<p>No smoking is allowed inside <em>any</em> of the coops.</p>
<p>iAries, I liked your answer, particularly your assessment of the curtailing freedoms. Good insight. </p>
<p>I also don’t understand in this day and age why kids smoke, either, though…</p>
<p>My co-op has a few smokers, but they are definitely in the minority, and there’s been no controversy about it: there was a unanimous decision that smoking needed to be outside and not obnoxious. (As dave72 said, there’s never smoking allowed indoors.) There’s an understanding that certain areas outside are smoking zones, although they’re not formally designated; the weather gets cold and wet, and we don’t want people to be miserable by forcing them far away from the house. But there’s enough space for everyone to enjoy being outside without necessarily inhaling smoke, and people do move if you ask them respectfully.</p>
<p>Point being, it varies based on the individual co-op, and the group currently living there. The fact that one co-op in a given semester has a high percentage of smokers is a shaky reason to avoid all co-ops entirely. (And I’m wondering if the 60% figure represents the whole house, or just the people who were at that particular house meeting.) There has also been talk of creating a substance-free housing co-op, pending sufficient interest and available space.</p>
<p>As for smoking in general… I share the bewilderment of pretty much everyone in this thread. I don’t understand it, especially from people my age who grew up knowing how risky it is. That said, people make their own choices, and once you get addicted it’s not easy to deal with; all you can really do is look after your own health and be supportive of people who are trying to quit.</p>
<p>It doesn’t seem to me that smoking is more prevalent at Oberlin than at the other colleges I’ve prospied at / visited friends at. I’ve never been bothered by secondhand smoke or the lingering smell, and I’m fairly sensitive to it. I know of a few people who’ve quit since coming here, and many others who only smoke occasionally. It seems that smoking heavily is the exception rather than the rule.</p>
<p>“There has also been talk of creating a substance-free housing co-op, pending sufficient interest and available space.” This would be wonderful for those seeking a healthy alternative to what now exists. Has there been a discussion about turning one of the coops into a substance free situation? Many other colleges have done this with great success. Even though there is the 30 foot rule, students ignore it and chose the porch to smoke. So now non-smokers cannot enjoy the porch during meal times or when they want to relax outside. And the smoke travels above to bedrooms so it is difficult to open a window.</p>
<p>Pot is everywhere at Oberlin but you can always move to Barnard, the substance-free dorm on campus. Lots of intellectual druggies there, but there’s never any pressure to join in. Also pot at Oberlin is usually very expensive. Supply and demand…</p>
<p>Regarding the term “intellectual druggie,” I assume this does not refer to someone who is “high on knowledge” but to a certain type of drug user? Why would such students live in a substance-free dorm? </p>
<p>And about the “30 feet from the entrance to a building” rule, does that apply to anything students are smoking, or just tobacco? </p>
<p>I realize those must seem like outrageous questions, but I only posed them because reading everything on this thread and even having such questions come to mind has altered my impression of Oberlin. </p>
<p>I think the original question posed by CBParent was reasonable, but the responses have been so varied/contradictory and have included such a mix of perspectives from parents, students and school administration that it is difficult for the parent of a high school student to make sense of all of it. And since I see that a lot of people have read this thread, I probably am not alone in feeling confused.</p>
<p>@rigaudon </p>
<p>The answers are confusing because the topic is confusing (and vast). I find the national debate about smoking and weed to be similarly contradictory. Weed is illegal (unless it’s medicinal). Cigarettes are legal (unless you’re in New York City). There’s a lot of moralizing and health-mongering that goes on in both areas, and topics are pretty grey. </p>
<p>Facts?
- Some Oberlin students smoke weed. Not everyone, not “everyone except for lesbians,” and not no one. I don’t have statistics on who, or how much people smoke, but from a student perspective… many people have tried weed. <em>Few</em> smoke it regularly.
Given weed is illegal, the 30 ft rule is both valid and invalid. You don’t want to smoke up in your room because of fire concerns and annoying your hallmates, but you don’t want to smoke outside because it’s illegal. People approach the issue in different ways. </p>
<ul>
<li>Some Oberlin students smoke cigarettes. Yeah. It’s legal. It’s annoying, smelly and cancerous, so it’s regulated. Co-ops are a gray zone as they make up their own regulations. While the 30 ft rule is campus-wide (it includes co-ops), it’s mixed with other college regulations that are put up for debate. </li>
</ul>
<p>Oberlin is not unique, in terms of drug use. We aren’t all stoners. We don’t all get plastered. (In fact, I think students drink phenomenally less here than at other schools.) But we’re more open towards talking about this stuff. We don’t keep secrets. So the things you hear are <em>anecdotes</em>. Personal opinions. And this is the internet. If you ask 4 people, you get 6 answers.</p>
<p>At Oberlin, we like to talk about it, and we need to, to keep ourselves healthy. At the beginning of the year, there’s a show called “The OC” about rules and regulations at Oberlin. It’s funny, run by students, and it talks honestly about use and abuse on campus. We’re not a dry college, but we’re not a wet one. Part of growing up is learning how to consume responsibly. Talking about it means learning about it. Discourse and conversation lead to learning, not secrets and harsh rules. </p>
<p>Disclosure?
I’ve smoked weed before. I don’t think it’s evil. It makes the Discovery Chanel even more awesome than before. But I can’t remember the last time I smoked up. Maybe in the summer? Possibly in the spring? I don’t know. I’ve never bought weed.</p>
<p>I’ve smoked cigarettes before. Rarely, and only a pack a month. I haven’t since June. I’ve cut back on my stress level, and any urge I’ve had to smoke is gone.</p>
<p>I drink, from time to time. While some of my friends drink more than I, it’s nothing compared to my friends from home. And as a young woman, I’m much more dubious about alcohol than anything else. Weed doesn’t make people violent. Cigarettes don’t create dubiously consensual situations. I’ve never felt threatened at Oberlin. People here are respectful.</p>
<p>This is only my opinion. I am only one person. But I’ve been here for 4 years, and I honestly love this place. While it’s not perfect, it’s one of the best places I’ve ever been. </p>
<p>(PS: I have no idea what an “intellectual druggy” is.)</p>
<p>I think the other thing to remember about Oberlin is that it has about 2800 students. There will be a wide variety of experiences among them. They are going to tend to hang out with like minded folks. </p>
<p>My son is a senior. He has never done marijiana. (I know this because he had a discussion about it with his older brothers who are both occassional users.) He doesn’t smoke cigarettes, he drinks moderately on weekends. He likes Oberlin. He does not feel pressure to engage in activities that he doesn’t want to participate in. He has a very active social life. I think that regardless of your beliefs or practices, you can find a niche at Oberlin. What will cause you problems is if you are intolerant of others who have beliefs or practices that are different from your own.</p>
<p>My apologies, I meant intellectual druggie in terms of the college, not Barnard House. There are quite a few intelligent drug users on campus, I suppose that could apply to most LACs but Oberlin has managed to make ever top ten reefer madness school list I’ve ever seen. But even so it is an excellent school, excellent academics, and a very rigorous workload.</p>
<p>A common thread running through all discussions of drinking and drugs at Oberlin is there is no pressure. People feel comfortable following their own preferences. That is all anyone can ask for.</p>
<p>Yeah, but what they don’t say is that if you don’t drink or do drugs, then you’ll have absolutely nothing to do on fri/sat nights while everyone else is getting wasted. i agree that there’s no pressure, but if you don’t do it…then be prepared to spend your weekends alone.</p>
<p>That hasn’t been my experience - though I’m sorry if it’s been yours, because that sucks. My weekends are usually some combination of going to a folk show at the Cat, watching hilariously bad sci-fi movies, making cupcakes, playing board games, going to open viewing at the observatory, contra-dancing, or just talking and cuddling with friends … if anything, I have trouble deciding between all the different things to do. As with anything else, it’s just a matter of finding the right group of people - there are plenty of folks here who don’t drink or get high.</p>
<p>(also, here’s an [awesome</a> blog post](<a href=“http://blogs.oberlin.edu/community/life_culture/we_are_gryffind.shtml]awesome”>http://blogs.oberlin.edu/community/life_culture/we_are_gryffind.shtml) about what it’s like to live in substance-free housing here, and also how adorably geeky our campus is :))</p>
<p>^^^ I agree with quaere. There are plenty of people who don’t do those things whom you can hang out with.</p>
<p>Augh it’s so annoying. I wish i could find people like you, but i seem to be surrounded by a different kind of student…i’m not sure if it’s freshman housing or that i’ve made the wrong friends, but weekends are sucky and stressful and revolve around being dragged to a party or trying to avoid them. i’ve met 2 other people who aren’t interested in the party scene. i feel like i’m missing a huge part of oberlin culture…hopefully i will find it before the end of this year, and it can change my mind about transferring</p>
<p>Maidez - I am going to offer a little advice. Just because you can’t find someone to do something with, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Go to a concert, take an interesting ExCo, hang out at the Cat. Go to things that interest you and you may find that you end up meeting others who like the same things. It is hard to go to something by yourself, but you don’t have much to lose. Just hanging out in your dorm on the weekends doesn’t seem to be working for you so try something different.</p>
<p>My God. Think of all the clubs on campus! Join a couple of clubs. There are dozens of them, hundreds! Join young Democrats or anything. That’s how you meet other people and find folks to do things with on the weekends. </p>
<p>I can’t believe a student would hole up in their dorm room on weekends when they have so many choices of clubs and organized activities to get involved. My D is in freshman housing, doesn’t drink alcohol or smoke pot, and finds things to do every weekend, and none of her activities involve parties.</p>
<p>Weekend parties with drinking, etc. are pandemic in colleges, but Oberlin would seem to have more fun, creative, educational non-party options than many other similar sized colleges. take a look through the student blogs - one recent one describes playing European board games on a weekend night; there are groups that do contra dancing, salsa dance; there are classical music concerts, folk and jazz shows, improv shows at the Sco…there are countless Excos - in everything from knitting to gamelan to circus - lots of these activities are sure to provide opportunities for meeting friends in a non-party setting. A coop, especially a smaller one, might be a good place to find friends through cooking and eating together. The last thing to do is lament your loneliness in your room.</p>
<p>Contra dancing is awesome. I’ve been to every one so far this year. They’re wonderful.</p>
<p>There are also theater performances almost every weekend, and sports games. There are really tons of things to do that do not involve alcohol or drugs.</p>
<p>My son has taken up swing dancing at Oberlin and has had a blast.</p>