<p>So, I'm not really into partying much...at all. I mean, I can see myself going to a few parties, but I can't imagine it being a weekly experience, since it hasn't really been a part of my high school life. I'm not exactly opposed to drinking, and I'm certianly not averse to going out and having some fun, but I've just never seen the appeal in going out and getting drunk or doing drugs. I'm kind of conservative (ok, ok, I'm a prude...) and the idea of excessive drinking/drugs and random hook-ups is rather repellent to me. Although I suppose it is fine as long as I don't have to come in contact with it on a regular basis. I know this will be an issue at all colleges and people always seem to say that it isn't really a big deal and it is what you make of it. But I would think that if the majority of students are partying, it would affect everyone on campus. I know this question has been asked thousands of times since Animal House, but after seeing the statistics, I'd really appreciate it if a current student could share their thoughts on the issue. Thanks!</p>
<p>I'm not a current student but I was accepted ED. Sounds like we'll be in the same boat, I'm really the same socially as you. But I'm an athlete and I took several visits where I was taken to the frats and parties, and felt no pressure what so all to drink. It seemed like for every hardcore partier, there was one really cool nondrinker. I think a place like Dartmouth is large enough and diverse enough that pretty much anyone can fit in. Plus if what I just said is wrong, we can just hang out</p>
<p>There are plenty of people not really into the party scene, and for them Dartmouth can be completely intimate and awesome too.</p>
<p>slipper - I know that's the general response people give to this question, but is it really true? I honestly can't imagine that the majority of the "partying" students will be accepting of the non-partiers, but if so, that would be amazing. Is there also a large community of people who choose to spend most of their weekends NOT at parties?</p>
<p>I'd like to know the answer to slipper's question as well- are there a lot of people who don't party on the weekends, and, if so, what else is there to do?</p>
<p>right then....</p>
<p>Hey there - depending on where you hang out there are "partiers" totally accepting on people not drinking. Tri-Kap and Sig-Ep for example always has more than a few non-drinking members each year. No one will pressure you to drink at many parties, they don;t even notice.</p>
<p>But outside of this, there is a non-drinking scene. In my class many of the people involved with class council didn't drink, but instead spent weekends around fireplaces sipping hot cocoa right after sledding for example. Its not a huge number of people, but they exist for sure.</p>
<p>does that mean there really isn't much to do on weekends other than party and perhaps study?</p>
<p>It depends on what you enjoy doing. You could go to movies on the weekends at either the Hop or the Nugget (in town). Most people who don't party get friends together and watch tv/DVDs, play games or just talk. Other people will go work out or hike or camp, it's really up to you. What do you like to do now when you're not in school? I'm sure you could do the same things at Dartmouth and find other people who want to do those things too.</p>
<p>It seems like the frat scene at Dartmouth really dominates the social atmosphere. It's not just the driking that bothers me. I mean, I'm not really into partying- with or without the alcohol. I'd just rather be doing other things. I could see it as something I might do occasionally, but not every week, as I mentioned above. Will I be thought of as some sort of anomaly if I don't participate in he party scene? Will be social options be limited somewhat more so than they might be at other schools?</p>
<p>shellzie: I think that's a great question to ask on the boards of other schools that you're considering. If you ask them what students typically do on a weekend, you can see if it varies much from the frat scene at Dartmouth (my hunch is that at most places it won't). My experience was that my friends were doing pretty much the same amount of partying, it just wasn't in frats, it was in a club or a student houses instead. I might be coming from a pretty unique perspective, but at most other schools that I considered attending, partying was what people did. However, there may be other schools that have a totally different social scene, which is why I think you should ask around at other colleges.</p>
<p>Shellzie, tend to think Former SI's hunch/observations may prove to be correct - ie that you are likely to find that partying is a dominant scene at many (most?) colleges. At Dartmouth, if you choose sub-free housing freshman year, you are going to be placed with a large number of students, the majority of whom are like-minded regarding that one issue. But it does not seem the case that your only friends will be others who choose not to party.</p>
<p>If you have not already, maybe try asking your questions here - or just read the bios to get a sense of the kinds of activities students fill their time with:</p>
<p>And check here for a sense of student life:</p>
<p>Former SI, good suggestion. I have been checking into that a bit. There is a similar thread going on the Notre Dame board. Drinking can obviously be found everywhere- it just seem that Dartmouth is a bit more extreme in that respect than some others. I also checked the info on <a href="http://www.campusdirt.com%5B/url%5D">http://www.campusdirt.com</a>, and it seems like students drink a lot more often at Dartmouth than at Notre Dame- but I have no idea if those numbers are accurate...</p>
<p>Also, thanks for the links, ohmadre, I will definitely check those out.</p>
<p>My guess is they drink equally, but there will be many more religiously oriented non-drinkers at Notre Dame.</p>
<p>I'm sure there will be more religiously-oriented people in general at Notre Dame. But I'm not necessarily looking for people who don't drink for religious reasons (after all, I'm Catholic, not Baptist...), just people who share similar interests with me.</p>
<p>I know this might not be the most comfortable question to ask, but I've heard that all the Ivies have really big pot scenes. I was wondering if this is true of Dartmouth, given that it's a little bit more secluded than most of the other Ivies. I've been reading over this forum and I've noticed a number of Dartmouth students and alumni who are providing great information. As such, I'm hoping for an honest answer. I'm honestly not going to believe you if you say that there are NO drugs at Dartmouth.</p>
<p>Honestly its an average scene. You'll find at least a few people in every frat who smoke - a couple houses with much more than a few. There is a contingent that smokes alot (a frat called Tabard is basically a smoking house), with off campus houses in Vermont. Overall though, if you want it you can find it, and if you don;t want it you don't have to see it.</p>
<p>I agree w/slipper on that count (isn't Panarchy a "smoking house" too, or am I just confused?). I've been surprised by the lack of smoking around campus--if you're walking around the Green and spot someone smoking, odds are, they're not a student. Alcohol is undeniably the "drug" of choice here.</p>
<p>What does "pre-game" mean?</p>
<p>Think of it in this way: a football pregame is like a party before the party. What do Dartmouth students do at their parties? Drink copious quantities of alcohol. Thus...follow through to logical conclusion :D</p>