First year at University of Western Ontario for Economics (possibly HBA degree). So far it's been good but I feel disillusioned with institutions. I enjoyed high school, made friends, did well academically but I don't have that "high school spirit", I don't proudly rep my highschool. Same deal with University (Though I'm feeling a bit more academic challenge, which I'm enjoying). The party scene is great but the work load means you either party or you study, which is unfortunate. My residence has a national reputation for being crazy (It's called the Zoo, it's a main reason Western made Playboy's top 4 party schools) so they're cracking down on us. Couple that with expensive alcohol in Canada, stepped up police patrols in light of last years St. Patricks day Riot and they've really tying our hands when it comes to having those parties you tell your grandkids about. I've been looking at transfers to the US, does anyone here have experience with this?
Ah another Canadian here. I'm in my 3rd year at Queen's over in Kingston. The residences here are going through the same sort of thing after the Homecoming fiasco a few years ago (similar to Western St. Patties day riot last year). Do you feed like the crackdown is necessary or does it feel like they are treating everyone like children based on the actions of a few people?
I feel it's necessary, but that doesn't mean it's unfortunate. I can see why we have these rules on us, our floor has thousands of dollars in floor damage despite these rules and false fire alarms have been a huge problem for our building. So having real good parties becomes near impossible. I wouldn't mind, but due to the riot house parties also get shut down way to quickly. Even in all student neighborhoods where nobody complains they get busted up. So it's necessary but I feel like (as it's my first year at the infamous residence in this uni) that I've been cheated out of the experience But Queens has a little more going for it as Kingston is a bit more mature and it's right by the lake. If you're not partying in London there isn't a whole lot to do but hit the bars, and that's not really what the uni experience is supposed to be like, is it? What are you studying?
Yep that sounds like the general opinion i've heard from most Frosh I talked to last year. House parties don't get broken up here very often unless there are multiple noise complaints so it sucks that they are going after the off campus stuff too. I know I felt the same way going into first year, that college was going to be full of all these american pie-esque parties and the whole thing would be a crazy free for all with no authority outside of class. While there have been a few of those they don't make of the majority of my nights out. Looking back those crazy house parties were fun but not very memorable (and not just because of the beer). The most memorable parties I've been too here are small house parties with just our close friend group. We all know each other and we just have a great time without dealing with all the drama of bars and huge frat parties. So I guess what I'm saying is that even though right now you may feel cheated out of the "university experience", give it a year or two and I bet you'll have a much different idea of what that means. I'm studying Electrical Engineering, I'm taking a year off to do an internship at the moment but I'll be going back for my fourth year in September.