<p>Even when students select substance-free dorms on their own (and aren’t just pressured by parents) there can be a different feel to the dorm community when the majority of the residents have been non-drinkers (or drug-users) all of their lives as opposed to the substance-free dorms that are primarily populated by former abusers who are trying to stay clean and sober. </p>
<p>In many cases–and especially at large and diverse universities–the wellness dorms may include a mix of both groups. But when investigating specific living situations, it’s important to ask if the population falls pretty squarely into one of these camps and not the other, for this can affect a student’s comfort level in the dorm considerably.</p>
<p>Also, at large universities in particular, “theme” dorms (e.g., foreign language, community service, etc.) are rarely dubbed “substance-free” but often attract students who aren’t heavy party-goers and whose priorities tend to be more academic.</p>