<p>Would some serious current student or graduate tell me what these clubs are really like and how they affect the social life? I'm trying to choose between Harvard, Yale and Princeton and I can't visit. I feel like the social question is important to me and the articles from the Yale Daily News have me worried. Is it really that bad? If you're too young to go to the bars is your social life limited to hoping you'll get invited to a Finals Club or hanging out in a crowded room? Its making me worried. Is it true that a very large number of people getted tapped but only a small number actually get in? What does evereybody else do?</p>
<p>I really want serious answers. On the Princeton board I've already read a lot about the eating clubs and over there they give real answers to some of the questions. But over here it seems like there's either silence, like nobody even bothered responding to Hotpiece's question down below, or there are just insulting non-answers or things to change the subject. Aren't there any students or alumni who'll give a serious response to this? What's it like on a Friday or Saturday night?</p>
<p>I've been on these boards a lot but this is the first time I've posted so be kind. I'm asking the same question on the Yale board.</p>
<p>If you choose not to care about them, I'm sure Final Clubs would be irrelevant to your Harvard experience. Same goes for Princeton e clubs and Secret Societies at Yale... although it's hard to ignore all the tapped people who are right now outside on Old Campus wearing the most absurd costumes or doing plain ridiculous stuff.. it's funny.</p>
<p>Anyways, yeah, don't base your decision on the finals club. Probably not the best criteron.</p>
<p>And yeah, for some reason your post seems too obvious to be legit =p.</p>
<p>It sure is for real and thanks for the info but you go to Yale right? I know this is the Harvard board but your the only one talking to me so can you answer some of the questions I put on the Yale board?</p>
<p>And Byerly you're doing the same thing again. I'm serious but your just insulting. Is there some secret rule I don't know about that you can't ask a question about the Finals Clubs or about social life on campus? Whats up with that? Silence or insults?</p>
<p>Please, I really am serious. Somebody who's a current student tell me if what the Yale Daily News said is true? I'm hoping it isn't but you guys sure aren't saying so!</p>
<p>Mexican bulldog is right, if you choose to ignore them, finals clubs will be completely and utterly irrelevant to your life. There are plenty of other things to do on a Friday or Saturday (go hang out in a friend's room, go to a huge dining hall party, go play beer pong with some athletes, go to Hoffa's - a bar that has undergrad parties ALL THE TIME, go to a play, go off campus, etc.). Finals clubs are in no way as significant to social life as people would have you think unless you WANT THEM TO BE. It's not like the members live in the clubs or even necessarily eat there on any regular basis, so their members are totally integrated into the Harvard community. </p>
<p>Finals club guys (and girls) go to non-finals club parties just like everyone else. Also, if it means that much to you, being let into a finals club party isnt' that difficult, and those are fun too, if that's your scene.</p>
<p>The point is, if you have no social life at Harvard, its not because of some deficiency in the University, it's because you're socially inept.</p>
<p>Thanks, Carmel, I really appreciate your response. So what's Hoffas? Is it like an alcohol-free bar so that anybody can go? What are dining hall parties. Does the university throw them?</p>
<p>Hoffa's is a restaurant/bar in Harvard Square. You don't have to be of drinking age to get in, but they are an alcohol-serving establishment. They also have a dance floor. ;)</p>
<p>So is that the hot spot? From the Yale article it sounded like most of the parties that weren't in the Finals Clubs were in people's rooms? I saw the videos from that company "The U" and one of the suites looks HUGE. Are there some great parties or are Harvard students quieter?</p>
<p>Nope, it's not alcohol-free, but for some reason they're just very cool about letting undergrads throw parties there (there's one tomorrow, actually) and letting undergrads in just generally. I believe its' 18+ or something, 21+ to drink, obviously (unless you have a friend with an ID of some sort - fake or legitimate - who can just buy drinks and give them to you). </p>
<p>Dining hall parties are typically thrown by student organizations, there's usually lots of people (which is why they're in the dining halls). They're comprised almost entirely of dancing, there's generally no alcohol, but student groups sometimes sponsor pre-games in people's rooms. Usually you'll have friends to pre-game with though, if you want to.</p>
<p>On a side note, according to my sister, Yale is a much bigger drinking school than Harvard. Not that Harvard students don't drink, as every school does these days (except Bob Jones and such), but apparently a lot less of the entertainment revolves around drinks.</p>
<p>Gotta go, and will be back later, but one last quick question if you're still there. So the stories in the Yale article really aren't accurate about the Finals Clubs and the social life in general? Please say yes.</p>