<p>Hey, I was just wondering what the Brown social scene is like? Are people always partying etc.? I know that the school is often characterized as “liberal” but what about the student’s values, as far as decency and morals are concerned? Any reply would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I think it's important to separate the question of morals from that of whether the students at a school like to have fun. I'm sitting at my computer inebriated after Oktoberfest at 6:00 PM on a Saturday, but I don't think there's anything immoral or even amoral about what I've done today. I had fun, and there's nothing wrong with that, so long as other people are also having fun and everyone is safe. That said, I've said this many times: I honestly believe that there is an appropriate group of friends for everyone here, regardless of whether you drink or party. There's a group for everyone here, and that's one of my favorite things about the school, and part of why we're the happiest school in the country!</p>
<p>I dressed up as birth control pills last night and went out to a party, danced and had a great time, and didn't drink. Right now it's 8:00 on a Saturday night. I just had dinner with Cooking House, and I'm doing some reading before I go off to a chorus party in a few hours.</p>
<p>From the way you framed your question, my guess is that you may disapprove of a lot of what goes on here -- sex, drugs, alcohol, homosexuality, voting for Democrats... I could be making completely incorrect assumptions, but people who ask about "moral values" and "decency" rather than asking what the social scene is like more generally might feel uncomfortable here. However, as mgcsinc says, there are as many ways to have fun at Brown as there are students. I don't drink at all, but I feel perfectly comfortable going out on weekends and dancing -- or staying at my dorm and baking or playing Scrabble. If you're openminded enough to accept that not everyone shares your "values" or your definition of "decency," then you'll fit right in no matter what you like to do for fun. If not, then you might be uncomfortable here.</p>
<p>And, for the record, I'd say that students values are pretty strong! Most students are involved in some form of community service activity. Many students are also involved in political and social change organizations.</p>
<p>A friend of mine just recently visited Brown. She thought it was ok, and noticed that many students smoke cigarettes all over the campus. Is this true? Is their pressure to smoke on campus? If it is true, why do so many people do it when everybody and their brother knows its horrible for your health? What's the smoking scene like at Brown?</p>
<p>Note: This is a serious post. I'm kind of a straightedge (not literally, but I don't drink, don't smoke/use drugs, and don't have sex and do not plan to do any of the 3 in college). I'm curious about the substance abuse scene at Brown, that's all.</p>
<p>There is too much cigarette smoking at Brown, in my opinion, but I don't think it's any different from the "scene" at any other peer school. I wouldn't say there's much "peer pressure" to smoke cigarettes -- I think a lot of the people who smoke here picked up the habit in high school. I also wonder why smart people do it when they know it's so bad for them... I guess it just goes to show how addictive the darn things are!</p>
<p>wow, i don't think there is much smoking at all. I guess it depends what you're used to from high school. I've never felt any pressure to smoke cigs ever here.</p>
<p>I asked this question a little bit ago, here are the responses I got re: smoking
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=2757167&highlight=smoking#post2757167%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=2757167&highlight=smoking#post2757167</a></p>
<p>I rarely see people smoking cigarettes, yet this isn't the first time I've read about how many students are smoking on CC. I typically see one or two students outside of a building at any given time smoking-- considering how many students are here, to see, say, 15-20 people smoking walking around on a given day when I see about 1000 faces is pretty minimal.</p>
<p>Smoking and drinking and drugging is here. It's everywhere. I don't feel there is any pressure to do anything you're uncomfortable with and the social scene is varied and flexible enough to accommodate just about any set of behaviors. I will tell you that classmates are going to take unkindly to you judging them as amoral if they drink on weekends. At Brown the culture is such that doing what you want (whether this is an affirmative doing or a refrain from doing) is totally acceptable, but criticizing other people's choices is often not as accepted. No one cares if you think drinking is bad, then don't drink, just don't give them the third degree about how their weekends are spent being the trash of society, etc.</p>
<p>For what it's worth, I don't drink and I don't have a problem. I haven't had sex since my HS girlfriend, and I smoke weed maybe two weekends a month. I often have tons of fun without sex, alcohol, or weed, and I've had fun with those things in a safe moderation. I'd say unless you want a school where only one atmosphere is acceptable, the one you're comfortable with, that Brown is going to be fine for any social purpose.</p>
<p>In re smoking: I have never walked around any place in my life where people smoke cigarettes less than they (seem to) do here. That is to say, I don't understand how anyone could get the impression that this is a place where smoking is very prevalent.</p>
<p>Just my 2 cents.</p>
<p>They do have Sex, Power, God....</p>