" as I thought I was. </p>
<p>At first, I (foolishly) thought: "Ivy League students should know better than to smoke/drink." Then an epiphany of sorts came to me: Penn students are just like regular college students but with slightly higher grades/scores. </p>
<p>From what I've heard, alcoholism is rampant among the student population, even among those who are "not of age." Same for weed. </p>
<p>I'm set to attend Wharton, regardless, but I'm wondering: Is it possible to have a social life at Penn w/o alcohol/drugs?</p>
<p>without drugs, yes. Without alcohol is possible only if you have few inhibitions in social settings. People drink because it’s a “social lubricant.” I came in with the same attitude but I converted my views to controlled partying from an unrealistic, absolute abstinence.</p>
<p>I can tell you from numerous experiences: everyone at a party can tell who has been drinking and who has not. People tend to avoid the withdrawn, sober people watching the party from a corner.</p>
<p>Though I don’t go to Penn (I go to Columbia) my girlfriend does, and I am on campus at least four times a month. Neither of us smokes or drinks, and I commend your decision to abstain. Like you, I don’t see the wisdom in knowingly ingesting poisons. I certainly do not need artificial help to have fun. The good news is that you can have a great social experience without alcohol or drugs. There will be others on campus like you. You just need to find them. The most obvious are the devoutly religious (devout Muslims, Mormons, and some Christians do not drink or get high). There will be others as well; they may be harder to find. By the time you are a sophomore, you should have a small group of friends who have fun being themselves without the aid of alcohol or drugs. Again, I commend your decision and wish you the best of luck.</p>
<p>Hey!! I just back from the multicultural scholars weekend at Penn too! on monday after the dance I was with a group of kids who don’t really drink that much or are huge parties. We sat in the grass in the quad and played cards and talked and then we went to the basement of Harnwell and played Mafia and other ice breakers til 2! It was so fun and we laughed a lot. I found a bunch of kids really quickly who were like me and that’s why I completely changed my mind about Penn and I will be attending in the fall =)</p>
<p>It’s really not a huge deal. Many people I know don’t drink more than 1-2x a month or for ‘special occasions’ (think fling, halloween, etc). People are too busy with sports, performing groups, etc, to get drunk every weekend. Of course, there are people who choose to spend their $50,000 a year studying their ass off during the weekdays and then partying on the weekends, but it is not the ‘norm’. You will find your group.</p>
<p>I don’t drink/smoke/do drugs and I still have plenty of friends and fun. Unfortunately, these behaviors are common on Ivy League campuses and on college campuses in general. I believe that this is largely due to people’s inability to handle their stress in any other way. There are plenty like you and me though, so don’t worry : )</p>
<p>I’d say it’s more prominent on top school campuses because many people are used to rationalizing many aspects of their lives and thinking a lot more of the future than of the present. As such, it’s hard to just “cut loose” for an evening and just chat with people without major inhibitions. That’s primarily where booze comes in.</p>
<p>I have become less critical of smoking on campus but I wouldn’t want to do it. I explain it with that the explicit costs are too high and the risks are unreasonable.</p>
<p>well - i bet the group you were visiting with - since it was probably “multicultural” are a population more likely to use illegal substances - the larger population who didn’t have the benefit of being multicultural to get into a competitive institution can’t afford or aren’t as inclined to drink and smoke so much</p>
<p>Ok I’m going to go to penn this fall and I’m not gonna smoke/do drugs and I’m SURE that there will be tons of ppl to have fun with without doing something against ur wishes. Chill :)</p>
<p>Brunetto-- I’m not a student yet, but I went to fling and I saw just as many intoxicated students who ‘didn’t have the benefit of being multicultural to get into a competitive institution’ than ‘multicultural’ students, if not much much more (leaning towards more).</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, you guys! Well, I guess I’m a bit over-thinking this thing. I was just so shocked—scandalized would be a better word —when I saw the other hostees drunk/high. I don’t think I’ve ever seen what weed looks like! lol I’ll just see how this whole thing plays out, but one thing’s for sure: I won’t be doing anything that I don’t like just to make some friends. </p>
<p>
Really? Haha I actually stayed at Harnwell, too. The night before the dance, I walked in the basement to buy some iced tea from the vending machine, and I saw some scholars playing some kind of game with their hosts. They sounded like they were having a lot of fun. ^_^</p>
<p>hahah yeah that was us playing those games! Actually our hosts never hung out with us at all. We were the ones organizing those games both nights actually =0 </p>
<p>I’d just like to say that very few of the “multicultural students” were partying but we joining parties already going on which had nothing to do being “multicultural”</p>
<p>I went to the multicultural too and my host’s roomate (we were in a suite) had a blunt and was getting high with her boyfriend. So that was kind of different than what I’m used to but they were really nice and didn’t pressure or offer us to use it.</p>
<p>It seems like you could probably just choose what kind of scene you want to be involved with and just not use if you don’t want to.</p>
That’s good. Yeah, I’ve heard that people won’t really force others to do drugs/etc., if they don’t want to. </p>
<p>
Haha I didn’t even know what the significance of 4/20 was until the other hostees told me about it :P. Now that I think about it, the party was on the evening before the 20th.</p>
<p>Honestly, Penn is the same as other schools, it’s known as the “social ivy” for a reason. If you don’t drink or smoke there are plenty of things to do, simply around Philadelphia and in campus, however most people here do partake in drinking.</p>
<p>It’s fine not to partake, however don’t be the kid who looks down upon everyone else who does.</p>
<p>Oh man did you go to the preview day during Spring Fling?
Honestly after spending a year here I’ve found the social scene can be pretty awkward if you’re not into the frat scene. There aren’t enough non-greek social opportunities</p>
—when I saw the other hostees drunk/high. I don’t think I’ve ever seen what weed looks like! lol 
I’ll just see how this whole thing plays out, but one thing’s for sure: I won’t be doing anything that I don’t like just to make some friends. </p>