<p>^^lol, yeah. But “no moral problems” makes it sound like I don’t think it’s bad, which I do.</p>
<p>^^ Got it.
Where’s JadeLi?</p>
<p>“Personally, I dont believe in vocally expressing such polarized opinoins such as the ones you quoted (partying is for idiots, etc), but I just feel that there’s plenty of ways to enjoy yourself without getting high or drunk.”
That’s my opinion as well.</p>
<p>Many top students at my school get drunk and smoke on the weekends. I don’t, because I have so much fun sober that I don’t see the point. I’m really happy with my life (not to sound completely idiotic), and while I don’t think that smoking pot -once- will ‘ruin my future,’ I just can’t think of any benefits to doing drugs. I would also feel angry with myself if I did… simply because -I- would know that I gave in to peer pressure.</p>
<p>On the other hand, what other people do is NOT my business. I don’t view a ‘pothead’ to be inferior to someone who has never smoked. As long as one of my good friends isn’t abusing drugs, I don’t really care (example: one of my friends occasionally drinks at parties. But, another one of my friends nearly died the first time that she drank. I had a long discussion with her; in this case, I intervened).</p>
<p>I could see why some might be offended that you, a “pothead-slacker” got into UCLA why straight-laced, extremely diligent students didn’t. But, end of story, you were admitted because you were superior to those other students. You did deserve it. Maybe you’ll have to adapt in college and study more… but I don’t think that you should be looked down upon, necessarily.</p>
<p>Wow, strange, I was thinking the exact same things and feeling the same way… and I also got into UCLA.</p>
<p>Not smoking or drinking has nothing to do with being smart or independant. It’s an attempt at elitism at best and being influenced too much by your parents at worse. In general I found that those who don’t smoke or drink to be the most boring, self absorbed, shy/timid people that I’ve met, just basing on my experience (not trying to judge anyone, do whatever you think is cool, but don’t judge me).</p>
<p>Smoking or drinking or partying has nothing to do with looking cool or trying be rebellious for most people. It’s about having fun. It’s about getting out of your house and not spending your weekends studying for the next AP test. </p>
<p>Thankfully though, most people who got into UCLA/UCBerkeley from my school drink and smoke… most of the really nerdy people ended up going to UC Davis or Irvine.</p>
<p>
That’s true, but there also ways to enjoy yourself high or drunk… so what’s your point? Also, it’s not like one or the other… it’s both. I can enjoy life with our without, I just chose to use.
This is pure elitism. All I read is: “I’m too good to do drugs or smoke. If I did that would mean I’m just as bad as those ~other~ kids.”
You don’t feel that people who are users are inferior, yet you find the activity abhorable? That’s like a guy saying that gay sex is disgusting but he doesn’t want to judge gay people… a good way of dodging the issue, but still makes you a homophobe and a hipocrite.
Why? Because the extremely diligent student thought he was better and more deserving because he didn’t drink or smoke? Perhaps it was time for that student to re-evaluate his priorities. Your whole last sentence is also elitism… you natually assume the student in question will have trouble in college because he smokes or drinks, as opposed to a student that doesn’t? Give me a break. Oh, and clever position of the word ‘necessarily’.</p>
<p>“Your whole last sentence is also elitism… you natually assume the student in question will have trouble in college because he smokes or drinks, as opposed to a student that doesn’t? Give me a break. Oh, and clever position of the word ‘necessarily’.”</p>
<p>Why do people get upset when they ask people why people are upset at them for being irresponsible? Smoking causes cancer. Teenagers smoking shows either 1) ignorance because they don’t know it causes cancer, 2) an immaturity in that they don’t care that it’s destroying their health.</p>
<p>This is sort of a one-sided argument. I think what the OP is saying is that people often don’t have the right balance of work and play. And after seeing some of what I’ve seen here, I agree. Sometimes people take themselves a little too seriously, and try to rationalize not going to parties and stuff by saying “it’s irresponsible and stupid”. Granted, I’m not condoning smoking pot and drinking in copious amounts, but at the same time, HAVE FUN. It doesn’t have to be by drinking or being a pothead, but you ONLY LIVE ONCE. Don’t let it be you who gets irritated because you’re the sanctimonious idiot who thinks that a kid didn’t deserve to get into a school because they “partied too much”. That sort of Elitism is frankly a little pathetic, who is judge why someone “DESERVES” to get in or not? I’m not accusing anyone who posted of anything, but that’s some food for thought. Besides, you don’t want this to be you, a pretentious, snobby, Victorian twat: </p>
<p>Student Body | Academics | Campus Life</p>
<p>What U. Chicago Students Say About…</p>
<p>Student Body
Typically “wonkish, nerdy, cloistered, extremely studious, and religiously dedicated to academic performance,” Chicago students are “brilliant, on par with those at any other school, but not the kind of people that you want to have a casual conversation with.” That is somewhat attributed to “personal hygiene and social skills [that] are sometimes lacking,” and partly because “we ask seemingly strange questions. This is only because, after a few years at Chicago, we only see questions in terms of ‘useful’ or ‘useless.’ Strange questions are often the most useful, and we eventually forget that normal people avoid asking the strange questions.” The school has attempted to recruit beyond its nerdish base, bringing in more students of the frat boy/jock variety. Most agree the efforts are counterproductive. One student writes, ** “Chicago has a reputation for its antisocial, elitist student body, but when it tries to change this reputation, it just erodes the reason for its greatness.” **</p>
<p>I’m not sure if the student was even aware of how pretentious they sounded when they said that.</p>
<p>LesOs didn’t say that smoking pot was abhorrent, just that she would never do it. And not liking someone’s actions that don’t relate to you doesn’t always mean you don’t like their personality. And also just because you decide that you don’t want to do something doesn’t mean that you look down on people who decide to. She did say that she was friends with those people.</p>
<p>I agree with LesOs in that I wouldn’t judge/interfere w/ friends who drink or smoke unless necessary (e.g. they’re about to die) but I wouldn’t get involved in those activities either. </p>
<p>I don’t look down on those people though—I would just think those people looked down on me. The whole idea of elitism in respect to people who smoke/drink seems to me like sort of a reverse racism thing. It just doesn’t happen that way often in my school. (Please don’t comment on the reverse racism comment. It might be a false analogy but I hope it gets my point through.)</p>
<p>Anyways, thank you for bringing your personal perspective on these forums, JadeLi. In a forum full of academically obsessive individuals (this includes me, heh), it’s greatly appreciated (especially for many of us who are cloistered from the rest of the kids).</p>
<p>Anyways, a lot of the students at top universities do drink (I’m not quite sure about smoking though). Personally, I have nothing wrong with those who drink or smoke, but it often seems like the student who does drink/smoke has personality characteristics that I would find undesirable (malleability with respect to peer pressure). Also, many of them seem to enjoy drugs more than other tasks. I’ve never encountered social pressure to drink/smoke since I’m isolated but I have positive feelings towards drugs (we’re learning a lot about the brain due to LSD/marijuana experiments - and found a new type of receptor - perhaps indirectly as an influence of those drugs). Personally though, I’m sticking with drugs that help me study.</p>
<p>Don’t elite students party as well though? They go to prom, for one thing. Most of them do seem to do things other than study all day.</p>
<p>^^ People who use those types of drugs also get stigmatized though but the opposite way.</p>
<p>
What ways do you see it as? A lot of people who use those drugs are also seen as partiers as well - and then pull all-nighters to finish essays. Many high-achieving kids pride themselves on hard work and intelligence though, so they don’t like kids who use modafinil or Adderall.</p>
<p>Hang on a second.</p>
<p>What’s wrong with having a beer once in a while or enjoying a cigar (or, goodness forbid, something less legal if that’s your thing [never have, never will])?</p>
<p>Plenty of “smart” people drink, guys. I’ve been to more cocktail parties than I can count, and I guarantee that they were full of VERY smart people. I even went out last month and had a few beers with a professor whose degrees were from Harvard.</p>
<p>Seriously, you should talk to the people at my girlfriend’s lab. Some of them are the hardest working people I know (one’s going to UCSF and the other to Yale for med school this year), and yet they love margarita Monday’s at Acapulco because it’s a chance to unwind.</p>
<p>I think maybe this is something you just have to learn with age…</p>
<p>True, InquilineKea. It can go both ways.</p>
<p>“Why? The “AP” kids look down on me. It’s obvious that I drink and party, and they hate me for it.”</p>
<p>all i can say to JADELI is ammmmeeeen!!! my biggest pet peeve in high school were the people who think they are smarter than you becuase they have no life whatsoever. its like yeah im smart AND i have fun on the weekends. i hate when people people look down on me because i dont fit the typical “lets study 23.5 hrs a day” stereotype for people who do well in school. im sorry i like to party on the weekends and chill with my friends a lot, get over it. it doesnt make me any less intelligent.</p>
<p>Yet you are under-age? (Depending on the state…)</p>
<p>ktcv , i think you completely misunderstood the point of what everyone’s saying here</p>
<p>What most of us are arguing here is that you DONT necessarily need drugs and alcohol to have a “good time” in college. Most people (and rightly , i feel) consider taking drugs to show a certain…weakness and willingness to conform to peer pressure, and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol irresponsible and just as an escape mechanism (note: drinking one beer or downing 1 shot doesn’t make you a miscreant, but it’s just chugging down beer after beer or playing “beer pong” that’s just…lame). I still manage to have a great time with my friends just dicking around, watching movies, etc etc.</p>
<p>College is a different story. I thought we were talking AP-kids which means high school, which means typically under 18 which means under-age (especially if the drinking age is 21).</p>
<p>The OP also mentioned “drugs” and weed, which is yet another different story. Remember kids, more and more employers are doing drug-tests to get a job these days.</p>
<p>Yes, and that is especially important if you want to do government work (where it’s a big no no.)</p>
<p>But the idea that drinking, in and of itself, is a bad thing strikes me as somewhat silly.</p>
<p>^^ as i’ve said… “(note: drinking one beer or downing 1 shot doesn’t make you a miscreant, but it’s just chugging down beer after beer or playing “beer pong” that’s just…lame).”</p>
<p>…beer pong can actually be pretty fun if you do it with friends. Just don’t do it with people who are way better than you. </p>
<p>The best drinking game, however, is taking a drink every time Jack Bauer says “damn” on 24. It lasts about 10 minutes. Then everyone is pretty much sloshed. Hahah.</p>