<p>I’m pretty sure NYU is ultra-liberal and only you can decide whether that may or may not be a problem. It sounds like you’d rather go to Lafayette; why would you want to go to a school where you feel extremely uncomfortable and anxious amongst the students? But I think being exposed to a different social context such as NYU’s might be very good for you too and encourage growth; you never know if how you feel now will be the way you feel even a year or two in the future. After all, you go to college to learn and experience the new; how can you do that if you’re reluctant to interact with those different than you?</p>
<p>Either way you can’t go wrong and I’m sure you’ll be fine wherever you go! If it makes you feel any better, I’m 80-90% sure I’ll go to NYU and I certainly don’t plan on smoking pot and drinking every weekend in my dorm (I don’t smoke or drink but wouldn’t necessarily call myself ‘straightedge’, labels are for soup cans, blah blah blah). I’d say I lean liberal in the social political spectrum (although economically I’m pretty conservative) but I would never shove my beliefs down anybody’s throat (so long as no one tried to do it to me).</p>
<p>I know there are church groups you can join as I know several who are involved in them and whatnot and there is substance-free housing available if you’re that adamant about the straightedge thing (which I might even consider myself, just because I feel that it would help maintain my focus academically).</p>