<p>I choose not to drink (just a personal decision not because of religion, etc.) and I'm a social person but I'm afraid I'm not going to fit in at college. I'm looking at big public universities in the south (like Clemson, USC, UGA, UNC, etc.) but am now starting to doubt my choice of path. I really want a school with at least 5,000 undergrads and with a good football team but am afraid I'll be the only non-drinker at these schools. I'm a good student (mostly A's and honors) but do not want to go to a college where everyone is just studying. What type of school should I look at to fit in more socially or will I find people who are like me at these big public schools? Thanks!</p>
<p>From your critera.......DON'T GO TO A STATE SCHOOL!!! You WILL very much be in the minority. I go to Michigan State and while it is pretty nice here, a lot of times I feel that I'm the only person that doesn't drink.</p>
<p>Being a non-drinker hasn't alienated me and I have a lot of friends, but it can alienate you if you don't strive hard against it. I attend a huge state school and A LOT of people here are pretty much content on just drinking every weekend and thats all the "fun" their weekend consists of.</p>
<p>I'm telling you now, that can get VERY frustrating. Especially if you're like me were its part religious but mostly a personal choice, so you're not going to run into the arms of some religious group (which can be very nosy and clingy). At least in those groups you'll find a lot of non-drinkers.</p>
<p>Mind you I have made some good friends that don't drink here, and you will too. But they are few and far in between. I suggest you DO go to a school where all people do is study because even though drinking is prevalent in almost every college, those student bodies will have a lesser percentage of drinkers just by a little so you may it may be easier to find people more like you.</p>
<p>I go to Wake Forest, which admittedly only has about 4,000 undergrads and isn't a public school (good football team, though!), but I'm not the only person here who doesn't drink. I feel slightly in the minority, but never to the degree that it's bothered me at all. I'm also not a partier and so I don't know how non-drinkers fit in at parties, but in all other social situations it's not a big deal that I don't drink. It took some of my friends a little while to realize that I don't mind if they drink around me, but after we got over that hurdle everything was fine. I think most people don't understand my decision, and I've had a couple of friends who I have always felt were just waiting for me to change my mind and eventually start drinking (socially at least), but, again, after a while, even if people don't understand, they're cool with it.</p>
<p>I'm going to UT Austin next year and I don't drink. In fact, I know a couple of people going there who will not drink, so, you may feel like a minority but you are def. not alone.</p>
<p>I go to the University of Florida. I think it's ranked the 4th biggest party school in the nation (I still don't understand how we managed to beat FSU in that category though. lol). Although most students here drink, there are hundreds and hundreds who don't (myself included) because it's such a large school. and even though I don't drink, I still party, go clubbing, have friends, and definitely don't feel alienated in any way. If you go to a big public school, you will definitely be pressured by people to drink every once in a while...but usually they're just sketchy drunk guys at parties who want to get you drunk...And do you really care what they think of you? Chances are that they won't even remember you (because they've had too much to drink). Ignore them and always stay with your friends. Yes, you will have friends even if you don't drink. lol. Most large public universities have so many students that you are bound to find others with similar drinking/partying/studying habits. But remember, it's also nice to have friends who are different than you, too. It certainly makes life more interesting! :)</p>
<p>I disagree about "not going to a state school." State schools are huge and have extremely diverse populations.</p>
<p>I go to Ohio State, which has a big party scene. However, I don't drink and neither do most of my friends. A few of them do on the weekends and I don't feel at all left out; the rest of us find plenty to do. You definitely won't be the only non-drinker!</p>
<p>A bigger problem would be having no school spirit ;)</p>
<p>Just a few points:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Although some large state schools have a 'reputation' for a lot of drinking, don't for a second think that small private schools don't drink... from my experience they drink just as much (unless it's a small religious based school). To be honest, I'd actually say the opposite of some people on this forum and say you'd likely have less of a problem at a large state school than a small private school. At a small school, you'll have less options for friends and activities... at a large school there are plenty of different social groups to choose from. </p></li>
<li><p>Regardless of where you go there will be a 'drinking scene.' However, you won't be the only person who doesn't drink and shouldn't have a problem finding friends to hang out with and activities to do that don't involve drinking.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>P.S. These 'party school' rankings are total nonsense... how can you possibly quantify such a thing?</p>
<p>"P.S. These 'party school' rankings are total nonsense... how can you possibly quantify such a thing?"</p>
<p>Completely agree. Every major college knows how to party. Big schools have so many different types of people that it wont' be hard to find a non-drinking group.</p>
<p>I go to a big public (~16000 undergrads) and I don't drink.</p>
<p>Being honest, your options will be limited relative to the majority of people... but it's certainly possible to find friends and things to do without drinking.</p>
<p>It'll be hard to fit in but eventually you'll find it easier. You'll find people who have the same values and if not, someone who respect your values.</p>
<p>Actually, your best bet might be to go to a school with a good city or town nearby. I think if you're in the middle of nowhere, a lot of people feel they don't have anything stimulating to do but drink.</p>
<p>I would like to repeat the statements of others about privates and publics with respect to drinking.</p>
<p>From my experience here at Boston College and at other area universities, I've seen that privates know how to party with the best of them. Even though state schools might have more people who drink, there would also be more who choose not to.</p>
<p>There will be people who don't drink wherever you go. The trick is finding them. Instead of going to parties every night your first couple of weeks, try attending meetings of clubs that interest you. The campus newspaper will probably have information about some of those; ones that are connected to specific academic disciplines may be posted on bulletin boards near the departmental offices for those disciplines. If you stay in a dorm there will probably be official opportunities for socialization there, and if the RAs are involved there's not likely to be drinking at those events. There will be other people there who are interested in things besides parties.</p>
<p>Later on, if you want to go to parties, you could try taking a can or two of ginger ale to put in a cup, so that it's not blatantly obvious that you're not drinking -- and you can see whether the atmosphere is one that's fun for sober people as well.</p>
<p>I know it's easy to think that everybody drinks, but I think the truth is more that when there's drinking there's <em>obviously</em> drinking, and when there isn't, the focus isn't on sobriety but rather on whatever <em>is</em> happening.</p>
<p>For my first stab at college I went somewhere big because I figured there'd be a lot of diversity, and that worked out very well for me.</p>
<p>I don't think you'd have a huge problem finding a lot of other people that don't drink. One of my good friends went to a large state school, and decided to live in one of the special interest housing areas (Engineering). I don't remember him talking about binge drinking or any ridiculous parties, he said they generally just hung out or played Battlefield 1942 every night across the LAN with each other (ok, so it was a few years ago, but I'm sure it's still true).</p>
<p>I go do a decent sized public with a good football team and a drinking problem. That said...there's still a bunch of people who don't drink. Even in my fraternity, people don't really care all that much...they all hang out at parties and such. All that matters is that you know how to have a good time.</p>
<p>This shouldn't affect your college choice in the least. You're going to end up interacting with students who drink no matter where you go--unless it's a BYU/Baylor/Bob Jones type of situations where all students are forbidden to drink. Consider it as training for learning to socialize and interact with people who drink in your later professional life.</p>
<p>One of the great things about college is learning to adapt and deal with others. Do you think your drinking preferences are going to stop your boss from ordering a martini during a lunch meeting? Will the company Christmas party go alcohol free to make you feel more comfortable? No. Learning to deal with living and working in a world where most adults choose to consume alcohol will only make you more comfortable and secure in dealing with it later in life.</p>
<p>I'll never forget my first year on the job out of college when a senior partner took several of us out to dinner. He asked for the wine list, and our Baylor educated colleague had the nerve to request that there be no alcohol at the table. Boss gave him a look that could kill and said, "nobody's forcing you to drink but if our enjoying a glass of wine with dinner bothers you so much you're free to leave." Moral of the story: you can't spend your entire life in a bubble and the sooner one learns to deal with people who have different values and outlooks the better.</p>
<p>or we can just solve this whole problem by giving you a beer.</p>
<p>I don't drink at school. My weekend break from school work consists of World of Warcraft, a case of diet soda, and some pretzels. Yes i'm a huge geek, but whatever. To each his own!</p>
<p>Just find others who don't drink alot or party, trust me we are out there!</p>
<p>I should note i'm 24, so i guess i'm well past my "drinking cause my parents don't know about it and i'm not 21 yet stage". If you still want to go to partys just don't drink. It's not like your 15 or 16, people shouldn't pressure you if they are your friends. I just avoid it like i said, i much rather play Call of Duty 4 on friday night :)</p>
<p>This might be the end of the World.... of Warcraft....</p>
<p>i have a related question. is it possible to go to drunk parties and just hang out around people who are drinking without drinking anything yourself? could you be like a designated driver or something? or would it take more willpower than i'm imagining?</p>
<p>also, what if you don't drink but you like being around drunk people? :D</p>