I graduated from Holy Cross in '92. I can tell you what it was like then, though I’m sure it has evolved. HC is like a smaller, liberal arts version of Boston College, with a more intimate, community feel to it and a bit more focus on academics. Sports are big, but not overwhelming. The administration is also a making a big push in the arts. In general, I found it to be a balanced and supportive environment with a focus on cultivating the “whole person”. There certainly was plenty of drinking in my day, but I think that may have changed a bit as well. I know there is a substance free dorm, and there is a strong emphasis on providing plenty of activities to keep people busy. Worcester is not Boston, or Chestnut Hill, but it has its charms. It’s a post-industrial city and still working to find its niche in the 21st century. But it is very central to everything New England has to offer - Boston, the Cape, the Berkshires, skiing in NH and VT, and certainly better than being out in the boonies, in my opinion. Here’s a great article from the New York Times on the strides that Worcester has been making lately: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/07/realestate/commercial/long-a-college-town-worcester-now-looks-the-part.html?_r=0
I greatly enjoyed my time at HC and strongly recommend it to others. Hope this helps!