<p>The CS department is very good, so I’m sure you’ll have a good experience with that. </p>
<p>For scenery, the Olympic Peninsula is fabulous, also Mount Rainier and Mt. St. Helens. Just taking a ferry ride through the San Juan Islands is gorgeous, but if you have time to spend in the islands or in Victoria BC (Vancouver Island), it will be worthwhile. Vancouver BC, on the mainland, is a vibrant city with a lot of Asian culture. </p>
<p>Alcohol is not sold on campus. The drinking age here is 21, and if you bring alcohol on-campus and are not of age it is a pretty serious infraction.</p>
<p>The fraternities have big houses just off campus and are throw large parties on the weekends – I don’t know how open they are for non-members to get in. I understand that alcohol is consumed there, especially beer :)</p>
<p>As for student union activities, I think they run more to movies, concerts, etc. I suggest that your classmates would be your best resource for social activities, also any clubs you might join. Perhaps there’s an exchange student club? Or a skiing club? Here’s a link to the Student Activities Office <a href=“Student Activities | The HUB”>Student Activities | The HUB, and here’s a link to the Climbing Club, which seems to do a lot of skiing in the winter <a href=“http://students.washington.edu/climb/faq.php[/url]”>http://students.washington.edu/climb/faq.php</a>. Oh, and here’s a nice overview of the various ski areas <a href=“http://www.int.washington.edu/skiing.html[/url]”>http://www.int.washington.edu/skiing.html</a>. If it were me, I don’t think I’d get a season pass, but take the opportunity to go to several different places, and have the flexibility to go with friends on their outings.</p>
<p>You should know that I’m not a student, but the parent of a student at UW, so I don’t have quite the perspective you are hoping for. And my son isn’t a partier, more into gaming.</p>
<p>Where will you be staying?</p>