<p>I'm 98% sure that I'll be sending in that ND deposit, but I have to say that I'm kinda nervous about the seemingly very strict atmosphere. I'm not a ridiculous partier but I do want to make sure that whatever college I go to has a good party scene, with such an awesome football program, I can't imagine ND students not being partiers, but I want to make sure. Also, the idea of parientals doesn't really bother me, but I just want to know students opinions about them. Do the rules accomplish what the school seems to hope to "prevent"? Or more importantly, are the kids ok with the rules because they seem to sway pretty conservatively? As to the aspect of religion, I know most students attend mass regularly and there is a strong Catholic tradition, but does anyone think that this makes people very old-school Catholic in their actions, or it is more generally that the students want to have a relationship with God and their faith? Thanks for taking the time to read and answer.</p>
<p>You are a brave soul......hehehe No way would I want to party w/catholic girls who are right to lifers.......not gonna happen.</p>
<p>well hazmat, I'm a girl, and I don't want to be going to any parties with guys like you described.</p>
<p>That is why are are choosing a Catholic Univ.........you are of a common value system so it all works.</p>
<p>Let me rephrase... I don't want to be going to parties with guys who are as "uptight" as the girls you described.</p>
<p>lost me on that one. You sound like you will be happy at ND and for you that is good, it just wouldn't work for me on many levels.</p>
<p>Here's an answer to your question, at least my point of view. </p>
<p>I seem to be answering some variation of this question an awful lot recently. I won't simply tell you to go look at previous posts but it can't hurt in case I forget to mention some things here.</p>
<p>Notre Dame and parties...Ahhh an interesting subject. Let's get a couple of things cleared up in the beginnning. I may summarize things you already know, but since I don't know how familiar you are with some things I might be more detailed than necessary.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Hard alcohol and kegs are both banned on campus. What does this mean? You can expect some serious problems most likely if caught. I know in the past a previous rector of our dorm levied a significant fine in instances of Hard alcohol violations. The fine was based on either the number of bottles in the room, or the number of people drinking hard alcohol in the room - whichever permutation would be more expensive was the one used. That having been said, he was willing to try to keep some issues in-house. Many rectors/rectresses automatically send hard alcohol violations to the office of residence life and housing. Usually you end with a large fine and community service for a first time offense. Plus the ResLife visit ends up in your record.</p></li>
<li><p>does Hard alcohol exist on campus. Yes, but you drink it at your own risk. Realisitcally parties happen on every campus, ND is no different. Just recognize there are consequences for underage drinking or for being caught with hard alcohol on campus. I don't think it's worth getting caught... </p></li>
<li><p>Parietals: No male/female in the other sexes dorm after 12 (midnight) during the week or 2 AM on the weekend. Are they enforced, yes. Do I personally have a problem with them? Not really. If you want to know why the policy exist, go look it up on ND's website. Personally I think most people end up following them if for no other reason than they don't want to get sent to ResLife for breaking them. If you choose not to follow them, there can be and sometimes are consequences....</p></li>
<li><p>God and ND: all the dorms have chapels in them and Sunday night mass is said at all dorms. It is not compulsory by any means, but a large contingent of the student body do attend. I think it is an accurate statment that the majority of students seem to value mass. Remember that the student body is predominantly Catholic. I think with your question about "old-fashion" catholic you are hinting at how closely do the members of ND adhere to the social teachings of the Catholic church, yes? I would say that you have the devout Catholics and the christmas-only Catholics here, like you would anywhere else. The tone of campus is probably more conservative than liberal, but liberals are a presence here....</p></li>
</ul>
<p>hope this info helps...if you want additional ask and I will try to respond...</p>
<p>If this helps, my son generally likes parietals. While it is a pain at times, mostly he likes the fact that you can rely on the dorm quieting down at midnight on school nights. As a parent, I hate the fact that that is occasionally when he <em>starts</em> studying, but at least there is a starting time! :)</p>
<p>His dorm has a 24 hour lounge - I think they all do - so you can sit around in there with your girl or boyfriend all night if you want to.</p>
<p>He called me from a party Saturday night. Beer is kind of not a problem in the dorms, as long as you're not causing any huge problems. He and his roommate had a huge party in the dorm their freshmen year, with tons of kids there - I saw pictures - and they just cleaned up really well and all was well. No keg, of course, just canned beer and wine for the girls, I think.</p>
<p>He doesn't get to mass every Sunday, but it sounds like he makes it more often during the week. I know, that's wierd. I do know that when he's stressed about something he makes trips to the grotto. What a great place to get your head on straight.</p>
<p>Mostly ND is about what really matters in life: making true friends, learning, and the development of a conscience and your soul. Nothing else carries a person through life more equipped than these.</p>
<p>Thank you for your answers. I'm really not trying to come off sounding like I want to go to a party school and am some extreme liberally, because I'm definetely not - I just guess probably a stupid but really direct question would be, more often then not, are there usually pretty big parties going on in the dorms over the weekends?</p>
<p>I'm kind of curious about the other side of the issue. (I could probably be described as one of those "old school" Catholics, lol) Are there ever any issues with beer in the dorm, things getting out of hand, etc.? I know Notre Dame is a "work hard, play hard" kind of school, and don't get me wrong, I am definitely not averse to having fun, I'm just curious if the "play hard" aspect ever gets in the way of school work, or do parietals really help to calm things down and prevent that?</p>
<p>I always have a hard time speaking of the parties, but as a non-drinker, I can speak about what life is like for us.</p>
<p>First of all, with being a transfer and having been somewhere else I can tell you that I very much appreciate parietals! At Creighton (my last school) we had a similar program but it was not enforced (in a co-ed dorm it is hard to enforce that). Because of that, my roommate had a live-in girlfriend who did not get along with me and it was a bad situation! That really doesn't happen here and I am thankful for it. I also am thankful because things really do quiet down around parietals and you don't have to stress as much. It is nice when you have to go to the bathroom at night being able to go in your boxers (I am a guy, forgive me for this description girls) and not having to worry about running into a girl on the way or being seen by a girl. I don't know, I just think it helps overall because you still have plenty of freedom but when they kick in it quiets down and lets people sleep, study, or whatever. There are 24 hour spots in all the dorms as well so that helps.</p>
<p>As for the weekends there are quite a few parties (moreso in the guys dorms) but they really don't interfere much with everone's life. They can be loud but that is just the way weekends are in a dorm. They don't cause a big mess or anything, however, and I really don't mind them. There is also a group that is devoted to providing weekend options for anyone who chooses not to drink, so that is an option. Really, there is just a lot to do on campus on the weekends that doesn't involve drinking so you can find plenty to do and it really doesn't interefere at all if you choose not to partake in the party (unless the party is at your place in which case you need a new roommate). </p>
<p>Overall people are very accepting of you choosing not to drink as long as you respect that they may choose to drink and it all works out pretty well. I hope that helps answer your question.</p>
<p>Thanks Irish</p>
<p>a lot of the dorms social life is also dependent on the rector/rectress....my dorm underwent a change this year and as I understand it things are a lot different there now than they have been for several prior years. In general the rectors are more laid back in the boys dorms and most of the "parties" end up happening in them. That having been said I know several people who've gotten the "book thrown at them" for their parties this year. Personally I've seen more control and less tolerance for parties in each successive year that I've been up here. I don't have a problem with this happening. For the most part the average party is still the same, but a lot of things have been reigned in...</p>
<p>Thanks guys!</p>
<p>One of the best things on campus is the 10 PM masses that take place in all the dorms. It seems that no matter what religion you are, you end up going to this service. It's a great timt to get together and end the weekend. It's also a good time to be around similar feeling people depending how the game went the day before.</p>