<p>MomofNEA—
As Saugus said, if your son doesn’t want to drink, he doesn’t have to. He will find other people who prefer not to drink as well, this is a large school and all types of people come here. Some like to party, some don’t. Facts of life.</p>
<p>That said, I think Saugus needs to realize that life in college is very different from life in high school. </p>
<p>For one thing, to say that there isn’t much to do at parties is kind of ridiculous. No there are not “activities and games” like when you’re parents plan your birthday parties. We are in college. You go to a party and you talk and you mingle and you meet new people and dance. Oh and scratch that, there are games. Yes, they’re drinking games, but I know several people who don’t drink and just play pong with their half of the cups filled with soda. I myself have done that, when I don’t feel like drinking…</p>
<p>Also, the traditional stereotypes of who drinks and who doesn’t and who parties and who doesn’t and who’s cool and who’s not that often relate to high school don’t necessarily apply in college, especially at Cornell. </p>
<p>Most people who go to this school worked hard to get here, i.e. a lot of people here probably didn’t party much in high school. But now they’re here, and they want to. There’s nothing wrong with that. A lot of it is because that barrier that used to exist in high school, where everyone who partied didn’t care about school, doesn’t exist anymore. Nearly everyone here wants to do well in school. The “partiers” you speak of just know how to manage their time the way that best fits their needs. One of my friends is in a frat, goes out every weekend, is pre-med, a double major, and has a 3.9. It can be done, if you want to do it. (Sleep is questionable)</p>
<p>There’s also totally nothing wrong with not wanting to party, but that’s just down to personality–like whether you feel the need to let loose/destress by going to a crazy dance party or you’re the type that’d rather do so by staying home and watching a movie. But I do have to point out that I know a good few people who don’t drink or didn’t drink freshman year but still went out and had fun and met new people.</p>
<p>From my experience, most people here like a combination of both (or at least realize they do after freshman year). I mean take me for instance. Last weekend, it was Homecoming. On Friday, I stayed in studio and worked all evening and then watched a movie. Saturday, I started my morning having mimosas with my friends, went tailgating, went to the game, went to a party, went to Avicii–I basically went all out and had a great time! Sunday, I went to the farmers market with my friends, went grocery shopping, and did some work. I think that’s a pretty balanced weekend…</p>
<p>p.s. I didn’t drink in high school either</p>