Now that i'm in college...

[financeguy]

you should join a lot of clubs but you should also go to parties (yes, even parties with *gasp* alcohol being served.) And you should meet as many people as you can. sounds like there are a lot of sheltered peeps here (not meaning to criticize.) If you advise this girl to just see one side of the university, then you are going to totally ostracize her from the other half.

I would say a majority of the people you will meet over the next four years (if not this year) will being going to drinking parties. It doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them, remember. My advice to you is to just let things flow and don't limit yourself. e.g. I'm not going to go to these types of parties which translates into 'I'm not going to hang with these types of people. Just have fun and be free. If the friends you meet during your frosh year want to go to a party on Friday night, what will you tell them? Just have fun. Remember, you don't have to drink at these parties.

Well I don't think anyone has suggested the social side of college isn't important. I drank beer in moderation at college but I had friends who didn't (In Ireland? Who would have thought it. )

When exam time comes around, that is the time to cut back on social activities, be it dating, parties, social clubs, whatever. During the year it is a matter of balancing and keeping reasonably on top of the academic side but not letting it be the entire focus of your life (unless you are planning on topping the class). Liberal arts courses usually allow more time for social activities, science based courses tend to be tougher. But I suspect U2 Democrat knows most of this already.

 

[bsp77]

U2dem picked the best school for her, and if she doesn't think that going to drinking parties on a weekly basis is the apex of her existence, then hell yeah, she's right to think it.

That would be cool, but she seems to want to actively avoid any place that could have any alcohol at all. Too sheltered.

 

[U2democrat]

holy crap y'all are thinking i want no social life at all! no alcohol doesn't equal no social life. There are constantly activities going on around here that i plan to go to...concerts...cook outs...camping...etc. If you think i'm "too sheltered" by not wanting to get involved in alcohol...fine think that way. The stuff doesn't taste good to me anyway and I don't want to be caught up in stupid decisions, besides, alcoholism runs in my family.

 

[bsp77]

holy crap y'all are thinking i want no social life at all! no alcohol doesn't equal no social life. There are constantly activities going on around here that i plan to go to...concerts...cook outs...camping...etc. If you think i'm "too sheltered" by not wanting to get involved in alcohol...fine think that way. The stuff doesn't taste good to me anyway and I don't want to be caught up in stupid decisions, besides, alcoholism runs in my family.

I am not saying you should drink if you don't want to. Just understand that there may be drinking in a lot of situations and you don't want to have to avoid all of them. Also, I think odowdpa was actually responding to a lot of the advice which made it sound like college is all about classes and studying, when it's not.

 

[U2democrat]

Oh trust me i know there'll be situations with alcohol...i've been in situations with alcohol. Just not my cup of tea.

 

[odowdpa]

I agree with BSP. It is not wise to avoid drinking situations as you'll be encountering them your entire life. (Esc. if you enter politics, those guys can drink.) Wait til your company Christmas party as well...I'm sure everyone here has a funny story about those great times....bottom line is you are going to have to get adjusted to drinking parties and college is a great way to ease into that...even if you're not drinking. And let it be known there is nothing wrong with enjoying a few drinks.

And a lot of people here have family members who have had drinking problems, that doesn't mean you should shun it, moderation is key. Just have fun....and I bet you'll meet a few guys at these parties..might even like one of them.

 

[U2democrat]

I know I'll be around alcohol my whole life...but there's a difference between state dinners and frat parties

 

[odowdpa]

I don't see the difference ;-)

 

[bsp77]

I agree with BSP. It is not wise to avoid drinking situations as you'll be encountering them your entire life. (Esc. if you enter politics, those guys can drink.) Wait til your company Christmas party as well...I'm sure everyone here has a funny story about those great times....bottom line is you are going to have to get adjusted to drinking parties and college is a great way to ease into that...even if you're not drinking. And let it be known there is nothing wrong with enjoying a few drinks.

And a lot of people here have family members who have had drinking problems, that doesn't mean you should shun it, moderation is key. Just have fun....and I bet you'll meet a few guys at these parties..might even like one of them.

I have noticed that there are lot of anti-alcohol people around here and some of them simply can not be swayed to understand that it doesn't have to be this evil, horrible thing (I am not necessarily talking about you, Dem). The key is moderation.

And, to be honest, some of the anti-alcohol people are difficult to be around, too self-righteous.

 

[bsp77]

I know I'll be around alcohol my whole life...but there's a difference between state dinners and frat parties

I am not sure our president sees a difference.

 

[U2democrat]

Well obviously i don't like our president...but that's a whole other topic

 

[bsp77]

Well obviously i don't like our president...but that's a whole other topic

See, we can agree on something.

Sorry, I don't mean to be argumentative. I have just saw too many people in college who tried to shun parties because they wanted to avoid alcohol. 90% ended up falling into two camps:

1. Those who seemed to become recluses in their dorm rooms.

2. Those who just snapped one day and started to descend too much into alcohol and possibly even drugs.

To be honest, I don't see either happening to you. I just want you to enjoy yourself as much as possible. I probably went too far with the drinking at times, but, ultimately, I regret the things I did not do much more than the things I did do.

Definitely keep us up to speed on your new life, I will try not be an ass anymore.

 

[bsp77]

Oh, I just want to add that I met my future wife one of the times I had drank too much. So, you really never know.

 

[Dismantled]

Oh, I just want to add that I met my future wife one of the times I had drank too much. So, you really never know.

yeah you never know how its going to happen. I was never one to drink at college but occassionally I did, and yes got drunk*gasp!!! But I never did anything stupid and it never affected my grades or my life in any way...so you don't have to shun it completely, just use your head.

 

[U2democrat]

wait till i'm 21.

 

[meegannie]

I didn't turn 21 until almost five months after I graduated from college.

 

[U2democrat]

I'll turn 21 November of my junior year

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

College Democrats used to recruit new members by having happy hours at bars!

I totally went. Then again, I was Booze Mc Boozerson in college. But I learned my lesson and I am a better person for it.

Do what's right for you. Who cares what others think. I actually had a guy friend who stopped talking to my sister and I b/c we joined a sorority.

 

[For Honor]

All I really have to say is that I feel the same way U2Dem does about alcohal and college life, in regard to not wanting to get involved with alcohal.

I know who I am in regards to that, and I've seen a few things.

But I agree, if it weren't for my....... interesting last 2 years (thanks to my family), I would be a very sheltered person.

In my NYC trip, I met some relatives. One was a girl who is going to my college, and she worked 60 hours last week. Sounds mature right?

Not really, no. I'm a little worried about her, honestly....


Basically, there are some people who are very sheltered, and the decptive thing is, a lot of times they don't realize it, or are too arrogant to suspect it.

I know I don't know people inside and out, but I have made vast improvements. Most of all, I am solid in who I really am, even if I don't know how to express it in the best way all the time. But that;s a long story, heh heh heh.



If you know you're not into drugs, be it alcohal or other, then just don't do it. I wouldn't recomend trying it out just for the sake. (Not that I'm saying others here were directly promoting such a thing). But that's just how I feel.

 

[U2democrat]

Thanks FH. I've seen my friends make destructive descisions time and time again when they drink...and that's just not me. This summer in europe I literally had to drag one of my friends from the roof of our hotel in switzerland. she had had several drinks and was convinced that she could make it to the ground safely. I don't want to put myself in that position just to meet guys...there are other ways I can do that.

 

[For Honor]

^ indeed

 

[U2democrat]

I've been drunk before and it was fun for the moment...but that's all it was, a moment. I've had just as much fun sober, so I don't need alcohol to bring out more goofiness in me, I make a fool out of myself as it is

 

[financeguy]

I totally went. Then again, I was Booze Mc Boozerson in college. But I learned my lesson and I am a better person for it.

I was Sober McSwottie at college. Thankfully, I learned my lesson, and I am a better person for it.

Ok, I'll get back in my box now, lest For Honor think that I am 'promoting' the use of 'drugs' (As IF! God forbid!)


But, anyway, health wise, it has been proven that moderate consumption of alcohol is good for the health....apologies if that disturbs pre-conceived notions.

 

[U2democrat]

No i have heard that...particularly with red wine.

 

[financeguy]

No i have heard that...particularly with red wine.

Absolutely.

Anyway, as I said I had friends had college who were, and still are, teetotallers, and most of them would happily go along to parties where others were drinking, etc.

Quite correctly, you are careful as to what social situations, parties etc, you attend in your first year, and that is absolutely right.

 

[U2democrat]

I've had some of my best friends get raped while drunk. I'm not letting that happen to me, end of story.

Notice the plural. More than one. It's NOT worth it.

 

[financeguy]

I've had some of my best friends get raped while drunk. I'm not letting that happen to me, end of story.

Notice the plural. More than one. It's NOT worth it.

Fair enough, I can well understand why you would want to go to a dry college. All I can say is, the world has seemingly changed since I was your age.

 

[anitram]

No i have heard that...particularly with red wine.

Because I'm a science geek: it applies to any alcohol, because of the relationship ethanol has with things like lipid formation and clotting factors.

Beneficial effects have not been demonstrated in young people (under 40), however. They may exist, but it has not been shown yet.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Heh, I've not even had a glass of champange, let alone anything else.

But like I said earlier, if other people want to drink, as long as, like what has been said here, it's in moderation, and people manage to be responsible about it, that's entirely up to them. It's their life and their choice, after all. I'll certainly agree that you're not automatically a horrid person if you drink.

It's just not for me, personally, and for some other people here, and that's just as fine, too . All a personal decision either way, I say. U2democrat has her reasons for not doing so, so hey, it's cool with me .

*Turns 21 in a month and...14 days, if I've counted right *

Liberal arts courses usually allow more time for social activities

Yeah, I'm gonna have some pretty decent amount of time for that-my class schedule I got today is fairly light. Tuesdays and Thursdays are gonna be my busiest days, the other days I just have one class. Granted, that's just for this semester, and things could change and the workload could, and probably will, get heavier with time, but for just starting out...that's not too bad . And they're all classes I feel I'll enjoy, too, which definitely helps.

How about you, U2democrat? How's your class load this year?

Angela

 

[U2democrat]

It's pretty easy...

MWF-
Stats at 8
Bio at 10
Philosophy (Critical thinking) at 3. Each 50 minutes.

Tues,Thurs
Intro to Poli-1
Self Leadership-2:30. Each 1 hour 15 minutes. I like it.