The Orbis

Let's just say that pretty early on I could see the polo shirts and white caps were not for me and following them on a Saturday night only confirmed what I already knew- Natty Light tasted like utter crap and I could get it without having to watch fifty girls getting coerced into God-knows-what. Wandering around Kensington Place and 24th Ave North, the alienation only loomed larger as more and more unruly drunk people emerged in the night.

It was only in venturing out towards Alumni Lawn that I heard conversation, laughter, and the promise of something new, which seemed very refreshing after the smoke-and-mirrors corridors of the frats. I had discovered a different way of life at Vanderbilt- a welcoming culture, one of acceptance, one that lay practically within earshot of Frat Row but seemed to be miles away. I had found a party where I didn't have to beg or have breasts to get a beer, where the pipe was passed to me with open arms. Rather than feeling like I had to prove myself by who I was wearing or what I was dancing with, my hosts proved themselves to me through their generosity and open-mindedness. There was no unnecessarily loud music begging to be heard by those walking by or bright, flashing lights trying to distract you from what was really going on.

Drugs are not, however, a gateway to friendship and no high will ever replace insecurities brought on by the dance floor, nor are they the answer if they in fact could. All I'm saying is that given the choice between conversations with the guy passing me the pipe or the guy passing me the beer bong, the smart money, and certainly the more interesting conversation are on the pipe.

Natty Light culture and drug culture really share so much- hedonism, an escape from the grind of classes, large followings but the attitudes and levels of tolerance are miles apart. Rather than encouraging people to line up like dominos in an inevitably doomed queue, Vanderbilt's drug culture exudes comfort, and most importantly, harbors individuality that would otherwise be lost in a sea of NorthFacePatagoniaPolo "fun."

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