<p>I'm looking for comments from current/prior students, or from parents of current students...</p>
<p>My daughter is very interested in applying ED to a school which tends to be known as a "party school" (Lehigh). They have an academic program which matches perfectly with her interests; she loves the campus; and is really excited about the possibility of going there.</p>
<p>One thing she is apprehensive about though - she is NOT a "party girl"! On the other hand, she is not judgemental of those who do like to party - it's not like she preaches about the evils of alcohol, or totally avoids those who drink or situations where there is drinking going on. I have no delusions that she will not drink at college - right now, it's just not her "thing". She has every intention of becoming involved on campus in lots of ways. She is very concerned about "fitting in".</p>
<p>Have any of you had this same concern? How much of the social life REVOLVES around drinking? Are the kids who choose not to drink ostracized? Is it possible to attend parties and not get sloppy drunk?
What kinds of kids choose the "Wellness dorms"? </p>
<p>From what I know, Lehigh is worse about that compared to other schools. A very large percentage of social life revolves around drinking/partying/greek life. For what it's worth though, my friend who applied ED last year isnt a big partier.</p>
<p>I go to psu, which is notorious for being a huge party school. A lot of the social life from what i observed did revolve around drinking. I don't drink, and as a result shunned form going to any parties. My roomate did and got back wasted a lot of times; according to him, most student parties involve mainly a lot of heavy drinking(drinking games) and hooking up. So yes, you can go to the party and watch the scene while staying sober, but I guess you will be left out and find the environment inadequate eventually. </p>
<p>I wouldn't be so worried about it though, lehigh is a selective school and she is bound to find a number of students who share her attitude. Just because there is this type of activity going on doesn't mean she will have to partake in them to fit in, but she might have to work a bit harder to form her group of friends. It is all about priorities and integrity.</p>
<ul>
<li>I did have the same concern going to psu, but it was mainly that I would be associated with this hedonistic behavior and mentality when I absolutely avert it. It did affect me because psu's student body by large engage in "wild" parties and recreation, so I had trouble finding people who were seriously focused on academics. But lehigh is more competitive and attracts conscientious students, so I would assume a large percentage aren't there to get drunk.</li>
</ul>
<p>"Is it possible to attend parties and not get sloppy drunk?"</p>
<p>VERY. She can sip a beer or two most of the night and nobody will say anything as long as she's got one in her hand. And she can still have fun.</p>
<p>"What kinds of kids choose the "Wellness dorms"? "</p>
<p>Maladjusted people with insanely overprotective parents.</p>
<p>Maladjusted people with insanely overprotective parents.
</p>
<p>This.</p>
<p>And yeah, at most places people that don't drink are fine. There was one girl in my entry (basically a group of about 20 frosh) that didn't drink, but she enjoyed hanging out with us when we drank. No one really cared, everyone was cool, and everyone had fun.</p>
<p>I'll be a junior this fall at a school that is typically regarded as a party school. During my first two years of college, I drank very rarely. I usually didn't go to parties on the weekend, but I always found something to do--watch a movie, play poker with friends, and late night sand volleyball just to name a few. Drinking is certainly part of the social life on campus, but everything doesn't revolve around it.</p>
<p>I never felt ostracized because I chose not to drink. My roommate freshman year went out and drank regularly on the weekends, but he never pressured me or made me feel bad about choosing not to drink. Sure, I did have to deal with him every once in a while when he came back to our room drunk, but those nights were usually more comical than frustrating. My school does a good job of offering plenty of activities on the weekend that don't involve partying, such as offering free bowling, free movies, bringing in comedians, and offering trips to amusement parks, baseball games, and nearby cities.</p>
<p>Is it possible to attend parties and not get sloppy drunk? Of course. How much you drink is a personal decision. You have to be smart about it, know your limits, and know when to stop. If you do that, then you can stay safe and have a great time. If you want to go to a party and not drink, bring a bottle of water or a soda. That way you'll already have something to drink and you won't feel awkward.</p>
<p>If there is anything else you're curious about, feel free to ask. I'm willing to share what I know, and I'm sure there are other students here who would do the same.</p>
<p>It seems like some people on this forum are constantly equating the college experience with whether or not one drinks or parties. And that just doesn't make sense to me. Even if you go to a party school, the majority of your time you will be in classes, doing ECs, hanging out with friends in a casual setting, or sleeping. College is so much more than this drinking vs. not drinking debate that always seems to end up on this forum.</p>
<p>At every school there are students who drink and students who don't drink. So, your daughter should have no problem fitting in. And even if she is the only student on the whole campus who doesn't drink, that doesn't mean she can't go to the parties and not drink. And even if they had some rule that people can only go to parties if they agree to drink excessively and therefore your daughter couldn't party because she is the only one on campus who doesn't drink, she still has other parts of college life she can be an active participant in.</p>
<p>The thing I'd be concerned about is that Lehigh isn't just a party school, it's a <em>small</em> party school. Meaning, as opposed to someplace that might be known as a party school but has so many people that there are plenty of other niches to fit into, there really might not be much else to do. I don't really know enough about Lehigh to answer beyond that, but I'd be careful applying things about a big state school known for partying to a smaller place.</p>
<p>I go to UConn, which also has a big reputation as a party school.
I don't drink and I have friends that, for the most part, don't either. We can always find something to do, or some other way to have fun. So while a lot of people certainly do go drinking, there are also people that don't. It is possible to go to parties and not get wasted, though it is definitely a bit boring to be the only one or only few people that aren't drinking.
All in all, every school has people that don't drink and people that do drink, and you just need to find the people that share your habits.</p>
<p>I'd also highly recommend against "wellness" or "substance free" dorms, for the same reasons mentioned in previous posts.</p>
<p>I go to Hopkins, and I wouldn't say it's the party school to end all, but agree that it's easy to control yourself. I do know almost everyone experimented, and some got sucked "down," but just associate with the right people. I never had a problem myself, once I made the choice.</p>
<p>At some schools, people drink a lot more than others and do indeed throw bigger parties. Hence the label "party school". These usually tend to be schools that are in the middle of nowhere.</p>
<p>GoldShadow, funny you mention UConn, it is another one on her list! (We are in CT also). </p>
<p>All are great responses. Just looking for some reassurance that there <strong>are</strong> things to do where drinking isn't the MAIN focus. Certainly I don't kid myself, she will drink - but I know she is comfortable with herself and likes to be "in control" of herself!</p>
<p>The beauty of college is that no matter what kind of person you are, there are others on campus just like you. It really isn't that big of a deal if she doesn't drink, and I am sure there are plenty of others like her. I did, however, like the suggestion of the guy above who said she should be involved and go to parties and just hold a beer. Nobody is going to question her over that. </p>
<p>I go to a major SEC school that was the #1 party school in the nation a couple years ago and I am in a fraternity, so needless to say I drink pretty heavily a couple times a week. I would never look down on somebody who doesn't drink and I don't know of anyone who would. </p>
<p>The social world completely revolves around drinking in college though. On a Friday or Saturday night I wouldn't be surprised if 80% or more of the campus is drinking. Basically any social situation you go to will involve alcohol.</p>
<p>But like I said, its not a big deal for her. If she has strong beliefs and she doesn't try to force them on others, people will respect her more than anything.</p>
<p>most people will tend to accept that somebody doesnt drink and not have a huge problem with it... its just a matter of personal choice</p>
<p>the thing with lehigh isnt necessarily that its just a place where people drink a lot, but theres a lot of marijuana in that school... but you can always find your nitche</p>
<p>my son goes to a party school - I know he drinks but he has friends who do not. And those friends are just fine - there's plenty to do for those who are adventurous and motivated (clubs, outdoor activities, arts). It's a big school so there's something for everyone. I don't agree that schools with more selectivity have less drinking (Frasi's comment). We know kids at Lehigh and there is a LOT of drinking - kind of like a mini PSU I'd say. I think it's because of the location (not a city) and the high percentage of kids in the greek system. My advice? Spend an overnight on a Thursday - Sat night. See what it's like. Just keep in mind that the drunkards tend to be the loudest and most visible group.</p>
<p>yeahh there are always people who aren't heavy drinkers...i think the whole "party scene" is really played up at a lot of schools b/c honestly the people who are most noticeable on the weekends are those who are raging drunk...the sober/mostly-sober people are usually less conspicuous lol, but they still definitely exist. And especially if she won't be a 100% teetotaler, I'm sure she'll fit in with a fairly large group of people!</p>