<p>I'm just wondering what the people there are like. A lot of people say the campus is full of hippies and stuff. I've never been, but I've heard this at least a few times. How do people dress? Is it an anti abercrombie culture? Are people environmentally friendly? Do your beliefs get frequently attacked? I'm a far left liberal so I'm not too concerned about that. I just want honest opinions.</p>
<p>just because they dont take showers or change their clothes during finals week doesn't mean they are hippies. They just have'nt been back to their dorm, because they are studying in the library.</p>
<p>How do they dress?
From the free bins
Not so much the brand names.
So environmentally friendly that they have a " club" that eats the leftovers in the cafeteria.</p>
<p>I think it's not so much anti-Abercrombie as Abercrombie-apathetic.</p>
<p>Portland in general and Reed in particular are very environmentally friendly. The scroungers, though, seem more motivated by not wanting to buy board points at the cafeteria (which, incidentally, is run by a company that advocates 'food services for a sustainable future' or something like that).</p>
<p>Trying to describe Reed culture on an internet forum is futile. Drop by sometime.</p>
<p>Haha what's the club called? Thats funny. =]</p>
<p>Saturday night an eighteen year old Reed College freshman was found dead in his dorm room of a heroin overdose. Reed College prospies should be aware that here in Portland it is well known that there are lots of hard drugs being used on the Reed College Campus. The President of Reed is being very brave in stating the cause of death publicly, but also a little disingenuous in saying they don't know the extent of the problem. Lots of bright, hip kids here in Portland, and around the state, won't even consider Reed because of the extent of drug use on campus. You all need to be aware that drugs will be part of the culture at Reed to an extent that you might not anticipate right now. It's a fine school, but this is the dark side of it and you should go in with your eyes open. Kids are using more than the usual pot and acid at Reed. You need to think through how you will cope with that. In the past the administration has turned somewhat of a blind eye to all of this.</p>
<p>Erlinda where are you getting your information?
The kids I know who live in the Woodstock neighborhood, the Reedies still on campus and the graduates in Portland are shocked and surprised.
Eye of the tiger and Red bull probably, double tall lattes of course, PBR and pot, at times, but I don't hear of heroin use even in the musician circles, as it was 20 years ago, let alone on college campuses.
Students could not possibly keep up with the workload if they were goofing off every weekend let alone drinking or using hard drugs.</p>
<p>Its true that if the people in your immediate vicinity are using drugs- it may seem as if everyone is using drugs.
I have had the opposite experience re: Reed.</p>
<p>Erlinda, I agree that people should know about drug use at Reed, but in the end, Reed is what you make of it and the group of people you hang out with.
I was never offered such thing and I had no problems whatsoever. </p>
<p>ps - the president is publicly stating about the tragedy publicly because the father of the victim wanted him to do so.</p>
<p>That's really sad. It's not a usual thing though? I hope...</p>
<p>Erlinda,</p>
<p>I'm not sure quite where you are getting the information for your post. I am a Reed junior and have attended here for all three years. I've never used drugs, not even to try. Heck, I've been offered pot once my entire time I was here. I have a lot of friends, most of whom have better things to do on the weekend then get high (or even drunk)... or they spend it in the library (: P). </p>
<p>Yes, there is drug use on campus. There is drug use at most any college you go to! Reed has a reputation for it, it is true, but in my experience the reputation is overblown. There are kids who do that kind of stuff, but there are also plenty of kids who don't. Its all about finding the right crowd, the one you click with.</p>
<p>I admit that when I was first here, I wasn't entirely happy. I felt like a complete social mismatch (in fact, I think the last time I used this account was like, freshman year, when I didn't know if I was a good fit for Reed). But, I realized that I didn't want to transfer. I was sort of shooting myself in the foot because I was shy and never stuck my neck out... so I never made friends. These days, though, I can't imagine myself anywhere else. I love my school dearly. I admit, Reed has its problems. It isn't a perfect haven of wonderful-- but no place is.</p>
<p>I was worried about drug use when I decided to come here. I don't want to go into details, but my family has a lot of drug problems (enough that I have a lot of relatives in and out of prison) and has a history of alcohol abuse. So, its an issue I'm sensitive to. But, I've never felt pressured by the "drug culture," nor do I feel like its being shoved in my face constantly. </p>
<p>Of course, I'm only one person with one experience. Reed is an intense school-- you have to be willing to work hard if you want to come here. Sometimes the stress culture is unbearable. But, I can't imagine myself anywhere else. If you're interested, I strongly recommend a visit.</p>
<p>~W</p>
<p>P.S. The recent tragedy was a horrible thing and the Reed community was hit hard. I know there has been a lot of self reflection (and institutional reflection) going on. It is certainly not a "usual" thing. : /</p>
<p>I guess I need to respond to this since I posted when I was pretty upset about what happened. I've lived in Portland for twenty five years. I'm the parent of a college student who goes to school out of state, but who still has many college aged friends in Portland. I'm a former academic and I still have many friends in academia here in Portland, at all the local colleges and unis including Reed. I've heard things for many years both from friends in academia, Portland kids of college age, and neighbors of Reed. Up until now I always thought these rumours were at least partly urban myth, and I even minimized what I heard from those with direct experience. Hopefully this is a very small subset of kids, but I don't think this was a completely isolated incident.</p>
<p>Of course you choose your own lifestyle wherever you are and Reed is a fantastic school, but I think parents of kids who might be vulnerable for whatever reason, should try to learn more about the policies and culture at Reed. I want to be fair here-maybe I was reacting out of emotion last night- but I'm fairly confident that this kid was not alone in his use of hard drugs. </p>
<p>There are several other colleges and Universities here in Portland, including two art schools and you just don't hear the same sorts of stories about them. Maybe I should have posted this on the parents forum-my main message was/is;" parents of kids who are vulnerable in whatever way-learn more and make yourself confident that your kid can thrive at Reed. Lots of kids do."</p>
<p>Erlinda, I understand your concern, but reputation is different from fact. Reed does have a reputation for drug use, on and off campus, but as the studies done on campus show, <em>actual</em> drug use is far less than the perceived/imagined drug use. I've found students and parents to be <em>more</em> aware of drug issues at Reed as opposed to other colleges. It happens on every campus. </p>
<p>No one posting here on CC has enough information to make any valid conclusions about causation. We don't know what was going on for this particular student. It's possible that he could have been at any college and had the same thing happen. (I don't feel comfortable throwing out any other hypotheticals because I don't want to be insensitive to the student, his family, and everyone involved.) </p>
<p>I don't think this is a problem unique to Reed; I think that all parents and all students should be aware of vulnerabilities and risks about college.</p>
<p>The stories about Reed have existed since at least the 50's.
I know folks my father's age, who have told me that they wanted to go to Reed, but their grandparents wouldn't stand for it.
;)
( Atheism-Communism & Free Love*since WWI? )</p>
<p>It's my impression that if award were given by those outside Reed by those who hadn't attended but ' knew" something about it, they would receive Iconoclast college of the year.
Even if they didn't have any part of the selection, they would then adopt the trophy as an important part of Old Reed & polish it daily .
Better yet, they would long for a chance to touch it & risk life and limb for the chance.
It would transform their life!
Oh</a> wait. That is the Doyle Owl.</p>