<p>it's kind of hard to socialize w/ people who won't remember you the next morning or look like they might vomit on you.</p>
<p>Its not a high and mighty attitude. Some choose not to drink. And at least at my college, there's a ton of other activities, and I don't believe it to be a crucial part of college. Many do drink, but I guarantee the entire campus is not going to be at a party drinking alcohol. I can have just a good of time as you, only doing different things. </p>
<p>People like you are the ones that seem to have a high and mighty attitude, calling people socially awkward. You're no better than me because you drink, nor do I believe you have any more fun than I do.</p>
<p>Its no different than me choosing not to smoke cigarettes. I don't think I'm better than anyone that smokes, I just don't want to.</p>
<p>Not to mention some people simply don't like the taste, have control issues and know they might overdo it if they start (family history). The religion I'm trying to convert to does not allow drinking. Am I also a socially awkward, pompous person because of my personal beliefs? Not to mention I (and others, I assume) don't drink for health reasons. I don't need any empty calories in my diet.</p>
<p>Someone shouldn't have to learn to enjoy something they don't want to, even if the majority does. You don't learn to like things, you either do or you don't. I don't like football. No matter how much I watch or play it I'm not going to learn to like it.</p>
<p>most people respect your decision not to drink, and even if you avoid the parties there are other opportunities to be social, people are usually too drunk at the parties anyways to make friends, they won't remember who showed up or not</p>
<p>Eh, I've got to disagree on one point; parties can be good places to meet people. I've got several friends that I've met at parties. There are other places and other things to do though, no doubt.</p>
<p>Also, I can respect not drinking, but not liking football? Just sad.... haha, I kid, I kid.</p>
<p>You can still have the party experience and not drink. It probably won't be the same. It will be more lucid. :)</p>
<p>Most parties you don't want to remember afterwards. Or be lucid during if you're the only one drinking... After experiencing it sober, I will never go to another party where there will be alcohol present. I can't look at people with any respect after I see them making out with anything that moves, falling over drunk, or puking. </p>
<p>Just wondering, does anyone else have issues with drunk people? It gives me SERIOUS panic attacks to be around someone who is drunk or high. I used to babysit and the parents would come home drunk every time and it really traumatized me, so I literally run out of rooms if there's someone there drinking excessively.</p>
<p>Even when I didn't used to drink, I always thought drunk people were funny. I've only ever seen one dude that was so drunk he started getting mean and he was old (crashed a party we were having). I like to drink, and get a little tipsy, and yes sometimes I get realllly drunk (usually by accident, if the punch is particularly strong or something). I remember most of the parties I've been to, and I think they're really fun. I thought the parties I went to sober were really fun, too. Different fun, but still fun either way. Most people I've been to parties with aren't "making out with anything that moves" (maybe their bf/gf or a date or something), USUALLY not "falling over drunk" (it happens, but not super often), or puking, at least not where people can see them. Nearly everyone goes into a bathroom or something.</p>
<p>During the accepted students' weekend I was carted around to all the frat parties by my host, and I was the only one sober at all of them. It was the most boring night I can remember. Being the only one sober is <em>not</em> fun. Standing alone against the wall in a room that smells like jack daniels and sprite is <em>not</em> fun. Watching people play drinking games with severely reduced hand-eye coordination is <em>not</em> fun. I'm sure there are plenty of socializing opportunities even at a drinking campus for non-drinkers, but please don't pretend that you can just go to all the alcohol-saturated parties and be sober and have a blast. Watching other people get wasted and then act stupid really isn't all that enjoyable.</p>
<p>Well, no, you can't just go to some random party where you don't know anyone and be sober and have fun. But if you go with friends, or to a friend's party where you'll know a bunch of people, it is fun because then you get to tell stories about your friend the next day where they'll be like, "OMG did I actually do that?!" Also, my friends are really funny peoples, and funny drunks, so we have a good time sober or drunk.</p>
<p>My S is like the OP. He dropped out of Marching Band his junior year of high school, partly because he didn't "fit" in with so many of the kids who every weekend were into the drunken parties. He chooses not to hang out with kids who drink. I'd like to say it's because we're Southern Baptist, but I'm not naive enough to not know there are lots of SB kids who drink, so that's not solely it. It's just who he is.</p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>Really? The band kids in my school were the only ones NOT partying all the time (stereotypical "band nerds", most of them).</p>
<p>only 40% of college students drink on a weekly basis.</p>
<p>i'm not understanding why some people on this forum are so against those who do not drink and assume they are "nerdy" and "high and mighty"...maybe some people can't handle the taste, have bad experiences (those that get depressed and start crying while drunk), don't want to risk getting in trouble, are sensitive to alcohol, have family history of alcoholism, have self-control issues, don't like the idea of getting drunk, or any other reason...its their choice to refrain and your choice to drink...as long as they are not getting in your face about it there should be no reason to hassle them...and those that drink tend to think they are cooler or more sociable than those that do not which is similar to the argument that those who do not drink think they are better than those who drink...respect each others' opinions and do what you do and don't force anyone to do anything they don't want or belittle them because of their choice</p>
<p>well i didnt like this one girl i hung out with b/c i had no clue why she didnt drink. beginning of the year i was like "hey party lets go!" she was like, "mmm...nah i just dont want to" then all of her other girl friends told me she didnt drink and i thought it was b/c her dad was an alcoholic or something. bu then mom's weekend came at the end of the year and there are like a crap load of photos of her on facebook drinking like crazy and I was like, "that lying...."</p>
<p>I don't know, I do like drinking (guilty) but after a year of a bit too much, I realized I'd rather not for the most part, and save the drinking for the good times. Also, the fact that my dad's an alchie contributed; don't want to have to be going to AA meetings 20 years down the road.</p>
<p>I myself have nothing against others who drink, and frankly, tempt me enough and I'll join you, but yea, people should respect others' choices when they say no.</p>
<p>Of course, you can DEFINITELY have a good time without drinking, just that drinking can act as a "social lubricant," as my friend said.</p>
<p>
[quote]
only 40% of college students drink on a weekly basis.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Is that including all colleges? Because, I think its probably closer to 70 or 80 per cent at my school...</p>
<p>Eh, it sounds about right for on a weekly basis.</p>
<p>I think most of the people I know drink on approximately a weekly basis. Not like go out and get plastered, but definitely have a few drinks on a friday night if nothing else. It's definitely more than 40% here.</p>
<p>I go to a fairly drinking heavy campus, but I've still got to say that sounds about right. Perhaps in your circle of friends everyone drinks weekly, but you've got to remember that there are many people who don't drink period, and even more who only party every other week or so.</p>
<p>I'm not trying to be rude, but quit being a total stiff and have a beer or two, or at the very least, get over the fact that other people do it. I have never had an issue with people who didn't drink, but I do have a problem with people who look at a Natty Light as though it contains crystal meth. When college began (for me, two years ago), I had a close friend of mine berate me online, saying I was becoming a loser like all the guys in high school we had made fun of (I drank very sparingly in high school). Needless to say, after he was coerced into going out once or twice, his views completely changed. Just because someone drinks does not mean they're completely avoiding responsibility in their life. Sure you get the people that drink 5 days a week, but how are they any different than people in high school who don't drink,yet don't do their homework either? Funny thing, my freshman year, I recall making it a rule that I had to do some sort of homework before I went to a party, just to make sure I wasn't wasting a day. This method has, and still does work well with me. Though I don't go out every weekend, if I feel my workload is light enough to handle a night partying, then I'm all for it. Fact is, partying is a fun and cheap stress reliever. Sure you can go to the movies, but generally it's going to be more expensive. Beyond that, simply letting lose, then having stories to talk about the next morning when you wake up make those piles of books and homework assignments seem alot more managable. </p>
<p>Also as a side note, my roommate freshman year didn't drink (by choice), because he was incredibly focused on transferring to Notre Dame. That said, he never had an issue with people going out and didn't give us a smirky look when we came back from a party. Despite the fact that he only came out with us one time the entire school year, he still became a good friend of everyone's on the floor, and is unquestionably enjoying himself now at ND : )</p>