denaaa

I've been accepted to Carnegie Mellon and I've pretty much decided that that's where I'm going to go. The only thing I'm worried about is what I hear to be the lack of a social scene. Having avoided applying to schools like MIT and Caltech like the plague for that very reason, I'm a little nervous that I'll find myself surrounded by people who think that playing dungeons and dragons on a Friday night is the definition of a fun time. I don't hold anything against these type of people at all, but that's not the atmosphere I would like to find myself in. Does anyone feel the same way? Does anyone actually party at Carnegie Mellon?

RacinReaver

It's not hard to find people that like to go out and party on a Friday night if that's what you want to do. Likewise, it's also not that hard to find a bunch of people that just like to hang out and play video games, play some sport, or do pretty much anything else you can think of.

Most of the ultra-nerdy people tend to faction off early on and you'll only see them when they come home to sleep after hanging out in the clusters for the past three days.

blazed

yeah, is there a drug scene at all? can i get weed if i want it?

denaaa

for our sake I hope so =)

RacinReaver

I can't imagine you'd have a hard time finding some, and I don't think campus police come down too hard on it, since there used to be this group of kids that would smoke under the fire escape outside of my room and it wound tend to drift into my room.

denaaa

Well I suppose thats good news. I'm still pretty worried about having fun. I'm definitely not going to college for the purpose of partying, but I do like fun, and I'm just hoping that Carnegie Mellon's reputation is an exaggeration. And I'm sorry you had to deal with the smoke, for people who don't smoke it tends to be unpleasant. Also, is Carnegie at all strict about things like hookah in the dorms?

blazed

Yeah... sorry to hear you had to deal with that. See, I don't mind that not everyone smokes. In fact, at a school like CMU I expect most people don't, and that's totally cool.
I'm just as much a nerd as any of you. Hell, I'm going into SCS. But I do like to chill with a nice bowl on the weekends, you know.

stormgren

at least it's not like the rumors i hear of Uchicago. "The only lights on on Saturday nights are in the library."

denaaa

Yea, I've heard awful things about U of Chicago. Obviously an amazing education, but at the price of going to a college "where fun goes to die".

denaaa

Blazed, in the same exact situation. Going to SCS, hoping to work on weekdays, and relax on weekends. And also somehow overcome the fact that as a girl I'm going to be a severe minority.

KrazyKow

It's not uncommon to see people smoking hookah outside in the spring or fall when the weather is nice.

RacinReaver

I don't imagine you're allowed to smoke a hookah inside of dorms (much as you can't even burn a tea candle), but I don't ever recall any problems with people using them outside so long as they were using tobacco.

Also, don't count on having both days of the weekend off. You'll usually have to sacrifice either Saturday or Sunday to doing homework, though if you're good about doing work during the day you'll be able to have fun Friday and Saturday nights.

denaaa

Too bad Pittsburgh is almost always cold.

denaaa

Thanks for the info =)
And I totally expect to study on weekends also. I wouldn't be going to Carnegie if I didn't. I just hope that I'll have time (and find the people) to do other things.

AdamM412

I am not a student at CMU but I do live in pittsburgh. I was there tonight for a free concert (The Roots) and I will let you know, there was plenty of weed around.

Side note, you do have the students who go to Pitt less than half a mile away, and there are plenty of parties to be had. don't worry, you will be in a college area where thursday/friday/saturday nights can easily be spent drinking or smoking.