For years, the only shots Mark Pike ever took were as a player on his high school soccer team. But that hasn't prevented the sophomore, a Wayne Manor resident, from being written up for alcohol violations twice. That's because Pike, an extremely moderate drinker who abstained from alcohol for most of his freshman year, was twice caught sober in a room with boozing freshmen.
"The first time, the dean just took me off the list of people being reprimanded," recalled Pike. "But the second time, I had to go and talk with him so he could make sure I was a clean kid. People had to vouch for me, saying, OMark Pike, he takes shots of water, not vodka.'"
Pike, like a growing number of Duke students, didn't drink alcohol in high school, and while he does drink occasionally now, it is never to get drunk. "Duke winning the National Championship was a nice introduction into the world of alcohol," he said. "But since then, I'd still call myself a non-drinker. I'm still very inexperienced."
Pike's decision may be indicative of a national trend. According to a 1999 study by the Harvard School of Public Health, which surveyed 14,000 students at over 100 colleges and universities, 19 percent abstain from alcohol. Only 15.4 percent said they abstained when the HSPH conducted a similar survey in 1993.
Like many non-drinkers on campus, Pike's choice is not a religious one. "I've never really had an epiphany where I said to myself, OI'm not going to drink from now on.' It was just a value I've always had."
Despite the University's reputation as a fraternity-dominated institution with a heavy drinking population, it is a value a significant minority of students share. After the success of the establishment of Epworth as a substance-free dormitory on East Campus in 1998, the University designated a substance-free dorm on West Campus this year.
Freshman Dave Lewis decided he would opt for substance-free housing at Duke after an encounter with police in high school. "All the guys on my floor are awesome," he said. "I think we feed off each other. I don't drink, my roommate doesn't drink, the guy down the hall doesn't drink. Since no one else is doing it, we don't feel pressure to do it."
Other students, such as freshman Kevin Krauth, decided to take advantage of substance-free housing for religious reasons. Krauth began drinking heavily in seventh grade, and eventually experimented with marijuana, codeine and Vicodin. "By sophomore year, everything had gotten old to me," he said. "Marijuana wasn't doing it, and alcohol was kind of passé in my mind. I got depressed all the time. There were times when I was like, `There's got to be something more.'"
Eventually, at the urging of his parents, Krauth joined Young Life, a nondenominational, Christian organization for teens, and gave up drinking and drugs altogether. "I have so much more fun sober," he said. "I have all of these friends who need to get drunk to dance. I don't need [anything]."
Krauth wants to pledge a fraternity but is worried about his sobriety. "If I'm going to be in a fraternity, I've got to remember who I am," he said.
"But it will be a cool experience to share with others what I believe. Evangelism is part of my religion. It would be a great opportunity, and a great test of my faith, as well."
Sophomore Ethan Filip, a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, has never been drunk, and though he's tasted alcohol, he's basically a teetotaler. "I've brought a couple too many people to the hospital because they were a little too drunk, and it's just not something I feel like I need to do," said Filip, who works as an EMT back home.
He noted that he has not felt pressured to drink.
"The [brothers] were supportive about it during rush. They said, `If you don't drink, that's not a problem. We have members who don't drink.' It's never been a big deal."
However, sophomore non-drinker Malika de Silva disagreed. "Last year, I didn't go to a lot of parties because I didn't know the people there, and they're kind of pointless if you're not drinking...," she said. "As a freshman, parties on West are not so much fun if you don't know people and aren't drinking."
Interfraternity Council President Michael Wick, a senior, recognized in an e-mail that "it can be difficult at times for non-drinkers when a lot of Duke's social climate involves alcohol." Still, Wick maintained that, at least in terms of greek life, non-drinkers are welcome. "I think every fraternity or sorority has a fair share of non-drinkers and that the other members respect their decision."
Although most non-drinkers said they felt comfortable socializing with friends who were drinking, some worried about being disciplined because residential advisors can write up sober students for being in the same room as underage drinkers.
Pike, who estimated that about half of the 19 newest Wayne Manor residents do not drink, said he wonders if Duke's policies have created more of a schism between drinkers and non-drinkers than actually exists in the social atmosphere. "Just for safety purposes," said Pike, "it seems smart to encourage to have somebody sober around."
However, Associate Dean for Judicial Affairs Kacie Wallace noted that although resident advisors are asked to report non-drinkers in the same room with underage drinkers, it is not written policy.
"It's helpful to know who was in the room and get the most accurate information we can," Wallace said. If students are in a room with underage drinkers and not drinking, she said there would be no judicial follow-up unless the non-drinking student is the host.
Senior Micah Rowland said he has no regrets about his decision to abstain from alcohol during his time at Duke. "I like to hang out in small groups with my friends, but I feel like I have a very close circle of friends, so [not drinking] hasn't affected my social life."
He hopes that underclassmen who do not drink now will not start for the wrong reasons. "Don't drink just because you feel like it's a ticket to a good social life," he said. "I think the opportunity to build real friendships is lost when everyone's drunk."
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