<p>what are the parties like here, fraternity based?? can you live in townhouses in cornell?</p>
<p>are there alot of alcohol regulations, can you keep stuff in your dorm / are RA's strict about drinking</p>
<p>also interested, especially second part</p>
<p>The parties are mostly fraternity based. Sometimes there are house parties in collegetown, and people will have small party-like gettogethers in the townhouse dorms on occasion. by townhouses do you mean the townhouse dorms or actual townhouses? <a href="http://housing.cornell.edu/housing_residential/townhouse.asp%5B/url%5D">http://housing.cornell.edu/housing_residential/townhouse.asp</a></p>
<p>There are alcohol regulations: you can't have alc in your dorm if you're under 21, and can't drink in presence of minors in the dorm, BUT, a lot of the RAs are cool and say essentially "we drink, we're not out to bust you, don't make us bust you, as long as you're not obvious and stupid we won't do anything. This means students who want to drink in their rooms can pregame there before going to parties or have a beer or w/e. If you scream "pour another round of shots bro!" when the RA is walking by though, they're going to knock on your door and write you up. If someone is drunk in the dorm, they don't really care as long as they are in control, if they are bothersome or making messes or ripping posters off the wall as one of my neighbors did, then you get written up. Our RA said about vomiting: "do it in a bag or the toilet. Preferrably not the sink, as the two are about 6' from each other. If you make a mess on the floor clean it up. Also there is medical amnesty. I have a friend who drank too much one night and was passing out/unable to vomit/had trouble breathing. She got taken to the hospital with the RAs knowledge and all parties involved, including the girl, were absolved from any punishment. Like i said, RAs are there to keep you safe, help you out, and keep everyone friendly; they're not the police. If you get written up for yelling in the hall at 3AM (which doesn't happen in my dorm, our hall is loud through the late night hours and nobody cares so it's ok; it doesn't bother the residents or the RA so nobody gets written up, even though quiet hours technically start at 11 or something) it's because the RA knows it will bother someone.</p>
<p>Bottom line, RAs are pretty chill and understanding about drinking, and one can get away with it if he is not stupid about it. Your room is not subject to any search so you can keep whatever you want in your closet/fridge except over winter break when they do a safety inspection. But yea, no room raids or suprise visits unless you're doing something that overtly indicates you're breaking a rule like screaming "pour me anotha' shot suzzie!"</p>
<p>NOTE: the don't be stupid and you can get away with it idea applies to pretty much ALL situations with ALL RAs, some are just chiller than others. But even if your RA is anal, if you drink quietly in your room why would he have any reason to come in? EXACTLY, he doesn't...</p>
<p>There might be some repetition from Sparticus' post, but here: </p>
<p>what are the parties like here, fraternity based?? can you live in townhouses in cornell?</p>
<p>Most of the parties involve rap music, cheap beer and fraternities. They consist of sweaty Cornellians bumpin' and grinding. Don't get me wrong, it's a good time. Free beer is nice, as is dancing with drunk Cornellians/dancing on bars and tables/falling off bars and tables, you get the idea. Mixed drinks aren't that hard to come by, I guess it depends on the party. When you do come by them, except at one place I was at, they're pretty weak/useless. If you want to get away from the fraternity scene, you can often find parties in college town. From my experience, the environment at these parties is more laid back, the music isn't conducive to humping, and there aren't too many people there. I generally go to frat parties, but sometimes, if a friend knows of a party, we'll head down to a house in collegetown just for a change. </p>
<p>are there alot of alcohol regulations, can you keep stuff in your dorm / are RA's strict about drinking</p>
<p>Well, the drinking age is 21, which is obviously not enforced, since I've been drunk every weekend since god-knows-when. My RA's are pretty chill. I once fought a wall like a belligerent moron, but didn't get in trouble (my RA did give me dirty looks and didn't say hi for a week, though, lol). Our RA's told us to keep it in the dorm and not to be stupid about it. We pregame in the dorms all the time, it's never a problem, as long as you don't walk into your RA's rooming swigging a bottle of vodka or vomit in the hall. I have oodles of empty bottles on our collective liquor shelf, and it's never a problem. Sometimes a full one makes it up there, no one knows the difference. I find that I have a lot of privacy and am not remotely worried about getting in trouble for drinking. Some people have a habit of vomiting in the sink, which is disgusting, and obnoxious, since you can obviously make it to toilet number 1 if you can make it to sink number 3. </p>
<p>Overall, the parties are good and the alcohol policy isn't really enforced too strictly. If you want your "college experience" you will get it.</p>
<p>Ok, just a question from a non-drinker... What is the attraction of alcohol and the subsequent drunkenness? Is it just the freedom from the stresses of a week at Cornell (or any school for that matter)? I'm curious.</p>
<p>Before anyone gets offensive, I am not trying to belittle drinking, or using alcohol, but I honestly don't know what the appeal is. I usually end up being the DD, so it's not like I don't hang out with people who drink, I just don't do the drinking.</p>
<p>Not everyone who goes drinking gets drunk. I don't understand the point of drinking so much that you throw up, pass out, get alcohol poisoning, or all of the above but I guess some people do it as a stress reliever and go overbroad. Otherwise, people drink in social settings for much the same reasons that adults drink in social settings.</p>
<p>Norcalguy- I understand the social aspect of "having a drink." However, what I don't understand is when people drink to get drunk like so many people do. I have many friends who do it, but I still don't get it. When I ask them they just say something dumb like, "'cuz it's fun," or, "just try it and you'll understand." I dunno, I think it's one of those things.</p>
<p>Idk, I haven't thrown up in like three years or passed out ever. I didn't start drinking in college(started in 9th grade) and it doesn't serve as a stress reliever, for me; it simply makes for good times. I like being drunk once in a while, but not overly drunk. I suppose alcohol is conducive to meeting people and letting loose. It seems to go hand in hand with the party setting. You wouldn't catch me listening to rap sober. I don't think I'd dance on bars sober, to be perfectly honest. Drinking games are always nice. I don't know, having the occasional altered state of reality is nice, it lightens things up, makes life a little more fun, creates open situations that might normally not occur, gives certain people enormous balls, makes for funny stories. Drinking in moderation in social settings is fun. Most people enjoy the feeling of being moderately drunk. I don't see anything wrong with drinking on the weekends if you're not an alcoholic, you're not driving, and you're not getting blackout drunk. Blackferrari, have you been drunk? I'm not criticizing you, I'm just wondering, because the appeal is hard to explain when put on the spot and I was wondering if you understand where I'm coming from.</p>
<p>black ferrari - i vote that you get drunk this weekend (not joking, btw). the only way to ever know what it is like is to try it. i think not drinking prior to entering college is actually a very large mistake.</p>
<p>Spanks- No I have not been drunk before, nor have I even drank alcohol (except for wine). I also do not see anything wrong with drinking in moderation, as long as you stay in control. I would NEVER criticize you for drinking, as I understand that it is just a part of life. That does not mean that I will go out drinking to find out what you mean, I was just curious as to what the appeal is. And, Spanks, I am glad to hear that you are responsible when you do consume alcohol :) .</p>
<p>Caulfield (Sweet screen name, by the way, I love The Catcher In The Rye!!!)- I don't need to drink this weekend so I can find out what it's like; I know it would be "an experience," but I don't see a need. I don't know why, but I just don't want to drink. The only times I have had alcohol, or can see myself having alcohol in the future, is every now and then with a glass of wine. I will admit that I like wine, but I do not drink it much at all (maybe 10 times in a year, max). Also, I want to make it known that my parents consume alcohol and have actually offered me alcohol (beer, creme de menthe, whiskey, irish creme, etc.--they are Irish and Italian, what can I say), and that these are all my opinions, not my parents'.</p>
<p>To both of you, and to anyone else: I am glad that we can talk about this in a civilized manner, and that we can have a real conversation about it. I just want to restate that I am not criticizing ANY of you, and that any questions I ask are honest questions, and any statements I make are NOT meant to be taken personally.</p>
<p>Oh, I didn't think you were criticizing me, I was just letting you know that I wasn't judging you either for staying sober. I wasn't suggesting you go out and drink either, lol, I was just wondering if you understood why I was having a hard time listing reasons why alcohol is appealing. I'm usually responsible, but we all have our moments (mine generally consist of fighting inanimate objects).</p>
<p>Yeah, I understand :p , sorry for putting you on the spot, but thank you for responding & for being responsible :) .</p>
<p>..............</p>
<p>Inanimate objects, eh? lol</p>
<p>I dont drink and I am a senior in HS now, and I dont think I am making a "big mistake" by not drinking before college. I really dont see the point of it. If you dont remember what you did, how do you know it was fun? In high school, my friends respect my choice to not drink, so I hope it is not that different in college. I dont plan to start drinking just because other people think I should. I really couldnt care less what they, or you, think of me.</p>
<p>ckmets - ya man, i was't judging anyone who doesn't drink before college, or saying i don't like them. i was simply saying that i think it is a poor decision for high school students to not atleast aquaint themselves with a substance that is widely, widely used on college campuses (maybe the use of "very" was a mistake itself). i suppose it doesn't really matter though; I don't want to try to change anyone's stance on this issue. by the way, i remember 95% of my good drunken times.</p>
<p>i used to be pretty 'oh, alcohol is no good!' but i've loosened up quite a bit. It took one bad experience ... i learn from my mistakes. Drinking to a level of puking is not fun in my opinion, in fact it's horrible. Yet, there seems to be the select few that do it every single weekend for 2 or 3 days in a row. I dont see the fun in this. I'd much rather drink to a level of 'highly buzzed' where everything is funnier, i can dance, and rap music doesn't give me a headache. This, is fun! </p>
<p>Cornell students, as a whole, tend to be very in control. At my previous college, you wern't "in" if you wern't unconscious. Everybody always puked in the hallways, it was horrible. None of my friends have really done this, and if they do, it's toilet time. Yes, Cornell students drink, but the vast majority are very responsible for both themselves and others. </p>
<p>As far as drinking goes, It's one of those things that has to be experienced. After that, it's your choice. Luckily at Cornell, there's plenty of things to do otherwise. I havn't been to a party in maybe two weeks, have been doing other stuff!</p>
<p>HoldenMCaulfield makes a good point, if you take what he said as it was intended. Lots of students, especially at Cornell, who have never drank before college don't know their limits, get into dangerous/embarrassing situations and cannot handle alcohol responsibly having been thrown into a world of free drinks and parties without any prior experience. If you don't like drinking, that's entirely respectable, but he's simply saying that if you're considering taking up the hobby in college, you might want to know get acquianted with your limits before you get there. </p>
<p>"Yes, Cornell students drink, but the vast majority are very responsible for both themselves and others." I find that the people I've met here make it a point to look out for their friends, or even people who aren't their friends. A couple of my friends got sick at a fraternity and some brothers drove them back to north campus. In general, we make it a point to always account for everyone before we leave a party.</p>
<p>Well I wasnt really considering taking it up in college either, but if I do I consider myself responsible, and 2 of my friends have had alcohol poisoning so its not like I dont know what can happen.</p>
<p>it takes one mistake to teach you your limits. from then on you know where to stop. This is what most people who choose to drink in college say. Anyone will agree puking is no fun. if you don't drink before college and plan to drink a lot there, that is a mistake, but if you plan to not drink much/ease into it PERHAPS, then you are fine.</p>
<p>i respect blackferarri's decision, the people i don't respect are the ones who go out with us to drink and party, and then don't drink BUT hold a beer in their hand. I don't that's cool. People should be secure enough in their decisions not to have to pretend to nurse a beer for 3 hours. I have no problem hanging out with someone who doesn't drink at parties, but when they pretend to, they look like a real tool.</p>
<p>You guys should already have a good idea of what a typical party is like from the previous posts. However, I'll give you my short synopsis of a cornell party:</p>
<p>You arrive, and the party looks great. Then you realize the females are less attractive than you're used to. So, you have a few drinks, and forget about it. Then you have a great time, and party your ass off. Then you wake up the next morning, and 20% of the time regret what you did.</p>
<p>As someone who barely ever drank alchohol proir to college, I can say that the parties would not be nearly as much fun without it. I usually have a hard time starting to dance and such without a few drinks in my system. I have friends, however that do not drink. Some of them are perfectly capable of having a great time wihout it, and others simply are unable to, and never go to parties on the weekends.</p>
<p>Whether a student chooses to drink or not is up to him or her. However, I personally find that it enhances the night's festivities, within reason. Too many freshman are idiots and drink too much on a regular basis. I usually have no more than a few drinks, which are intended to relax me. Drinking to get drunk, per se, leads to MANY problems, most of which I will not speak of here. Then the aforementioned 20%, which is usually your sober friend telling you "dude, you were just dancing with the ugliest girl" turns into "holy <em>, *</em> did I do last night? So yeah, those are my two cents.</p>
<p>is it a friendly atmosphere even when ppl are drinking at these parties.. or does it get out of control sometimes with people pushing and shoving and such? also, are the non-drinkers welcomed or do the drinkers make them feel out of place and intimidate them?</p>