What’s it like? I know it’s not a party school and I’m fine with that, but I want to be able to have fun. Will it hurt me to not be in a frat as a freshman guy? Is it really a dry campus and what’s the social life on campus? What about GW and Georgetown parties?
My son attended an AU student panel and a current student described it as a “damp campus.” Without details, I’d imagine that smaller get togethers wouldn’t be rampantly shut down.
Separately, a vlogger AU student said in a video that the best parties were in frats though (but she also had high expectations).
The party scene is definitely there. I’d argue that the perception that AU is not a party school is wrong. We’re not a wild party school but there are parties.
The truth, however, is that being a member of a fraternity or friends involved in them is necessary after your first semester. For the first semester, parties are open door policies where all freshman are welcome, it is a time when recruitment happens for the fraternities. Second semester is more restricted due to rush happening during this time, you have to be friends with fraternity members or people with a way in to get in.
There are non-fraternity parties, as well. But those are less often but they are definitely there. As your time goes on, parties will move from frats to other DC schools (where again, you have to know people) or to clubs in downtown.
@TekSan The “damp campus” refers to the policy of administration towards alcohol for those over 21 vs those under. Prior to this year, any student on campus could not have alcohol but it is now damp meaning those over 21 can have alcohol in their rooms but nobody under 21 can. Kickbacks (aka small get togethers) are still shut down if you are under 21 and get caught. They still happen but if you’re loud and get a RA to check the room, you will get referred to student conduct.
Thanks for clearing that up. We thought it was just slang.
Who was the vlogger?