Escaping the Sub-Free Stigma

CurseItToHades
Sat, 16 Apr 2011 19:58:19 +0000

I came to college as a casual drinker and occasional smoker of both weed and cigarettes. However, when filling out my housing form, I asked to be in sub-free because I figured I would want a quiet place to come back to after partying elsewhere. However, I did not realize several things:

1) My school intends for the people in your hall to be your main friend group. While I am very fond of all my hallmates, only a few of them are not sub-free themselves. Because all of the sub-optional people have formed tight groups with their own hallmates, it is hard to find people with whom to get up to not-so-wholesome activities.

2) Even if you are not a sub-free person, you are judged just for being in sub-free housing. This association has severely stunted the social life I expected to have outside my hall.

3) While the sub-free halls themselves are quiet, the surrounding halls are not.

I am going to be a sophomore in the fall and will no longer be living in sub-free (never ever again), but I am worried that I have diminished my chances of finding a stable friend group, as everyone has already gotten really cliquey. I have a couple of good friends, but I feel like I’ve barely gotten to know anybody over the past school year. I’d really like to meet some like-minded people, but I can’t seem to even figure out who they are. What are some good ways that I can put myself out there in the future and shake off the sub-free stigma?