<p>Some of the world’s best authors (Hemingway and F.Scott Fitzgerald come to mind) were alcoholics.</p>
<p>
As much as I don’t doubt that UMass, as a state school, is a party school, Thursday-Saturday is pretty standard among colleges. I know people here that have gotten smashed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday… all in the same week. That I find a little excessive.</p>
<p>Most geniuses were constantly on drugs as well. </p>
<p>Dare to have some fun. Don’t be a ■■■■■.</p>
<p>Just because someone doesn’t want certain substances inside them doesn’t make him a ■■■■■. I can probably kick your as, moron.</p>
<p>I bet you probably can’t, Internet badass you.</p>
<p>and so it begins…</p>
<p>My favorite mixed drink is smirnoff, lemonade, and cranberry juice. You can’t even taste the alcohol!</p>
<p>& I only party on Fridays/Saturdays currently ;)</p>
<p>i hang out with non-drinkers but they’re cool because they don’t constantly say that they’re so much better than everyone else because they don’t drink</p>
<p><– doesn’t party.</p>
<p><– likes teh alcohol, a lot.</p>
<p>I dont really get the problem here. In my country we dont do that beer thing, we go hard at parties. I have never missed a party I have been invited to and I have also never drank at a party and have always had tons of fun. I dont think that people need alcohol in order to loosen up, have fun and dance.
I have never been to a party where you HAVE to drink…let everybody do whatever they want, just get up, dance and freak out. 
Good Luck :)</p>
<p>oh my God, I thought I was wierd because I don’t drink,
my friends all around me drink a lot,
but I just don’t like that taste,
one group of my friends prepare milk for me whenever we eat together, lol</p>
<p>Bottom Line==you don’t have to drink, if they true to coerce you into doing it, then you’re hanging out with the wrong crowd. </p>
<p>I can’t take alcohol very well, so I just avoid it. I try not to judge others, but when you’re buzzed/drunk and you do/say something really stupid (ie driving down to Mc Donalds at 3AM while you’re still drunk) I start to question the people. Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t care less about people who drink responsibly. Once you start falling over/puking/blacking out–that’s just gross and very irresponsible (and I’ve seen it.) What’s also really annoying is the loud drunk who can’t shut the **** up. I hate that so much. I usu. don’t go out to parties, so I don’t have to deal with these people.</p>
<p>To OP</p>
<p>I’m sure there are many people on campus that do not drink, and for those who do I assume the majority of the time you can interact sober. Also in reply to your title, you can go to many parties and not drink. I guess it all depends on how comfortable you can be in certain environments.</p>
<p>Oh BTW,</p>
<p>When I first got into the dorms, it was very friendly and, to be honest, there was only 2-3 occasions where there was drinking in the dorm. However, it was only b/c one of the guys was in a frat and got alcohol for a few of his close dorm friends to “celebrate” one of their birthdays. I don’t think they had more than a shot/drink, they were responsible about it. It was very low-key. I was asked, but I declined, said I didn’t drink. They gave me props and respected my decision not to drink. Nothing major. I don’t think you have to worry too much, there are plenty of dorm actives you can do with your dormmates that doesn’t involve parties. After all, majority of freshmen aren’t of age and its hard to get drinks unless you know upperclassmen. </p>
<p>Anyway, don’t stress about it too much! Have a good year and congrats on getting out of HS and into college~!</p>
<p>“**** fear dont drink beer”</p>
<p>HAHAHAHAHAH THAT RHYMED</p>
<p>
This thread is going all over the place, but I want to re-post spideygirl’s comments because they were so on target. When you are in college, it is harder for non-drinkers to socialize with drinkers because so many of the drinkers seriously DRINK. Once you are out of school, you will find that not drinking - or drinking once or twice a year, champagne for wedding toasts and New Year’s Eve - is fine. People who give you grief for not drinking tend to be under age. Even by the time you are 23 or 24, no one will care if you drink or not. This is an 18- to 20-year-old phenom. Hang in there.</p>
<p>get friends that give you personal space</p>
<p>now I know people get a kick out of making non-drinkers drink because they get a kick out of seeing people who they think are merely bookish / hardcore studiers take part in partying</p>
<p>everyone has their thing to have fun. drinking is just one the things. in general, the crazier you act on a weekend (while still acting sensibly) the better. you don’t need alcohol to do it though.</p>
<p>I agree.
I’m not in college, and have years ahead of me before I’m at that phase. But I am emetophobic, meaning that I’m TERRIFIED of vomit.
Terrified.
So I know I won’t do well at parties, since an effect of alcohol is obviously vomiting.</p>
<p>I read so many posts by people who rationalize their behavior by citing anecdotes that are the exception to the rule. Pathetic.</p>
<p>In general, drunks are failures. Alcoholics are failures.</p>
<p>Your choice</p>
<p>Drunks in general are failures because the ones who succeed aren’t classified as drunks. They’re just known as successful people, and unless you know them personally you have no idea how much they drink.</p>
<p>this is so stupid because drinking is the way most people socialize in the world. if you work in government, business, and even academic, how do you socialize with people from various backgrounds? You need a common bond and many times drinking allows people to come together in ways people who don’t drink will never know. I go to Columbia and people drink here. The friends who i have who are rich, well-off, with good jobs all drink. So if you don’t drink, then you’re only limiting your opportunity for social mobility.</p>