<p>With so many mentions of eating clubs, bickering, auditioning, frats/sororities, rushing, and DRINKING, is anyone else just slightly...put off by such a social scene, as described by the Daily Princetonian in the Frosh section? I wasn't anxious before, but I am getting a bit more anxious now...</p>
<p>Don't worry. I never participated in any of that stuff, nor did most of my friends, but we all had a pretty awesome freshman year. If you're not interested, just stay away from it — you'll find plenty of like-minded people to keep you company and plenty of non-alcoholic activities to keep you occupied.</p>
<p>Yeah, the Daily Princetonian they sent us was pretty off-putting.</p>
<p>lord, freshmen don't bicker. they don't join clubs, if at all, until spring of sophomore year. until then, if they wish, they can hit the "street" as often as they like, and in the way they like, whether that involves drinking or not. many non-drinkers patronize the clubs for the bands, the dj's, the theme nights, and the general socializing opportunities. and only a small fraction of freshmen rush. if it's not your thing, and it probably won't be, you'll hardly know it's going on. in short, you shouldn't be too, too anxious about the "scene."</p>
<p>That's a relief. I got a bit carried away with the newspaper...</p>
<p>Nonetheless, it is a bit ironic that the section was supposed to get me more excited about going to Princeton. I'm still very excited for the other aspects of the experience though! :p</p>
<p>Haha I didn't want to say anything, because I thought I was the only person feeling so... sheltered? Especially the section about sex life, when the girl said we were probably packing edible body paint and furry handcuffs.... uhhh...</p>
<p>Yeah seriously! She made no mention of the heat-activated flavored massage oils or multicolored dildos I'm planning to bring! What's up with that!</p>
<p>hahahahahaha</p>
<p>I was completely freaked out by the issue last year as well - that I wouldn't fit in, that everyone would be drinkers and partiers, that I had made the wrong choice - but a year later, I can tell you to stop worrying.</p>
<p>If you aren't comfortable in that kind of a scene, you will naturally make friends with other people who prefer your kind of lifestyle. Besides, for all the hype about the Street, for Freshmen and most Sophomores it isn't going to be more than a weekend activity. The eating club parties don't fill up until well after midnight, so even if a lot of your friends do go there, you won't be alone for most of the evening.</p>
<p>The only thing I would caution you against is being judgemental. At Princeton, most people, no matter what their lifestyle, have some academic or extracurricular abilities or interests, or just general depth of character that goes well beyond what they may do on a Saturday night.</p>
<p>Have a great year! Honestly, I'm a little jealous that you guys still have four years left.</p>
<p>I definitely second what ICargirl said. Where you are now and where you'll be a year from now will most likely be two very different places. Keep yourself open as you go into your first year and don't be so quick to judge one type of activity as "off-putting" or the like. When you're here, you'll be respected for whatever decision you choose to make as long as its not harmful to others (and hopefully not too terribly much so for yourself). You'll often find that the people who do go out and get drunk every weekend are the same ones leading insightful discussions in precept the next week. The same can be said for those who choose other ways to spend their time. There's a lot to do, and as you've probably been able to gather, people who participate in the active party scene on campus and those do not equally enjoy their time at Princeton. So really, there's no need at all to worry. The Prince frosh edition is not meant to be taken too seriously. It's just a fun "introduction" to life at Princeton, despite there not really being one particular life at Princeton to which you should be introduced :)</p>
<p>I'm also relieved to see that I wasn't the only one put off by a lot of the somewhat jarring articles in the Prince...and I'm also glad to hear that it's very possible to stay away from that "scene." So, thanks.</p>
<p>if any of you decide to write for the prince this year, you can work to change the tone of the issue. and whether or not you do, you can always e-mail them in the meantime about the "jarring" nature of the current tone to some frosh. they'd be glad for the feedback.</p>
<p>That's a good idea - I think they do a similar type of issue every year. Most people seem to like it, though.</p>
<p>By the way, Anaximander, I think we may be neighbors next year - If my memory can be trusted to go all the way back to room draw, I think I'm in B61 Blair (I noticed your room on the Mathey Thread), so I'll see you soon!</p>
<p>Yeah, don't get me wrong, I definitely liked the frosh issue and was very glad to get it, but some articles forced me to look at some issues in a different way. And that, I'm sure, was part of the reason for sending the issue anyway.</p>
<p>ICargirl - Yeah, that's me! I look forward to meeting you.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reassurances. I'm quite socially liberal, and don't feel it is my prerogative to judge or determine what others should or should not do. As long as the environment still allows me to be comfortable with my personal preferences, I don't mind. I'll be careful to avoid incorrectly judging others.</p>
<p>I was also rather turned off by all the discussions about alcohol in the frosh issue (where to get the best beer, etc.) - I wasn't exactly expecting all that emphasis in a frosh welcome issue.. but I'm glad for the reassurances that it's somewhat avoidable.</p>
<p>the frosh issue is useful because a large part of the scene freshman week is going out to the eating clubs (well the lawns, because they don't open until lawn parties) and the lawn parties that are the first sunday of classes. Both events are alcohol soaked, although you don't need to drink and you don't need to drink to have fun. Many people will be away from home for the first time and go sorta crazy, just remember that it all calms down after the first few weeks once school gets into session. I didn't drink at all first semester of my freshman year, and it was fine. I went out to the street several times, including to many of the bicker clubs with friends, and no where does anyone pressure you to drink. It can get a little boring hanging out there if you are not drinking, although some people don't mind. There is also plenty of stuff to do around campus that definately doesn't involve alcohol.</p>
<p>it is useful knowing which eating club is which, the easiest way to tell which group is freshman is that theylll be standing outside of quad asking whether or not its ivy</p>
<p>also, don't judge people who drink a ton, some of the smartest people that i know party harder than anyone else or seem like total slackers, or the people who are drunk several nights a week turn out to be amazing muscicians etc.... it's crazy how accomplished some of your classmates are</p>
<p>I don't think the point is that we're worried that those who drink aren't as "smart" or as "good" as us ... it's just kind of off-putting that the social life is portrayed as one beer-soaked party after another, with casual sex when convenient. Some of us aren't interested in that, and I'm really not interested in being surrounded in a culture like that. I don't, however, see anything wrong with disapproving of people who show no self-control. I'm sure many are still brilliant, but I simply don't think casual sex and drinking just to get utterly smashed are good things to do. </p>
<p>Anyway, they're free to carry on with that as they please ... I'm just glad to hear there are other options. After reading the Prince I was a little panicked ...</p>
<p>Yeah... "one beer-soaked party after another, with casual sex when convenient" can be found if you're looking for it, but if you're not you'll still do fine. Plenty of people are not into that -- including (believe it or not) plenty of people who later join clubs. The frosh issue is a little sensational, but whether you party hard or not it's useful to know the lingo.</p>
<p>Phil's right... either way, keep an open mind. Reading the frosh issue is not a stand-in for being there, and you'll find your way. Go to Lawnparties... whether or not you drink, there are usually some great bands in an easy-going, fun atmosphere.</p>