Colgate Activities!

shp06 · 10-01-2008, 09:51 AM

I'm a high school senior right now and I recently visited Colgate and I LOVED IT! However, I've heard that it is a big drinking school. I'm not expecting anyone to say it's not because I've heard too many times that it is, but if i don't drink (yet, at least) will I not fit in. I'm not the kind of girl that will sit there saying to the drinkers "you're all going to die" but I'm not the kind to chug it down either. If I'm not yet comfortable with the drinking scene will it be a big problem for me? Will people think I'm like weird and are there other kids like me (at least enough so that I wont be like in a minority)? Thanks!

gellino · 10-01-2008, 10:35 AM

From my observations, people come into Colgate with a wide range of prior drinking experience and coexist well and are not really at all judged by it or made to feel uncomfortable because of it. I certainly wouldn't concerned about that in considering applying to the school.

ticklemepink · 10-01-2008, 08:43 PM

No, we're cool and mature enough to know that drinking isn't for everyone and won't care what kind of liquid you have in your cup. Just beware that you could wind up taking care of the drunks or have to deal with their state-of-mind (like playing pool with someone who isn't exactly on her feet...

). On the bright side, if you get up early enough after a BIG party outside, you could grab a bag and collect the cans before a townie does!

There are other things to do like movies and occasional game nights. Most people, if not going out, just stay in with friends and watch movies.

Kate@Gate13 · 10-02-2008, 09:05 AM

Ya, I think it's actually many times culturally accepted not to drink; I think it makes others a little jealous that you are "mature enough" to say no.

there's also a LOT going on on-campus that is not drinking related, it sometimes just takes a little looking. For example, there are multiple student bands on campus, and they hold events like "battle of the bands" where their extra-curricular is a fun event for everyone. Another example would be the Overnight Peak Hike P.E. class that I lead this weekend up in the Adirondacks; I'm a staff member in Outdoor Education (an extra-curricular passion of mine) and it creates social opportunities (note, non-acoholic) for students to take part in.

Other events include weekly Trivia Night at the Colgate Inn (this is crazy popular, you have to arrive about 30minutes early to get your team a table), or open-mic night at the Barge Cafe where students and faculty give poetry readings, sing their newly written single, etc., $3 Midnight Movie showings (with a free slice of pizza!, or the totally free on-campus option: "Take-two" movies in Olin (last weekend they showed Sex And the City). Rare is a week when there is no accapella concert from any of our 4 accapella groups or a show by Chard Goosebeak, our improv group (started by the creators of Super Troopers). These are all weekly events, but I'd say almost every week there is a yearly event going on too. For example, last Friday was RelayForLife where students make teams of 6-15 friends and they always have someone walking around the track from 6pm-6am as a fundraiser for cancer research. It's an extremely popular, pretty much school-wide event.

Char4457 · 10-02-2008, 01:35 PM

What about substance-free housing for freshman? Do you think you'd be seen as a total outcast if you chose to live there? I think it would be nice to go out and party/whatever with people on the weekends but be able to go back to my nice quiet dorm to get work done.

ticklemepink · 10-03-2008, 01:52 PM

NO. There are people there who do still party and drink but probably at much lesser extent than other dorms.

Adaman · 10-03-2008, 04:51 PM

Yeah, I'm a freshman in East (the sub-free dorm). I think it's only 50% of the people here who actually signed up for substance-free, but the place is generally pretty quiet. A lot of people go out on Friday and Saturday nights and party, and then come back to a nice, clean, quiet dorm. There is sometimes drinking in East, but it's usually quiet. So, I highly recommend it.

Also, East is in a great location – right on the academic quad, meaning that most of your classes are very, very close.

Char4457 · 10-03-2008, 07:03 PM

thank you so much for the responses! That sounds like exactly what I'm looking for, not totally silent, study-bots, but able to have it nice and quiet if I want/need that!