<p>My daughter lived in Chem-Free housing last year and found that she had a hard time adjusting to college life. Although she didn’t drink in high school, and rarely even now, she had trouble meeting new people because of her living situation. Many people in her dorm were not only against drinking but also very close-minded to a lot of other social aspects of college life. This year she decided to move out of chem-free housing and has found that there are plenty of other students who choose not to drink often yet are still socially involved on campus. Personally I feel that substance free housing is not the best option for incoming students, even if they are not drinkers, because it limits one’s social atmosphere. I’m curious to learn about others’ experiences in Chem-Free housing and would be happy to answer any questions about my daughter’s time at Bowdoin</p>
<p>I, and most people I know have had a different view from your daughter. That said, I do know people who do agree but that is a minority, within the people I speak to at least. My decision to live chem-free has been a positive one. I feel that a decent number of chem-free kids do still drink, they are just not of the binge-drinking, throw-up variety and therefore, this fosters a more tolerating environment. Also giving that classes, extracurricular and other activities on campus aren’t labeled chem-free or not, I do not feel it is hard to meet people. I personally have A LOT of friends outside chem-free and first semester I spent most of my time outside Hyde and this semester I realize how much I love my dorm and consequently spend more time there.</p>
<p>There are definitely the weird, socially awkward kids in chem-free and this is good for them because they meet like-minded individuals and make friends. I also feel that chem-free has it’s fair share of crazy hyper-active people. It is especially nice to have a clean bathroom on the weekend and the only time a carpet was wet has not been with throw-up but rather as a result of having a snowball fight on the first floor. </p>
<p>There are definitely chem-fee kids who only hang out with other chem-free kids because it is easy to stay stuck with your floor but it is just as easy to venture out as most but not all of my friends in Hyde have a lot of other friends who are not chem-free. One plus for me is that I found chem-free to be the most diverse dorm. It is racially but it does not stop at this, the type of people who usually choose it have such varying interests that you could be up till 3a.m in conversation with someone and find out some interesting things(not that this doesn’t happen in non chem-free dorms). Even though some of my close friends are not in chem-free, I find that I am rooming with kids who were all chem-free this year.</p>
<p>Also the stereotype does vary from year to year. Apparently my year was not as crazy as last year. The chem-free kids last year were known to be crazy. For me chem-free has been a great experience with the only downside being Howell. They do try but Howell and social houses in general are not my cup of tea. I’m more of a dorm parties person.</p>
<p>i lived in chem free housing and loved it. we were all a bit quirky, but i preferred that to other dorms.</p>
<p>As a current non chem free student here I can say the most of the chem free students are viewed from the outside as social pariahs. They are for the most part antisocial and cliquey and seem rather judgmental. They are definitely the “weird” kids on campus that make people feel uncomfortable. I’d recommend not living in chem free housing unless you want to only have chem free friends during your time at Bowdoin.</p>
<p>Clearly you don’t know what you are talking about. If you ever met me or some other people I know in chem-free, I doubt you would call us anti-social. Are there weird kids in chem-free? yes but to say that your freshman dorm defines who you are for your entire Bowdoin career is narrow-minded and just plain stupid. However to each his own.</p>
<p>Or you just don’t understand how the outside world perceives you</p>
<p>or she doesn’t care how the outside world perceives her. and, for what it’s worth, the non-chem free students at bowdoin college are hardly representative of the “outside world.”</p>