<p>I don't like drinking. I know I must sound like a really uptight person, but I just want to keep healthy throughout college and not get drunk every night.</p>
<p>I'm actually really worried about how I'll be able to fit in at college if tons of people just go clubbing and get drunk every night. Is being dry even socially acceptable or will it just make me into that socially awkward person who won't get drunk with everybody else?</p>
<p>Anybody else in the same boat?</p>
<p>(I'm applying to top colleges--ivies, etc. for science major)</p>
<p>You don’t need to drink to go out. That doesn’t mean some situations won’t be odd or more troublesome, but people generally respect those who choose not to drink. Whether you drink or not, though, not everyone will respect you. Don’t let it bother you and move on.</p>
<p>I’m in college and don’t drink for personal reasons as well. You’ll find the people you want to find, from what I’ve experienced. I’ve got friends that drink and friends that don’t. I am the DD when I’m out on a party night with my friends that drink, and it’s still a lot of fun. Depends on the reputation of the school, I guess, but it’s not really that big of a deal. I don’t feel my social life is lacking at all.</p>
You’ll find plenty of intellectual non-partying types at the top colleges, if you want to avoid the party scene altogether. If you do go to parties, expect many offers of alcohol and some teasing; but no one should seriously try to pressure you into drinking.</p>
<p>Trust me, not ** everyone ** is going to go out and get drunk all the time. There’s always something else going on. Plus you can still go out and just not drink. No one will care or even really notice.</p>
<p>Not to instate any peer pressure, but once you get to college, try not to look down on people who ** do ** drink. A lot of people did that on my floor my freshman year and it’s really annoying… There’s nothing wrong with getting drunk every once and a while to blow off some stress and get more social and have fun.</p>
<p>I don’t drink for personal reasons. Just don’t push it in anyone’s face. If you want to go out clubbing or partying you can without drinking. If you’re worried about others getting on you about drinking, then just grab a solo cup and make sure to have some apple juice on you. No one will know the difference. Or if someone offers you a drink, take it to hold, just not drink. Or if you see a drink lying around take it, but don’t drink it (definitely not on this one). No one will notice. People just tend to want to be polite and offer you a drink. It’s not usually that they want to pressure you.</p>
<p>If you’re not interested in partying, then there are others out there.</p>
<p>For me, it just happened to be that none of the friends I ended up making really drink. I’ve never really been around alcohol as my parents do not drink, so I was worried about this with college too, but it seriously ended up not being a problem at all.</p>
<p>I’m a rising senior. Great friends, great social life, involved in plenty of things. Never been drunk in college. I drink but only with a close group of friends and I don’t get drunk. I just like the taste of beer. </p>
<p>Most people don’t go out raging every night, and a pretty good chuck of the student population will save it all for the weekend, especially in schools that have rigorous academics so don’t fret there. And as long as you’re not the person who shuns other people from drinking or partying you will fit in fine… just don’t be that guy.</p>
<p>Not every college student goes out and gets drunk. I’ve had two glasses of wine and a shot of daiquiri before for special occasions (such as when my roommates and I celebrated 4th of July–they’re responsible drinkers, too), but not enough to get myself drunk because I know how to drink responsibly (meaning I don’t push my limits and don’t drink to get drunk). So just because someone drinks doesn’t mean they’re being irresponsible.</p>
<p>Honestly, you should be perfectly fine. I don’t drink at all, but I have plenty of friends, although most of the people I do know drink and to be honest I don’t have much to do during the weekends, but that’s mostly because my school is small, boring, and in the medical area of the city… >_> You’ll probably be able to find friends who don’t drink at all and share the same interests as you or you might have friends that drink that have the same interests too. Not everyone who drinks will pressure you to drink and will respect that you don’t drink, but if they do pressure you even when you tell them no, you should probably not be friends with that person. Anyways, most people will be respectful that you don’t drink and you won’t have to drink to fit in, just don’t go off at people if they drink or else you probably won’t make many friends.</p>