morvoren

I am NOT talking about marijuana. I am talking about cigarettes. All the guides seem to say almost everyone smokes at Bard. I didn't particularly notice it on two trips there this year, but others I know did when they visited. When we asked a sophemore neighbor of ours he said, "70% of the kids do; its a hipster thing. But those of us in the sciences, hardly any of us smoke." So what is the reality? Again I am not talking about weed, which I assume a lot of kids do occasionally. I am talking about plain old cancer causing cigarettes.

nastynate0315

does it really matter?

heyalb

It's a concern of mine as well, morvoren. OTOH, a lot of kids do a lot of stupid things at a lot of colleges. Bard has a 'rep', but I think it's no more than that.

The real question is....do they inhale?

morvoren

If it's the thing that everyone does, then it's harder not to do it. My son doesn't smoke cigarerettes, although he does the occasional toke and drinks some alcohol now and then, but a culture of smoking is different than some kids do and some kids don't, so that's why I wondered.

Proud Dad

I see a lot of young smokers at every school. My daughter at Bard is not a smoker, her friends there don't smoke, and there are "substance-free" dorms that don't allow any kind of smoking. I've never heard her complain about it as a pervasive problem. But still, sometimes the butts stack up outside the buildings. It might have been cool for these Hipsters once but now, like everyone, it's an addiction. And a fairly expensive one. I doubt it's any worse at Bard than elsewhere and I'm familiar with other LACs where there's more smoking that I'd like to see. It's not really so different than the same problem in the workplace.

In short, I wouldn't let that one of many Bard stereotypes bother you if the rest of what is so good about the school intrigues you. Even the food isn't that bad, but I don't have to eat it every day!

stradmom

Neither my daughter, nor her roommate, both first years, smoke. In fact, she was very worried about the Bard stereotypes before attending, but has discovered that there are plenty of people who don't fall into those categories.

Except for McCain supporters. She couldn't find any of those on campus.

gobackto2005

haha, indeed, bardians are lefties. I heard the election rate was 10:1(or maybe 10:0? not sure, but apparently Bard is full of lefties)

I think visiting bard would be a good idea to test stereotypes.

Proud Dad

Well sure, but then you didn't have to be a "leftie" to vote for Obama in this election. Unless "leftie" on CC means anything left of the Far Right!

Ackpoor

I will agree that smoking is not good for you, however, smoking is hard to escape at any college along with other insidious drugs. Bard is an "artsy" "hipster" environment and also a very demanding environment academically. Smoking is abused to open of the synapse for clear thinking, helps relieve stress around exam time, and provides an alternative to excessive eating (when I passed by the theatre and dance building I saw tons of dancers in their leggings and leg warmers smoking cigarettes in order to maintain their slender bodies, despite the demanding athleticism and resperatory stress that is involved with the art form)

In short, college is about experimentation. It is partially for sheltered students to experience new things, habbits, people, cultures and many other things. Although I have not attended college yet, I believe that the college education goes beyond books and pens. That college is about being immersed in a culture of fascinating people who have different outlooks on life and opens ones eyes to new things. Honestly, if you are a strong person, you will escape smoking easily and find it not so burdensome. You will be able to rise above peer pressure and explore individuality as a student. This is not high school, it is time to test your limits as an INDIVIDUAL. Don't follow the crowd, don't fight the crowd.

Proud Dad

That's a bunch of cr*p! You're glamorize smoking more than Lauren Bacall ever did. It does no such thing for your synapses. It has nothing to do with individuality, culture, or opening your eyes. It's peer pressure initially and physical addiction thereafter. How anyone can even start given all the evidence of the debilitating consequences and expense is beyond me. But then I've often felt college is wasted on the young. Is there too much smoking at Bard? Probably. Is it any different than any other LAC? Probably not. Just don't smoke, period. And if your friends smoke, help them quit. That's really all that need be said on the topic. Don't make excuses for it as having ANY beneficial side effects. There aren't any benefits to smoking unless your name is Philip Morris.

Ackpoor

I'm not "glamorizing" smoking. I'm drawing a conclusion as to "why" people might partake in a detrimental habit as such. If you read my statement correctly, you would see that I am criticizing the habit as opposed to supporting it. In life, teenagers, such as myself, are going to be faced with peer pressure situations and I think it is healthy for students in college to experience them. Students need to face problems independently as opposed to having their "proud parents" shelter them from this world of peer pressure and tell them not to. Once your kid goes to college, your control is lost over that individual. I can say that because I had the patience to save up for college financially without my parents help. It is THEIR experience and when they come across an issue such as smoking, THEY have to be able to stand up for themselves and say "no" without their parents help.

Oh, regarding the "period" comment, this is a BLOG not an English class. I can write in a messy manner, a fast manner, I can make mispellings... I can do what ever I want. In reality, I have great grammer and writing skills ( I got a 740 on my writing SAT) but I do not need to showcase that on a BLOG.

Proud Dad

Thanks for the parenting lesson.

You wrote three excuses for using tobacco that implied it provided some benefit. Just because you called it "abuse" doesn't lessen the impact of implying it had any benefit at all. There is no excuse for smoking other than that it's addictive. No benefit. No excuse.

I didn't have to force my opinions or values on my kids. They're smart enough to figure it out for themselves. There's nothing I sheltered my kids from other than the experience of growing up in a polluted city. This thread is about smoking at Bard, not about how I raise my kids or how well you test. You assume I'm controlling my kids' lives simply because they don't smoke and I don't either. You're arguing for an independence my kids have always had. What you seem to not grok is the concept of teaching by example.

Only a 740? Couldn't get that "synapse" open for "clear thinking"? How do you expect to compete in college?
Remember, your written communication is always critiqued, even if no one does it to your face. You might want to try lightening up with your attitude here or you may find college a rough road for you——even at Bard.
No charge for the free advice. I wish you all the best.

gobackto2005

I've no opinion about smoking. I'm neutralism lol. But smoking or not individually depends. college is where you have a choice. I dont smoke neither do all my family members. For no offence, as considering about health problem of 2nd hand smoking, i might request smokers politely to smoke elsewhere.

foolishpleasure

Yes, college is a time and place where kids experiment, but, it if 70% of the student body is smoking, there is probably more pressure (even subtle pressure) to smoke than on a campus where only 30% of the students smoke.

And, if 70% are smokers, 30% are not, so of course there are plenty of kids on campus who don't smoke. But that doesn't invalidate the 70% figue or render the "stereotype" inaccurate.

ColdWind

Re: Post #2: It may not matter to anybody named "nasty" anything, but it matters a lot to many.