Looks like all Amherst students are on break and most new posts here haven’t gotten a response. I am a dad of accepted student for next year who will be choosing sub free, so I have no actual experience. That said, I have done a lot of reading and can summarize what I’ve read.
As far as your questions
==>do the dorms that aren’t sub-free get really nasty and are they noisy most of the time?
From one of the posts linked to below:
An indirect answer is that first year dorms aren’t going to be full of “nasty” parties as all first year dorms are dry, meaning alcohol is not allowed in any of the dorms. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, but it won’t be huge. Regarding the non first year dorms… you’ll have to hear from someone else.
==>what kind of people live in the sub-free dorms? Are they really conservative
This is going to be my theoretical answer until someone with experience responds…
First off, I don’t think you’re going to find a lot of conservatives at Amherst in general.
Also, I see no inherent reason why social or political view would be connected to one’s desire to get high. Perhaps, if it comes from a religious belief.
What I’ve read (and from my own college experience 40 years ago), drugs and alcohol become the glue and common experience for many. They make being social “easy.” Without drugs and alcohol, the connections have to be based on something else. You’re forced to relate in a sober state. This translates to having connections based on something else - hopefully something real and genuine. I don’t see why this would have any connection to being conservative.
Here are posts which discuss sub free and drinking
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/amherst-college/1108104-sub-free.html
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/amherst-college/175451-amherst-drinking-and-sub-free-dorms.html
http://acvoice.com/2013/09/28/the-deconstruction-of-first-year-sub-free-housing/
Good luck in figuring this out. Hopefully some students will chime in.