“Alternative social spaces” — one of the more overused and under-realized phrases on this campus. Its connotations have become so entangled with various criticisms of Greek life, alcohol policies and residential life that its meaning has only become more ambiguous. Yet many students seem broadly dissatisfied with the current venues in which one can interact, converse and drink with friends. In light of the recent hard alcohol ban and increasing administrative oversight of Greek organizations, the future of social spaces appears particularly uncertain. I support College-sponsored spaces and events such as Sarner Underground, Collis After Dark and BarHop with enthusiasm and am convinced that those areas are becoming more reliable social spaces. I think, however, there will always be a want and need for student-run scenes — something traditionally provided by fraternities. To me, the question is whether off-campus houses are a viable alternative for students looking for parties without alcohol restrictions.
In the past, it was incredibly simple to progress — or “frat hop” — from tails events or playing pong to the ceremonious break at Late Night Collis. Now, with the accumulation of administrative regulations, freshmen are nonexistent in Greek life for nearly a term and tails increasingly end up serving the same tired varieties of beer- and wine-based drinks. There is also the social phenomenon — which most regard with vague amusement — that consists of members of fraternities on probation storming a different fraternity every night to socialize or play pong.
Though some shifts in the social scene have been gradual, the most drastic is taking place this term. The hard alcohol ban has had the curious — though not altogether unpredictable — effect of driving some upperclassmen off campus to imbibe, where libations flow freely in the private homes not under the College’s jurisdiction. While many complain that such off-campus parties are more exclusive than Greek parties because of the limited number of people they can host as well as the individual invitations sent out, I argue that they offer new possibilities and benefits.
Since returning to campus, I have attended four house parties, though I was only personally invited to one. At these parties I encountered students of all class years and saw several students drawn from a wide variety of Greek houses. I also had the chance to meet several unaffiliated students in my own year who I had not met before — a phenomenon that I find increasingly unusual.
More importantly, these events gave complete power to a group of a generally eclectic group of students without any sort of selection or rushing process. As a woman in the Greek scene — where fraternities largely have the upper hand — I am faced with a situation where I don’t — and as a member of a national sorority will never — have the same freedom to host my own guests and events. On the other hand, at places like “Dollhouse,” “Loveshack,” “C-house” or any of several different off-campus houses, anyone has the potential to live and be in control. The Greek scene’s power dynamics of affiliation and gender, talk of holding table and arbitrary drinking skills fall to the wayside. Though it’s not entirely out of the question to ask about somebody’s potential affiliation, it matters much less, and without basements full of pong tables it’s more natural to have more invested conversations and include more people. Off-campus houses also have personalities distinct from one another. They have micro-cultures that are fostered by current residents and the legacies left by previous ones — something that makes these gatherings all the more engaging.
These homes provide a unique social environment that is largely undiscovered by many students. Obviously, with the nascent effects of the hard alcohol ban on Greek life and the overall social scene, it is hard to predict how the role and nature of off-campus parties will change. That, however, is precisely why I would encourage students to seize the opportunity to explore off-campus homes and parties as a venue for social and cultural discussion. Without any institutional governance, off-campus houses offer students the chance to directly influence social life. While I can only speak to my own personal experience — and recognize that it is not universal — I am confident that the potential for both vibrant and alternative social spaces may rest in off-campus homes.
