<p>So here's the deal. I don't really have a problem with drinking, per se. It doesn't really interest me recreationally, but conceivably it might someday, I suppose. But I don't want to have people vomiting all over my dorm or stumbling around drunk in the hallways at all hours of the night or anything like that. (Does that happen at Amherst or am I being melodramatic?)</p>
<p>I'm copy-pasting this from a post on the amherst thread because it really pertains to me too...</p>
<p>So here's the deal. I don't really have a problem with drinking, per se. It doesn't really interest me recreationally, but conceivably it might someday, I suppose. But I don't want to have people vomiting all over my dorm or stumbling around drunk in the hallways at all hours of the night or anything like that. (Does that happen at Carleton or am I being melodramatic?)</p>
<p>So... this seems to suggest that a sub-free dorm would be the place for me, yeah? But I also worry about sub-free dorms for a couple reasons. </p>
<p>First of all, I kind of worry that everyone in sub-free is, well, the same. I also worry that everyone in sub-free is really introverted and stereotypically "nerdy" or whatever (although I am a self-proclaimed nerd, so maybe that is not a negative thing!) Is this the case at Carleton? I am pretty sure that this isn't true, but I just wanted to check.</p>
<p>The other thing is, is there a big stigma against sub-free people on campus? Do people from sub-free hang out with other people, too, or is there like a big sub-free clique with an iron wall around it?</p>
<p>Sub-free floors are pretty lame. The only good thing about them is that a lot of international students live on them and cook delicious food. Otherwise sub-free floors suck. They can be cliquey, but that depends on the size of the floor and how well the freshmen get along. Upperclassmen who live on sub-free floors (except for RAs) are almost always really introverted, really sober, and really hardcore about their academics, so you never see them. Plus, if you do choose to drink at some point in your first year, coming back to your floor can be really uncomfortable. Some of the people who live on sub-free floors are pretty religious or otherwise socially conservative, and so there's can be a lot of judgment going on about how you live your life that you probably wouldn't want. Your perceptions about sub-free kids being nerdy or introverted are generally true, and people who are drunk really aren't THAT disruptive. I think even if you don't think you'll drink that you're better off choosing a normal floor for a less limiting experience. Not very many upperclassmen choose to live on sub-free floors unless they REALLY want a quiet single.</p>
<p>thanks. i had pretty much decided not to go with substance-free, but this definitely sealed the deal. i thought that might be the case, and i didn't want to be stuck with super-sober people--i mean, i'm not into drinking but i don't want to only be around people who never drink and are against those who do.</p>
<p>Not everybody on sub-free floors is "super-sober." Most of the people I knew who lived on sub-free floors weren't. I mean, I lived on second Watson sophomore year because that was where some of the few available singles were. Some of the freshmen there either hadn't asked for sub-free or just didn't want a floor with wild parties, not that they never planned to touch alcohol.</p>