<p>I am interested in applying to Johns Hopkins a year from now, but I'm concerned about drinking. </p>
<p>"Hopkins is a place where pitchers of beer are handed out as frequently as D's in Orgo. Of course. It's college, and despite warnings about underage drinking, most people don't care."</p>
<p>Does anyone know anything about underage drinking at Hopkins? Are people who drink the norm or the exception? I don't want to go to a school with drunk people, but I like everything else about the school... so confusing:/</p>
<p>andromeda, no matter where you go, there’s always going to be underage drinking. some places are worse than others, but the fact still remains.
for those who are uncomfortable with it: i think we all need to develop a certain tolerance, because that’s how the world’s gonna be like. </p>
<p>As you begin to research U.S. colleges and universities you will learn that underage drinking happens almost everywhere. Drinking does not just occur at what people call “party schools” – it occurs at the smart schools, the small schools, the research institutions, the liberal arts colleges, etc. It is a sad but true fact of college these days in America. </p>
<p>Yes, underage drinking does occur at Hopkins. Each individual students get to choose how they want to pursue their social life and drinking is a part of it for some. Some drink every weekend, some occassionally drink, and some will never drink. Once again, you will find this at so many schools. </p>
<p>There only a very few schools where you will not encounter “drunk people.” I’d suggest that you maybe re-phrase your inquiry and looking for colleges where drinking does not dominate the social scene. That is true of the Hopkins social scene – if you choose not to drink you will find people just like you and be able to have an active social life.</p>
<p>“Are people who drink the norm or the exception? I don’t want to go to a school with drunk people, but I like everything else about the school… so confusing:/”</p>
<p>I don’t believe it’s the norm or the exception.</p>
<p>There’s a good healthy amount of people who drink and who do not.</p>
<p>To give you more information though, unlike many schools though, there’s no real big concept of “Thirsty Thursday” because Fridays are usually jam-packed with classes. As a result, people mostly drink on Friday and Saturday nights, which is actually quite modest.</p>
<p>most people who drink here are social drinkers and do not do it to get ‘hammered.’ i find many (not even close to most freshman, however) freshman drink unhealthily at first, get in trouble or sick or humiliate themselves, learn their lesson, and then become more responsible. </p>
<p>i personally don’t drink and have a good number of friends who choose not to drink as well… you wont be bothered for not choosing to drink; it’s not that big of a deal. you’ll be shown respect if you show respect, obviously. you can go out and party without drinking (and have a good time), but expect to see alcohol. you’ll find people drinking at bars/pubs or at house parties, but there isnt too much underaged drinking on-campus because R.A.'s patrol the halls every night and they will write you up for chugging ethanol (you mentioned organic chem… the quote you found is silly because few people get D’s in organic. something like ~15 get D’s or F’s but it’s mostly C- and above.)</p>
<p>and although the university officially doesnt tolerate underage drinking, they know it happens and choose to promote healthy drinking and put up good information around campus as opposed to treating it as if it doesnt happen and isnt a concern. i commend hopkins for that. </p>
<p>… i have to say i think it’s funny that you are afraid of drunk people (just teasing). yes, they can be disgusting, and sometimes annoying, but it’s kind of funny to see them stumble about at 2am on the weekends. ‘mean drunks’ are kind of scary but they rest are pretty harmless.</p>
<p>Thank you for your replies. I posted the question a while ago, and by now I realize that every college is going to have drinking, but that doesn’t mean that everyone drinks. There are always other options.
When I started thinking about college, I imagined an idyllic place where people focus on learning, and leave things like alcohol and drugs behind. And then my college friends came back over winter break and told me how shocked they were that so many people drank- they didn’t expect it.
So then I panicked.
But I am good now! And I do love Hopkins.</p>
<p>Hahaha, Drinking happens everywhere. At my school, every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night, it seems like everyone on campus is drunk. However, the rest of the nights, everyone is stuck in the libraries.</p>