<p>oh wow, that is one ugly smile. didn’t realize that’s how it would look.</p>
<p>@trent4332: i’d think that’s a perfectly good reason to make new friends quickly and painlessly. you see, because everyone is new and wants to know somebody, they’d be just as eager to talk to you as you are to talk them. it’s not like high school, where most kids behave like they own the school and everything and everyone in it. in college, your common ground for friendship is your newness( is that even a word?) to the place, don’t you think?</p>
<p>I would say that the biggest disappointment in College has been the fact that I was brainwashed into thinking I would be surrounded by intelligent people. And I was very wrong. Especially at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor(Surprisingly).</p>
<p>First semester was a blast. In highschool I was a total slacker and did pretty bad, but I still did good enough to get into a midrange college. What I foud is what I needed to exponentially improve academically. My Social skills have always been up to par, I was one of the most popular kids from 8th-11th grade and slacked/did what all popular guys did back then… drugs and alcohol. Senior year I got bored of all that for some reason, quit drugs and alcohol, but I still went out a lot, and learnt how to enjoy myself without the drugs. At first it was definitely weird having people ask me how I changed but I’m definitely happy for it. I think my parents were always simply “satisfied” with me, never proud and never too unhappy with me… Afterall, I did end up in a midrange college (honestly I think I got a bit lucky to enter since my HS GPA was horrible… but maybe the colleges saw the potential in me? I dunno…)</p>
<p>So anyways, come college… The courseload freshman year (I only took 13 credits) was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I think one of the reasons for this is because I’m in an environment where I am expected to excell and and actually work. Whereas in highschool I would not read a single book assigned, never do any drafts, copy all the short homeworks off my friends (and often not get good grades on those short homeworks) and finish every paper in less than an hour (yeah even the 3000 word ones), in college I actually began to use my time more wisely because I saw that people around me were doing the same. Also, no offense to my parents, but I feel like my parents did not know how to raise me and I kind of had to do everything by myself, also I was spoilt… I feel like they let me be independent far too early. This early independence I got (allowing me to party at 13 years old and drink with friends) may have been horrific for my motivation in highschool, but it has forced me to make my own goals and pursue what I desire, so in many ways I feel like I was better prepared for college life than many of my peers.</p>
<p>Socially I was already prepared for college, at the start of college I decided to get wasted for the first two weekends but didn’t enjoy it, the fact that I am now living in an academic instituion (regardless of prestige) has made me focus much more on academics. So while I still have made many friends and pretty much know exactly what I want to do and usually get it done quickly I was surprised at many of my friends in this school who could not handle the freedom they got and have already left the school in their first semester.</p>
<p>Onto the whole alcohol and drugs thing mentionned in this thread earlier… I think it’s horrible advising prospective students or depressed students to go and drinks or do drugs. DRUGS ARE DEPRESSANTS, they are likely not to help very much. At the same time, a lot of people are able to have fun with drugs whilst not messing their lives up, so find what type of person you are. Personally I quit drugs because I have picked up new hobbies such as bodybuilding. Also anybody who claims drugs helps you socialize probably doesn’t know of any other way to socialize, there are plenty of examples of totally laid back dudes who don’t smoke or drink e.g. ME!</p>
<p>But yeah, overall my first semester of college has surpassed my expectations since I have finally started to find a passion for learning, and now I plan on transferring to a higher institution junior year when my highscool records will not count as much/at all.</p>
<p>PS. The fact that I am still spoilt and can do a decent ammount of spending (still not enough money to buy a car yet though ugh…) helps make life nicer lol</p>
<p>Alcohol is a depressant, but other drugs aren’t. PCP is a stimulant, same with meth, cocaine, heroin. Marijuana makes you hungry and slow and laugh at ****. Nicotine relaxes you.</p>
<p>You guys liked highschool? Im a junior and high school is O.K. Parties are ONLY and I say ONLY drugs and drinking. everyone in my school, besides me and a few friends, are into drugs and drinking. i’ve been hoping college is more that. Because highschool isnt anything special. Especially due to the lack of freedom. College I will have the freedom to stay out till 12pm, unlike in high school. So me, personally is looking foward to university, with freedom of course choice, and life. :D</p>
<p>I had some really great friends in high school which is why I miss it so.</p>
<p>You are the person people don’t want to be their roommate just lighten up and have fun these are the best 4 years of your life, what are you going to do tell on them, your 18 act like it, who cares if their smoking and drinking YOU don’t have to if you don’t want to.</p>
<p>I think going to college and seeing all the alcohol/drug abuse has made me a bit disillusioned about society. I mean people think it’s cool to show up to class drunk or with a hangover. I drink but never more than 2-3 drinks a night and it’s always on the weekend. The fact that you have kids drinking everclear and hooking up, it’s just not my idea of “fun”. </p>
<p>Other than that, college has been a blast so far, I think I could definitely make some improvements on my study habits. I’ve found a few activities to get really involved in on campus (I went to 40 athletic events this semester, involved in planning activities for my residence hall, intramurals etc…)</p>
<p>I see alot of people here posting about the disillusion of the level of intelligence at schools. Intelligent people learn to have fun too. People at harvard get wasted too. Drinking and doing drugs is not a completely bad thing depending on what you’re using and the amount. Of course going to class hungover is stupid and foolish. But if you’re going to college expecting that drinking/partying/sex etc won’t happen, then you’re only fooling yourself. Even at top schools you can find these things happening all the time. But besides that, make new friends. College is where you explore new limits. Joining clubs is a big one that most of my cousins/friends have told me. Enjoy your 4 years…you won’t get another chance to.</p>
<p>Hey, I am a first year. Just finished my first quarter, and I got to tell you, college is something.</p>
<p>High school, for me, was miserable, so college has been a been an improvement. Grade-wise, I am excelling, and I really enjoyed my classes. College professors have taken noticed of me, and one even doted on my work. I took sixteen credit hours, and now have a 3.9. Hopefully, I will continue that track with 20 credit hours. My schedule next quarter is beautiful.</p>
<p>As for the “social scene”, well, I’ve tried, but then I haven’t tried as much as I could have. There have been some improvements though. For one, I’m in my first relationship (which is HUGE!). I am now trying to join the school’s newspaper, perhaps as a freelance writer. I’ve made plenty of acquaintances, but not any close friends. But I am optimistic, and I’m seeing the cup as half-filled, NOT half-empty, and I’m proud I how far I’ve come (though it isn’t very far). I currently hold a part time job. I enjoy my work for the most part, and I’ve met some cool (though older) people. </p>
<p>My main goal is to make ONE CLOSE female friend. I was very close, but then I found out that she was just a party-animal and she would always blow me off constantly (her lost, not mine). I’m not into the drinking/partying scene, so I guess it was for the best.</p>
<p>College is what you make of it. I’m not here to get wasted every weekend. I’m here to learn, explore my options/horizons (and not illegally), meet new friends, get that degree, and to study abroad (and get some internships!). But for some, it is about the social/party scene, not about the education and the life-long experiences. But that’s fine. Hopefully it is their own money that they are blowing off, not their parents’.</p>
<p>But that’s jmho.</p>
<p>P.S. And did I mention that I have my OWN dorm room?</p>
<p>To: “Harris …”
I imagine this is lame and late, but I’m a fellow Emory student that disagrees. I’ve made lots of friends (and thus pretty damned satisfied with my social life) without becoming part of the whole drinking scene here. I tried some alcohol last year(freshman) and it (the taste most importantly) sucked. I don’t see how people go far enough to get drunk off the crap. I initially had no plans to try it because of the prevalence of alcoholism in my family. It’s really sad, I don’t even want be caught dead doing some of the crap they do, even at my “age of exploration”. But I decided to check out the hype and I wasn’t impressed; I realized that I was not willing to drink enough to get drunk, or ever do it to forge a better social atmosphere(I weigh quite a bit , so merely getting tipsy is bound to poison my body in ways I’d rather not).
I will probably never smoke weed or cigarettes because I’ve already been a bit overexposed to various types of second-hand smoke from family members. Even a little exposure now-a-days causes me to wheeze, which is why I am annoyed by my suitemates at Woodruff which constantly smoke and stink up the bathroom with bong water and cigarette smoke. </p>
<p>Overall, my economic background (you can guess what it is), city and neighborhood have exposed me to how much “simple”, less dangerous drugs such as weed(not just smoking it, but the whole “process”) can seriously damage a community (mainly caused by virtue of the mere fact that it is indeed illegal). I live where people aren’t merely doing drugs for recreation. So I suppose that is a secondary (and perhaps lesser) reason that I choose not to partake in such activities for mere recreation. Simply trying it in my neighborhood may have led to a “slippery slope” that would have certainly prevented me from being able to perform well enough to attend Emory. Most of the other people my age in my neighborhood got so involved in the “process” that they weren’t even able to attend college. I’d have to feel crappy to seriously want to do it gain. </p>
<p>Due to this, I suppose I am a “loser nerd”. Just know that a person’s decision to “bash”, if you will, such habits may be based more on more than not having tried it. As my story indicates, I have trouble understanding why people (which are pre-dominantly wealthy at Emory) just do it for fun and a “richer” social atmosphere, when most of the people I know only do “recreational drugs” to escape from a hard-life.
Admittedly, I do like observing college students who are drunk and high. I thank all of you for purposely poisoning your bodies to contribute to my enjoyment. I suppose I find self-induced ignorance disagreeable and laughable at the same time. With that said, I wouldn’t condone preventing you guys from doing drugs as long as it does not interfere with the positive aspects of my life and others I guess.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I don’t think people are complaining about the lack of intelligent atmosphere due to the partying and drinking. I think it has to do with the pre-professional atmosphere that even the most liberal artsy colleges engender.</p>
<p>College students are usually quite busy with classes that force them to learn material they will never use in life. Let’s face it: most classes are just hoops that we have to jump through. They don’t provide us with intellectual nourishment or practical skills. They provide us with a lot of homework, that’s what.</p>
<p>Most college kids won’t sit around and discuss the meaning of life. If they do, they’re most likely pretentious hipsters and you’d best extricate yourself from that unfortunate social situation (j/k! sort of…). Being around college kids is kind of like being surrounded by every straight A, high school newspaper editor, SAT whiz in the country. If you didn’t particularly like having just a few of those kids in high school, imagine being on a campus that’s full of them.</p>
<p>It’s like you go to college expecting to escape from high school grade grubbers, only to realize that college is where all of them end up.</p>
<p>Nah dude I’m just trollin’. </p>
<p>But you straight stupid if you think partying isn’t fun. </p>
<p>Also, we have very similar backgrounds then actually. Poor, alcoholic families, neighborhoods with extreme drug use. </p>
<p>I don’t do drugs. I do drink socially. I’ve never once drank when I wasn’t either at a party or hanging out with lots of friends. I don’t see the problem in it, because I trust myself enough to know I won’t do anything stupid. I tested myself, and went a month without touching alcohol, and I didn’t really miss it at all. That way I know I’m not addicted, and I’ve went to parties and had a beer or less and that is all and had fun. </p>
<p>The only reason I wrote that was…okay there was more than one reason. One, the people in here that are obviously the kids at high school who study all the time and just nerd out hardcore studying for the SATs instead of hanging out with friends. Then they get on here and bash something they will never do for fear of actually having fun. I think that is hilarious so I ■■■■■■■ them. It worked out pretty well. </p>
<p>Then it was just the annoyance from reading the rest of CC. Kids complaining about every little thing, worrying about getting an A instead of an A+, worrying about whether or not the teacher looks down on them for not finishing a test first. Get out and live life a little damn bit :P</p>
<p>Also, I agree that beer is disgusting. I can hardly drink it. However, vodka and OJ is great. Next time you go to a party if you do, get Vodka and OJ, or get a White Russian or something like that. Good tasting alcoholic beverages.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yup. You’re a ■■■■■.</p>
<p>Partying is fun, I agree. But I’m different and don’t find it nearly synonymous to drinking as it seems a lot do in college. That is one difference I find between parties “I” went to in highschool and ones here. I mean, it’s kinda bad if the party or event “needs” (seems they often do) alcohol to be fun. That kinda tells a lot about those people when the attendants when they are sober. And I have yet to even try beer. Vodka taste nasty to me too (even wine failed me), even when I mixed it with stuff that supposedly helps. I normally go to parties where people enjoy the music and dancing more than drinking. To me, it’s just as fun.</p>
<p>Partying does= fun. But, even when I was in highschool, I did not attend those that are almost synonymous to drinking. The people I was with were always interesting enough when sober. Same goes for my choice of parties when I am in college. I normally attend those in which people go to enjoy music and dancing than drinking, which is why I really don’t attend on-campus parties which reach points where there is almost no balance between that element and the drinking. </p>
<p>Anyway, I will agree on the whole, some students are too concern about perfect grades (I’ve heard the “an A- or B+ is unacceptable” sentiment in tough science classes a bit too many times) and student-teacher perception. I know students (who are actually friends) who believe that some professors are legit out to get them even though they’ve never even really interacted with them. These are the people who need to get out. I need not be a party either.
I clearly don’t party that much (barely at all this past semester), but I decide to do random things that give me more satisfaction. I like to explore Atlanta, so I (sometimes with friends) just randomly take the bus to the train station, get on, and explore areas of the metro that are of interest to me. I often like to get out of the Emory bubble. There is so much more to see, and more interesting people to meet as I far as I’m concerned. I’m amazed at how many people have already declared that they hate the south and Atlanta when the only places they’ve been are either on campus or in some club. If I can have fun here and have almost minimal discretionary spending. Surely students at Emory and other institutions located in decent cities can make their experience less miserable.</p>
<p>And by the way, it was a mixed Vodka drink (that supposedly tasted good to others) that I tried. It was still lame. I have yet to try beer. Don’t plan on doing so. I’ve actually been taste testing many alcoholic beverages (mixed in many cases), and am still disappointed. So I think it may just not be for me. I’ll stick to my current way of life lol. I’ll never have the need to even get tipsy because I’m already quite animated as I am.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I respect your decision. I can’t metabolize alcohol so I’ll turn red–even if its just a small amount. And I don’t wanna live a shorter life since I can’t digest the alcohol. But oh well, I’ve tried Patron (just one shot, and my first time w/ hard alcohol) and that’s supposedly the “best” stuff in terms of hard liquor. It was definitley better then some of the stuff I’ve sipped, but still hard to go down. Beer is really nasty and way too fizzy for my tastes, so I don’t like it, esp those nasty burps you get. Have you tried Wine Coolers? They taste pretty good IMO. Yeah, as you can tell, I’m not much into drinking/raging. I’ve also never been drunk either. I just don’t find getting drunk on alcohol to be very “fun”. I know many people that decide not to drink, and I respect their decision, esp. since its so easy to get drinks in college. I also know many people that love to get drunk! And Bernie–people drink to get drunk/buzzed sensation, they don’t drink b/c it tastes ‘good’–unless your a wine lover!!</p>
<p>Yeah, my uncle “secretly” gave me a wine cooler on Wednesday because I inquired about its taste. Many people say they taste like Kool-aid . It tasted like ginger ale and there was absolutely no buzz after quickly drinking the whole bottle. I might as well just drink ginger ale lol.</p>
<p>Oh, and to get a sensation, I can probably just walk into the bathroom shared between me, my roommate, and two suitemates. I can get a little high by just walking in there on any given day lol.</p>
<p>^ LOLOLOL </p>
<p>There were at least 2 kids in my dorm last year, who literllly looked like they were constantly stoned/high. Their eyes were all out of focus and they seemed to never pay attention to what any one else was saying! They also smelled really bad.</p>