<p>In college I strongly plan on not drinking at all. I've considered the substance-free dorms but I'm not sure if that's what I want. Is it easy to make friends who do not drink on a regular floor? I don't want to feel left out if most people decide to drink and I opt not to. Or, do people recommend the substance-free dorms?</p>
<p>Here’s the main question - do you have a problem being around others who are drinking? If so, I’d strongly suggest going SubFree.</p>
<p>My freshman floor was a party floor, for sure. I can honestly only think of one person (of 60+) on my floor who did not drink by at least second semester (there might have been an exception for someone who couldn’t drink due to medication/health reasons, but I won’t count that).</p>
<p>That one kid was definitely excluded from the floor, but I really think that’s because he chose to exclude himself as he disliked all things alcohol (and seemed to hate those who even drank responsibly). He was also one majorly weird kid, but that’s just my opinion…</p>
<p>Do note - plenty of people in SubFree do drink. But not everyone, and they’re technically not allowed to do it /on that floor/.</p>
<p>Tl;dr - there is definitely a chance that a non subfree floor could feel very alienating to you.</p>
<p>@johnson181
I hope you did not think he was weird because he hate alcohol and did not drink alcohol. That would be shallow. I understand that it is your opinion. Hopefully the minority in washu.</p>
<p>I don’t think that was the insinuation. There’s also a big difference between disliking drinking and being the person who barged into my friends suite and screamed at him because a suitemate was having a rather low key party.</p>
<p>FLtoWashu, that’s not what Johnson was saying.</p>
<p>
Not at all. I have several friends who do not drink. If someone chooses not to, it doesn’t bother me at all.</p>
<p>To be more clear: I didn’t like him (neither did my floor) because he was a bit rude to everyone. Part of that may have been that he was painfully introverted, and really doesn’t grasp general social interaction, but I really don’t know. I’m very much the stereotypical washu student who is overly friendly to everyone, but it’s hard to be so to someone who refuses to even make eye contact with you and then badmouths everyone on the floor.</p>
<p>I don’t think you have to worry about finding like-minded friends who choose not to drink, even in the regular dorms. I have seen this question in a few other forums for other schools, where someone is always wondering if they will be alienated for not drinking in college. The funny thing is, you’re not alone, and there are probably a bunch of other kids planning on attending WashU who are also wondering about the drinking culture.
FWIW, I will most certainly not be drinking in college. It doesn’t mean I despise those who do drink; I just won’t be participating. And while others are drinking, I might be inside watching Harry Potter, or outside playing night frisbee instead (:
Yes, there are other people out there who live in regular housing and don’t drink. The question is: will you be able to find them and befriend them before they give in to peer pressure, leaving you as the only sober person on your floor? As Johnson181 said, even people who weren’t drinking at the beginning changed their minds by the end of second semester.</p>
<p>
Funny you say that. I’m inside watching Harry Potter right now. AND having a drink. 
(But I’m 22. And just felt like sharing. lol)</p>
<p>I don’t drink and live on a normal floor, but don’t mind people who do and I haven’t felt excluded. It’s very possible to have a good time even if you don’t drink.</p>
<p>@Johnson181:
Thank goodness that the butterbeer at the Harry Potter theme park is nonalcoholic, because as soon as I get the opportunity to visit there it will be going in my mouth. Liters and liters of it. It always sounds so delicious when she describes it in the books <em>stares wistfully at an empty glass that is not full of butterbeer</em></p>
<p>@ambery
I believe there is one subfree floor in most dorms. There isn’t an entire dorm that is subfree. That may help your decision. You can also join in socially and have a non-alcoholic drink while others are drinking alcohol.</p>