<p>I hear the frat scene is big at cornell, but im looking for something more I guess. If i go to cornell, i am going to be missing out on the city. Now i know lots of people choose the city because of theater, opera, and museums, but i wouldnt be doing that stuff anyway. So im wondering, is the bar scene that bad in ithaca? could i go to collegetown any thursday friday or saturday and find kids dancing at a club or something?</p>
<p>oh and are freshman allowed at most frat parties?</p>
<p>search for the thread "your guide to sin and pleasure in Ithaca"</p>
<p>freshmen are definitely allowed at ALL open (as in not a private mixer or other private greek party) frat parties...frat parties would probably not even exist if it werent for freshmen lol. and there are a couple small bars in collegetown...but they feel about the same as frat parties to me. they dont feel like cool city bars or anything. and frosh dont really go into ctown to the bars bc the bars are pretty strict about being underage. i know dinos cards hard. so if you really want to go there you need a fake. but i would definitely not describe ithaca as having any bar "scene"...bars yes..."scene" no</p>
<p>Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes. </p>
<p>In my opinion one of the best parts about Cornell's social scene are the parties away from the frats. These include both the bar scene and the house parties across Collegetown and West Campus. </p>
<p>I spent most of my fun time at Cornell in most of these locations, and didn't step foot in a frat after freshman year. Some of the house parties are typical beer fests, but others are really dynamic. One of the informal biology co-ops, called 'The Shire', had fantastic hookah parties. The Steward Little Co-op has an amazing Halloween party. Students will often rent hot tubs, etc. And my own house hosted a lot of black-tie events, complete with live bands. This is to say nothing of the clothing optional parties that Watermargin and the track team are famous for. The co-op parties also offer a nice alternative to the frat parties.</p>
<p>There are probably 15 or so bars to drink on or right off campus. Ranging from hipster enclave to meathead, flannel shirt wearing to dancing on tables. And then down by the commons, there are another 10-15 or so bars. When I wasn't drinking in my house, my personal favorite bars were the Chapter House and Korova, down by the Commons.</p>
<p>And yes, frat parties love freshman.</p>
<p>You won't really find any clubs at Cornell but bars, oh yes. Plenty of people go out to bars in Collegetown.</p>
<p>I just bumped the thread Gomestar referenced. It's pretty incomplete and excludes a fair number of places to drink in Collegetown. I can think of Level B, CTB, ABC Cafe, Olivia's, and Plum Tree off the top of my head. Some of the best nights I ever had at Cornell were Sake boming at the Plum Tree.</p>
<p>Best place to drink on Cornell's campus? The bowling alley of Helen Newman. Pitchers of Labatts for less than $5. There's also the Statler and The Big Red Barn.</p>
<p>There really should be a definitive guide to Ithaca bars somewhere on the Interweb. There are a half a dozen or so bars down by the Commons that are worth going down to as well. I already mentioned Korova, but Chanticleer and Benchwarmers are fantastic. And there is Simeon's, Just a Taste (wine/tapas bar), and the place next to Mahogany Grill that I can't seem place.</p>
<p>And yeah, the closest thing you will come to a "club" is probably Level B or downstairs Stellas. But even then, it's not the big city environment that Elgguj quests after because she will have the rest of her life to live in cities. (I kid, I kid.)</p>
<p>By the way Elgguj -- do you juggle?</p>