<p>So I've been wondering a lot about drinking and college. I'd be fine to be at a party where people were drinking but how heavy/often do people drink? (Thus question is especially about Harvard, Yale, northwestern, Stanford, MIT, duke, etc.)</p>
<p>Depending on the person, anywhere from 0-7 nights/week and probably anywhere from 0-20 drinks in a night, my guess being the vast majority in the 1-3 nights/week range and the 1-5 drinks/night.</p>
<p>Some people don’t drink at all in college, and some people drink practically every night. You can go to parties as often as you want. There’s really no magical number that you can put on it. Less partying usually leads to better grades, but you’ve gotta unwind sometimes too.</p>
<p>I think at most college parties quite a few people drink or at least pregame before going out. That being said, there’s very little extrenal pressure to drink if you don’t want to. It also depends on the social situation. At a huge frat party right before a major holiday, there may be much heavier drinking than at a small house party during the middle of the semester.</p>
<p>Thanks for your insight! I realize that it is definitely a choice thing but can anyone from these schools shed light in the subject please? I value other opinions as well</p>
<p>You should post on the schools’ boards. You’re likely to get the most helpful responses there. I also wouldn’t choose a college based on the party scene if you’re deciding between schools like those. Frankly, a lot if students who swear up and down that they won’t drink in college eventually do so. Of my high school classmates who didn’t have health (as in can’t digest alcohol or have alcoholic parents) or religious objections to drinking, two still don’t drink. The rest imbibe occasionally.</p>
<p>Thank you, I do not plan on choosing my school by the party scene I’m just curios. Also, I know that I will drink in college but I will control myself and I want to mKe sure that is easy to do and I won’t be pressured at every party I attend to do a keg stand</p>
<p>Not even at the University of Iowa (ranked number one party school) will you be forced into doing a keg stand. Sure, some schools party more than others and in different ways, but yeah the scene is always there.
Drinking is a part of American culture, and that just floods over into college life. With that said, you can find a different crowd (which will be smaller or larger depending on if it’s a party school) or you can hang out with everyone and just abstain. Though it may feel like you’re missing out at times. But these are just the choices/decisions you have make/live with. Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t mention being pressured in high school (there would be more of “peer pressure” whereas in college people are doing it and not caring much about whether you are).</p>
<p>I was no where near being pressured in high school, that’s why I’m a bit reluctant. I am saying this again because it seems everyone is missing this I WILL DRINK. I am in no way saying I want to stay sober all throughout college I will drink, I will just do so responsibly.</p>
<p>At basically any school in the country, you can find a party scene to fit your preferences. If you want the crazy frat-boy, keg standing, random sloppy hookups, excessive drunkenness type of party…then you can find it. If you want a milder, more intellectual and higher class type of party scene, you can find that too. College is a diverse atmosphere, and virtually anyone can find people with the same desires and preferences.</p>
<p>And you can even do one scene one night and another scene the next!</p>
<p>Well then that’s even easier to find. Sensible kids at top schools and anywhere are usually pretty well aware of their bodies’ limits. Doesn’t mean there aren’t people that really push these limits, but with awareness usually comes a crowd of people that drink pretty responsibly.</p>
<p>Ivys and other top schools party just as much as other schools their size. There may not be a party scene like the at big state schools, but there is still a lot of drinking on. I think there seems to be a misconception that people a top schools study all the time. This is not the case. There is a lot of money and a lot of drugs and alcohol around. In addition to this, a lot of students are very stressed out and take things to the extreme (as in study constantly during the week and then go straight to getting trashed on the weekends).</p>
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<p>Whether or not you can stand up for yourself and your personal choices and the guidelines you set for yourself about what behaviors you feel are responsible and appropriate…well that’s all on you. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking at Harvard, Yale, MIT or air condition repair school.</p>
<p>I went to one of these schools and my sister went to another, and I have and have had close friends at a few others. At any of them, you can always find a party scene if you’re looking for it. </p>
<p>It’s pretty rare at any of these schools to find someone who parties or goes out every night of the week, but in my experience, freshmen (who are oh so excited about college) go out 2-3 nights a week while pretty much everyone goes out 1-2 nights a week. Seniors might go out less if they are the old and bored type, or might get back to the freshmen levels of partying if they are the sort who are excited about being over 21 and have light spring schedules.</p>
<p>I pretty much don’t drink (now that I’m 21, I’ll have ~1 beverage every 1-2 months, if that. I just don’t like it) but am part of a group that is known for partying. I’ve never experienced undue pressure when I was younger and didn’t drink at all, and now that I do occasionally drink, my friends never push me to drink more than I would want to. The few others in this group who don’t drink or who only drink a little are similarly respected. From that I would say that even when you’re surrounded by the drinking scene, it can be avoided, whether your reasons are that you’ve had enough for tonight or that you generally don’t partake.</p>
<p>I go to Yale and I would say most people do drink, usually 1-3 nights a week. Definitely a work hard play hard kind of mentality. Of course no one will force you to drink or care at all if you don’t drink. But, most people do, simply because most people like it.</p>
<p>Thank you all so much, this is exactly what I wanted to hear.</p>