When I asked my sister about chem-free living, she suggested that I apply to live in whichever dorm had the best housing. I told her I didn’t think that was how the housing lottery really worked, and she said, “Chem-free dorms are a real thing at Bowdoin? It wasn’t at my school. You should figure that out. I mean, it might be really lame.”
Solid advice.
My brother pretty much said the same thing: find out which dorm is the most fun and live there. He expressed serious doubts that chem-free living would be the “fun” option.
“Then again,” he said, “I’ve always lived in chem-free housing. It’s better to study there, and it’s cleaner because people don’t party in those dorms. But I’ve never really had a hard time with going out and having fun, while you’re more of a ‘let the fun come to me’ kind of person. I might think about it a little harder if I were you.”
What can I say? I do think I’m a go-getter when it comes to fun, but that’s not really the point. The reality is that they got me thinking. Will so much of my college experience really be determined by checking one box or the other? Living in one place, designated “chemical-free,” instead of another? And will people really think differently of me for doing so?
I ultimately decided to go with my gut – choosing to live chem-free. I figured we’re all on the same campus after all. If it was true that the dorms are cleaner and quieter, I was going to stick to the clean, quiet ones. Also, I can’t deny that I was a little intimidated by the idea that wild college parties could take place on the other side of the wall, or even in my own room.
The truth is that living chem-free doesn’t really feel that different. It can be strange to think that so many people attach such a strong stigma to chem-free living. Just a few days ago, I decided to ask around campus about students’ opinions of people in chem-free housing. Terms like “serious” and “studious” were thrown around. But so were “socially awkward” and “boring.”
When I think my experience with chem-free housing so far, I think of my tight-knit group of housemates. We all get along so well, and I’m sure we would be quick to say we’re pleased with our choice, more than anything because it brought us together. I’ve made great friends and couldn’t be happier. I don’t have any trouble finding fun things to do or parties to go to, and I never worry that people think I’m boring – those are the kinds of generalizations that fall apart once people actually meet one another. However, when I contemplate the idea of chem-free housing, I do remember what it’s like to be an incoming student, worried about whether we’re sacrificing fun and social life for comfort and safety. It’s so difficult to know what to expect as an incoming student, and I wonder if there’s anything our school can do to make that decision a little easier.