<p>As a mom, again. This is the same question that I have asked: if you were at home, what would you be doing with your friends? Going to the movies, a concert, a sporting event, just hanging out - the same things you do on campus. I think “college life” was a very idyllic, fun-filled lifestyle that was unrealistic to expect. While those expectations will evolve as friendships are made and groups start becoming more active, the drinking issues will remain, I am afraid, for at least the forseeable future (at least through fall semester, I imagine.)<br>
DD has friends at other universities, most large, that have active Greek systems. The funny thing is that they are going to movies, concerts, etc., just as the ND kids do, but in a more organized group. Perception is everything and maybe the grass appears greener elsewhere for the time being. Since 99% of the kids come back for second year, things must work out! Part of leaving home and adjusting.</p>
<p>I agree with you and have often heard this “nothing to do” comment when referring to ND. I always ask myself, “what are you REALLY doing in other places?”. Honestly, what do most college kids do? Movies, parties, concerts, hanging out with friends, etc. etc. I haven’t really heard of college kids doing much more… I think South Bend just gets this rap and Notre Dame too. It’s unrealistic to think that college is going to offer anything different than the usual. I live in a very large city and here it is, Friday night and I am watching a movie and posting in CC!!! </p>
<p>No worries new domers! DD graduated this past May and found SO many things to do, I don’t know where she found the time! It will all work out!</p>
<p>hey, just checking in to if anyone has any new ideas!! It’s a football weekend so campus is pretty crazy. I agree that you can do most of the same things around campus you can do at home, but it’s a big adjustment to basically be limited to the area of the world you can walk to! You cruise the dorms to see who’s doing what, maybe go by LaFun to see who’s doing what, then you cruise the dorms again to see who’s doing what. Had a pep rally. There are guys sitting on a dorm roof (Roof Sit), bingo from 10 to 2. Hope the football team wins!!</p>
<p>Let’s go Irish!!!</p>
<p>Any updates for anyone? In my opinion, football weekends have been the worst in terms of finding other sorts of things to do on campus, but the other weekends are getting better. I guess right now the only problem I’m having is that I see lots of events that could be fun such as movies at debart or trips to places like haunted houses on the other weekends, but don’t really know anyone to go with since all my section mates are more into the partying and aren’t willing to give up the night for anything else, which is fine, but just hard for me. What are you all finding now that it’s later in the semester?</p>
<p>Don’t know if it is getting better on a grand scale, but I’m finding more people who have settled down a bit. Still a lot of drinking, but enough that will have a couple of beers instead of getting wasted. Several girls dorms had to close baths last weekend because of “incidents” that seem to have required serious clean-up! FlipSide has some events that are non-alcohol based and they still need people to help plan events. No game this weekend, so should be quieter.
Personally, I’ve gotten involved in student government and a few clubs. Classwork is taking its toll on my time, actually have to do homework on weekends (the library is more crowded than I expected after football games!) I talked to staff in my dorm and got to know a few people who had complained to them about not having anyone sober to hang out with - seems they can be a good source for residents having similar problems. Most of my friends are now in other sections of my dorm and other dorms. Would like to do some volunteer work to meet people outside of class.<br>
In what part of campus is your dorm located?</p>
<p>Just to add: the drinking is still WAY out of control on the campus. Wish there were non-drinking dorms on campus like other schools. It really is unfair to make people live with drunks and defend the policy by saying that we need to learn to live with people with different lifestyles. I do not NEED to learn to live with people throwing up in the halls and bathrooms. This will not make me a better person! They have learned how to keep hard drugs off campus, and while they allow alcohol, I should be given the option to not have to live surrounded by it. Especially for what my family is paying for me to go here! The lack of housing options is probably the biggest negative about the school.</p>
<p>If you truly don’t want to be living with those around you, who seem to go a little too out of control, you can always move off campus.</p>
<p>You seem really judgemental at times… if people are puking all over the place, okay, but you seem a little over the top… especially if your in a girls dorm? they don’t have parties really so you should be fine studying on a weekend. guys who want to study have it FAR worse (though I am not one of them… sun-thurs is plenty for me study-wise)</p>
<p>Volunteer, play sports, study, and go to those sober events… enjoy your time here</p>