<p>I really like Cornell for a lot of other reasons, but pretty much hate the idea of a big Greek scene. How easy is it to avoid? I'm more the stay in with a few friends and talk/watch a movie/play games type.</p>
<p>The greek scene is def big here. Freshman year especially it is hard to avoid if you plan on going out and partying. However, it should not be a problem at all finding other people to just chill with in your dorm. Plenty of people stay in and just hang out and watch movies. Even a lot of the people that go out and party will end up staying in at least one day of the weekend. So, I dont think the greek scene should really deter you from applying/coming here. Cornell has so much more to offer.</p>
<p>The greek scene is for people who are into that...there are a lot of people that are like you as well. I wouldn't even worry about finding other people to hang out with/other things to do on weekends. The greek scene is really fun but it definitely isn't the only fun u can have on weekends.</p>
<p>The Greek scene is big at Cornell ... when I was there (late 70s - early 80s) I want to say 1/3 of the guys joined a frat. That said, as a non-frat guy ... that left about 4000 guys who were not in frats and 4000-5000 women who were not in sorieties. It was pretty easy to find the 10-20 people I hung with from the other 8000 people ... and for campus to not feel frat dominated. The one catch is if you love big parties ... the frats and sorieties had most of the big parties on campus when I was there. </p>
<p>Actually, this is one of the advantages of a bigger school ... while something might be big on campus there are always also a ton of people on campus who are not into whatever <em>it</em> is.</p>
<p>I talked to some seniors at Cornell and what I hear is...
1- greek scene is huge
2- not a lot of architecture kids have time for it, so they throw their own parties at Rand
3- lots of parties that are open to everyone</p>
<p>"Actually, this is one of the advantages of a bigger school ... while something might be big on campus there are always also a ton of people on campus who are not into whatever <em>it</em> is."</p>
<p>-=exactly=-</p>
<p>if you like to party but don't like the aspects of the greek scene, its not that big of a deal for the big open parties that everyone goes too. i dont really know what about the greek scene you dont like so i cant really say</p>
<p>Extremely easy to avoid. You only see it if you want to see it. I would say it's a "big" scene here but it can be invisible if you want it to be (I speak from experience on this point).</p>
<p>as someone who loves a CLASSY social life and likes cool people but hates fraternities... i givea different view in that maybe this isn't the place for you. I don't speak for everyone here- im just providing one opinion. I like going out, I like to drink, I like to party, but Cornell has made me hate "parties"---- (sadly the only real source of partying here is frats). I want to go out, want to party, etc... but call me crazy but I dont like entering buildings where I'm literally hydroplaning on a mixture of natty lite (nasty lite) and urine. I've seen people peeing out of windows and throwing up in refrigerators (multiple times- sick). I like drinking- with at least the smallest smudge of class- and this place has made me become tolerant to natty and busch, and when im lucky and can get a real gourmet: keystone! </p>
<p>People have stated that many stay in, but as someone who enjoy(ed) going out and having a good time, I have given up... Ithaca isn't the town for it and if you're at Cornell and like partying, you better like frats. </p>
<p>If you hate the Greek scene (as much as I've learned to), it is easy to avoid. You can mind your own business and not party, but all I'm saying is that if you're a partier already but like to be classy about it, learn to let frats and natty and keystone and overwhelming belligerence and vomit grow on you.</p>
<p>I like house parties and everything ... but damn I hate the frats. There's this odor to a frat party that is just gross, it tends to become worse by the fact that it's usually 95 degrees and humid in the house. Plus, I can't go to a frat party with my girlfriend without some older looking guy hitting on her or asking for a dance ... all the while I'm right next to her with my arm on her shoulder. </p>
<p>I haven't been to a frat party in ages (at least a year), I much prefer house parties. They're much less scummy and the people aren't nearly as creepy. Plus, you can usually get a drink that doesn't taste like fermented sand water.</p>
<p>I noticed that the OP was talking about avoiding the greek scene and was looking for "...a few friends and talk/watch a movie/play games type." In other words for me, do non-drinkers fit in well at Cornell socially? I love to hanging out and having a great time with my friends (also like the OP, by going out to movies, TV episode nights, dining at different restuarants, activities, etc.), but I don't drink and I'm not much of a partier. But I'm getting the sense here that that's somewhat of a rarity at Cornell (besides the oft-mentioned engineers...).</p>
<p>There <em>are</em> people who don't party.</p>
<p>"There <em>are</em> people who don't party"</p>
<p>Just a few, or can you find them easily?</p>
<p>there's plenty of the non-partiers, don't define parts of the student body by a small thread like this. It may be tougher at first with the "new freedoms" fun fest for new students, but you'll find the crowd. </p>
<p>Also, I love to hear the pre-frosh "I don't drink and I don't party, that stuff is for losers" ... they're usually the ones wretching over the toilet by rush second semester.</p>
<p>Gomestar, I'm already halfway through the first semester at school with a huge greek scene and that hasn't happened and nor do I intend it to, if that's what you're implying. But yes, I know a lot of straight shooters end up over the toilet... it's funny seeing those photos on facebook too, people you'd never suspect!</p>
<p>i wasn't implying anybody in particular, just the trend</p>
<p>Don't hang on the frat scene too ,uch fcuz it can be funnnnnn as hell so dont even....especially since u side with bball u kno its an aouto extremist. But ya the frat scene is still great so dont downplay it. But ya there are always boptions</p>
<p>i know you're drunk and all, but seriously...who types like that?</p>
<p>after soph year, the frat scene gets kind of old. then you move on to the collegetown scene.</p>
<p>Even if 85% of the people here drank, there would be roughly 3,000 non-drinkers - about as large as the student body of a typical small liberal arts college.</p>
<p>lol awkward...but ya I just read that bball was back and insulting things so I had to post haha. lmao bball...</p>