North Carolina State University at Raleigh Top Questions

In college, although academics come first, having a social life is very important. Greek life is a large part of our campus, but it doesn't necessarily run things. If you aren't in a fraternity or sorority, it doesn't mean you won't be able to socialize just as often. There's almost always a party, except during exams. You just have to find your balance of how much partying you can take. You'll learn that you don't have to go to every party. If you need to stay in your room or the library that night to study, don't go party. That's the number one thing some college students tend to forget. If you like going out, but prefer not to drink, don't feel pressured. In college, people aren't concerned about you & what you're doing and the majority of people won't try to make you drink. However, if you would rather not go to a party where there is drinking, there are plenty of people who like to just hang out back at the dorms or go to a movie or the mall.

I'll tell one of the greatest things about NCSU is the intramural sports program. From what I've heard its one of the best that any colleges have to offer but since I dont have any personal experience to compare with... But, it is pretty awesome, they really seem to have their stuff together.

There are sooooooo many activities to get involved in. Christian organizations, greek life is huge, guest speakers. People party a lot, but it all depends on who you want to be. Not everyone goes out at night, and that is true for any college.

The most popular: groups: WITH,STAT,Alumini Association Student Ambassadors organizations: STAT, SG teams: Football,Basketball,Baseball I'm involved with Black Finesse Modeling Troupe (BFMT), a competive modeling troupe on campus that participate in neighboring competitions. Founded on May 24, 1994,Black Finesse's mission is to promote positive images of African Americans on campus by using techniques of modeling. It's dedicated to increasing its members' poise, personality, and confidence. As a member of Black Finesse, you are not only a model. You're part of a team, a family. BFMT brings more to the stage than common runway walking. Students usually always leave their doors open. Being an ACC school, athletic events are extremely important. If I'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I'm most likely at the library studying for my 8am class. Traditions that happen each year are: Taste of NC State, Homecoming Parade, Wear Red, Get Fed, Native American Pow Wow, Pan-Afrikan Festival, Wolfpack Welcome Week, Shack-A-Thon, Red Bell Tower(where the bell tower is lit upred, when we win games), and Ultimate All-Night Bash. People party Wed-Sun. It all depends on the person; greek life can be very important. Last weekend I went to a pool party. On a Saturday, there's always a house party, themed club event, or just the movies (Campus Theatre) to go to, in which you don't have to drink.

There are sororities and fraternities, but they're not too big of a deal at NCSU. Football games are usually sold out, very rowdy and fun. There seem to be guest speakers every week for my major, not sure about all the others... There's always multiple parties going on on Friday and Saturday nights in each apartment complex off campus, and it's not uncommon for people to party in the middle of the week too. I heard that people leave their dorm rooms open, never stayed in the dorms myself...

I'm in the NCSU marching band as well as pep band. Although it's a time consuming activity and it is, at times, physically exhausting, being in the band has been my best college experience so far. The friends I made in band are now what I consider my family. I met well over 100 people simply through band, which really helped me as a freshman to feel welcome in college. Athletic events are really popular at NC State, because there are so many people with many different athletic interests, so there are always crowds at every event. The best campus traditions are the Krispy Kreme Challenge, where you run 4 miles and eat 10 donuts for charity, the Ram Roast, a "tribute" to our hated Tarheel neighbors, and the Big Event, where the school rallies in support of our men's basketball team as they play Duke away from home. Partying at NCSU is also very big. The party scene is massive, with parties taking place on weekends almost everywhere imaginable. Almost everyone I know attends parties every weekend. Although the party scene is big, drinking is not mandatory. I do not drink and yet I still attend parties with my close friends, because they respect my moral decisions and do not pressure me.

People party every day of the week. There's something going on every night if you know where to look. Almost everyone goes to football games. They're tons of fun, and now that they're easing up on tailgating restrictions, that's getting much better. The Hillsborough Hike happens on the last friday of classes every semester. The goal is for students and alumni 21 and up to start at one end of Hillsborough street and end at the other, having one drink at each bar. Nobody makes it the whole way, but you see everyone you've ever met before and have a great night before finals start.

I am not sure if there are any "popular" organizations on campus. It is too large to have something that is popular. I lived in a suite-style dorm my first year. To tell the truth suite style is like gambling. If you get good suitemates you will have the best time of your life. If not, it is a very awkward situation. I was not lucky enough to have many good suitemates and am choosing to live on a hall next year. Athletic events are really popular. I meet my closest friends in my suite, engineering classes, and through other friends. There is always a party to go to. On Saturday nights I usually hang out with my friends at the movies, go shopping, or go out dancing.

In hall style dorms, almost everyone leaves the door open. Suite styles are not quite as welcoming, but are still usually welcoming to people. Our athletic events are very popular, even when the team is doing poorly. NCSU has a lot of guys... unless you're in humanities or liberal arts, there won't really be too many women. Meredith college and St Mary's (two women-only colleges) are more relevant to our dating scene for some people. There isn't any established music scene, though you can find any different group you want. If I'm awake at 2 am, which I usually am, I'm probably going to be hanging out at friend's dorm room.

The most popular organizations are STAT (Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow), all Greek life is very popular, the club sports are popular, there are tons of clubs who a couple of times each year set up booths on the brickyard to get people to join. Pretty much anything that you're interested in, there is a club for it. I am a sister in the Alpha Kappa chapter of Chi Omega. It was the best decision I ever made to rush a sorority. I would never have seen myself becoming a sorority girl, to be honest I have no idea what compelled me to rush, but I would absolutely encourage every person to try to join greek life, no matter what "social group" they think they're in. 99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the stereotypes about greek life are completely inaccurate, but it's difficult to explain that to people who are not involved in greek life because they can never know how amazing it is if they are not involved. Some students leave their doors not only unlocked, but wide open, even when they're not there, and then there are students like me who lock it even when I'm in the room with other people. It is just a matter of how comfortable people are. However, I would say that my overprotectiveness is not really necessary, there have never been any breakins to the dorms or any people there who should not have been. The athletic events are incredibly popular, students sign up for tickets as soon as they're available and the games completely consume the campus. There is a movie theater on campus right down the street from my dorm that is incredibly popular as well. I'm not sure about the dating scene because I have a boyfriend that I started dating years ago, so I'm not involved in that scene. My closest friends are my roommate, and then the others are just girls down the hall that I got to know just by close proximity. If I'm up at 2am on a Tuesday I am either at a party or up studying late with my girls in my room or the study lounge down the hall from my dorm room. A big tradition each year is homecoming, there is a whole week of festivities and it's a ton of fun, and Greek Week is a big deal with all of greek life. There are competitions and cookouts and it brings all the greeks together in a great atmosphere. The partying is subjective to each person. Its kind of like its available if you want it, but its not pushed on you if you don't want it. Greek life is incredibly important from my perspective. We, as greeks, provide some of the best philanthropic opportunities on campus, we get students involved, we make students aware of important issues on campus like voting for the student government. NCSU would not be nearly the same school without the involvement of our great greek life. Last weekend I went to a party close to campus Friday night, had an all day greek event Saturday, went out for one of my sisters birthdays Saturday night, and went to church on Sunday. On Saturday nights there is always the option to go to parties and not drink, it's not like you're going to be hassled if you don't drink, and if you feel weird not holding something to sip on, have a cup of water or soda in your hand, it's not like you're going to be treated as some weirdo for not drinking. You can always go to the campus cinema which plays great movies all the time, you can go out to some restaurants near campus, or go bowling. There are places to ice skate near campus and a lot of students spend their whole nights just walking around their dorm buildings meeting people which is a lot of fun as well. Off campus I have a lot of friends to hang out with since I grew up in this area, but for people who didn't grow up here there are restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, skating parks, parks to run in and paddle boat in, gyms to work out it, great movie theaters and pool halls, there is a ton of stuff to do off campus.