<p>In son’s four years of substance free housing, he has met all the above described students. His freshman roommate ended up in substance free housing because his mom filled out his housing form. The young man was surprised to find out that substance free included cigarettes and pot as well as alcohol… Second year, he had an international student who spent all night partying somewhere else and slept all day. Fortunately, his 2nd year roommate partied with the roommate of another student in substance free housing so they did a roommate switch for the 2nd half of the year. Son is still great friends with the switch roomie. He did decide to stay for his 3rd and 4th years because he was able to have a single both years and the school awarded significant discounts to seniors who stayed on campus in the substance free dorm. As far as no social life, son did not find that to be true. His school’s substance free dorm was coed and he met his current girlfriend his sophomore year and they both chose the substance free dorm for subsequent years. They appreciated the quieter atmosphere and cleaner bathrooms. They both drink in moderation but don’t want to deal with the anything goes atmosphere in some of the other dorms or apartments. Also, as I posted earlier son and his girlfriend both belong to numerous outside clubs to round out their social lives on campus.</p>
<p>Substance free housing is a great idea. I don’t see how it can make someone look like a dork. </p>
<p>Smokers are being pushed out of every workplace and restaurant and some bars so I’m sure they would appreciate being left alone to do their thing as much as non-smokers would appreciate a place to avoid exposure to smoke.</p>
<p>Same for all other substances too.</p>
<p>I agree…it might differ by year or dorm, or college but saying “those kids don’t socialize” I’m sure doesn’t encompass all sub-free students and some might like a small circle of friends. I always did and 2 out of 3 of my children do. They joined things but not just to join something and they did study a lot, so appreciated the quiet at times, although it wasn’t “dead” for them. I think in some ways, (not all) my kids were a little more mature as freshman. A teacher told me my son said going to college was a privilege not a given, and he wasn’t there to just have a good time, it was way too expensive for that and he had a goal.
Even if he didn’t tell me, I appreciated it. : )</p>
<p>Are there designated “Learning Classes”…where you are actually expected to learn…?</p>
<p>I should just say, to those like the above poster, that, at least at my school and at elast with respect to alcohol, there is no expectation that students will not drink. The campus police do not care. They will shut down a party if the noise is bothering others, they will help you if you get alcohol poisoning. The RA’s and other house leaders will not stop you from partying unless it involves drinking in a public house space. They again will shut things down if they are bothering people and will help anyone who needs it. But no one is going to get in trouble for drinking.</p>
<p>Depends on the school, davorin. There are two general philosophies – that one and the philosophy that tries to stop the students from behaving in ways that are illegal. Most schools choose the first, because the second just drives it underground, and can be more dangerous (kids not getting treatment for alcohol poisoning and dying).</p>
<p>I’m aware. Thus the term “at least at my school”. I was more rebutting the utter incredulity with which a few posts greeted the concept that a school might be accepting of substance use at all.</p>
<p>I dont think that you have to live in substance free housing to be substance free yourself. Just something to consider. However, I personally would not label someone as a dork if they did make this choice, and you probably don’t want to be friends with the kind of person who would.</p>
<p>I don’t think living in a substance free dorm gives any major disadvantages besides the fact that you may be surrounded by more reserved people. Would it negate you from being able to do specific social activities, though?</p>
<p>Our daughter selected a “sub-free” dorm floor during her first year at Hampshire College, which has a reputation (undeserved?) for weed use. She had to sign a lengthy contract specifying that she would not be in possession of drugs or alcohol on the floor, and that she would not be ‘under the influence’ while on the floor. I think this worked out great for her, and she has made some great life-time-type friends. She still went to parties, and once she even had to stay in a friend’s room overnight to avoid violating the ‘influence’ clause (I suspect that she may have been led astray by her older brother, who was in his last year).</p>
<p>In general, the floor had a great bunch of kids, but there were a couple of problems. As others have noted, some students are compelled by their parents to select sub-free dorms, and this is probably a good way to guarantee that your kid will get kicked off the floor one day. Also, one or two students were recovering drug abusers, and they went sub-free to avoid temptation. Unfortunately, at least one relapsed, causing a lot of turmoil. Still, overall, a worthwhile experience.</p>
<p>As others have noted, kids with little self-control, a lack of maturity, or inexperience can ‘go wild’, particularly during their first year. I think that living in sub-free dorm will get your kid past that year, PROVIDED s/he is not being compelled to go there.</p>
<p>Looks like there’s a fairly easy solution for students/parents whom are contemplating substance free residence halls; attend a college in a dry town.</p>
<p>Honestly, I wasn’t sure there was such as thing as a dry college town, LOL. But to my surprise there are! I’m not sure I’d recommend a college just because the surrounding town or county is dry, but it does eliminate temptation for some people. For others, particularly students who are hell bent to enjoy alcohol, it’s probably a recipe for disaster waiting to happen…even for the 21-year old kids.</p>
<p>Putting kids that want to drink in a dry town just means they’ll be DRIVING to the next closes town that sells alcohol and has bars.</p>
<p>I hope my kids never drink, but I’m not deluded. And I would never put my kids in a dry town. I think it’s actually an added risk.</p>
<p>My son really wants substance free. There is alcoholism and drug use in his family, he knows he is vulnerable, he’s had quite enough of drunks and drug users in his life thank you, and he wants to be in a substance free environment. How can we be sure that he really gets that? It sounds like sub-free just can mean that mom filled out the forms.</p>
<p>It seems to me that students who request sub-free don’t have any trouble getting in to it at most schools.</p>