Harvard students hail from all corners of the world, ranging from major cities to small villages, from diverse public schools to prestigious boarding academies. No matter where they come from, however, statistics suggest most of them encounter a radically different drinking culture when they arrive.
The Crimson’s survey of the Class of 2027 found that 40 percent of incoming first-year students reported never consuming alcohol before college. A common assumption is that that number drops by the end of orientation. Back in 2013, a Freshman Dean’s Office study found that 70 percent of Harvard students said they did not identify as drinkers before the beginning of their first year, but 77 percent describe themselves as drinkers by the time they graduate.
But what about the students who do not start drinking after getting to college? Finding a sober Harvard student is not as easy as it may sound, and no two stories are identical. But there are discernible patterns.
The straight-edge movement is a subculture that emerged within United States punk rock music scenes in the early 1980s. Punk rock, from its inception, was a countercultural movement that challenged mainstream norms. After recreational drug use became more popular in the seventies, the straight-edge subgroup formed within the punk rock rebellion. The movement is characterized by a commitment to abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drug use. Followers of this philosophy, “straight-edgers,” choose to lead a lifestyle free from the influence of mind-altering substances.
While the movement initially gained traction within the punk music scene, it has since expanded into a broader social movement encompassing aspects of personal health, anti-consumerism, and being a part of counterculture. Straight-edgers typically promote self-discipline and a rejection of societal norms surrounding substance use.
Of course, not every Harvard student who has decided not to drink or smoke identifies as a straight-edger. Some do not even perceive their actions as a rejection of mainstream culture. Harvard Tennis player Rohan Murali ’27 says he grew up in a “doctor’s family,” so he knew smoking was something he “was never going to do.”
“With drinking, I never really made that choice,” he continued, “but it’s just something I’d probably like to do later in life.” Some students worry that their sobriety will exclude them from the Harvard social scene, but Murali says not to worry.
“I actually haven’t really met many other people that don’t drink, but [people] are definitely cool with me not drinking,” Murali said, referring to his Harvard Men’s Tennis teammates and close friends. He was “surprised by the amount of alcohol and drinking [at Harvard],” and “didn’t really know what to expect.”
Although many athletic mixers revolve around drinking games, Murali “can still go out and have a good time,” sometimes participating in the drinking games, sans alcohol. Though it is only his first year of college, other students have proven it possible to stay satisfied socially without drugs or alcohol.
Jan Riecke ’25, a center-back on the Harvard Men’s Soccer team, has reaped the benefits of being straight-edge beyond his freshman year. Despite growing up in Germany, where the drinking age is 16 and beer is a cultural staple, Riecke has only ever tried a sip or two of alcohol. He has never tried nicotine, marijuana, or any other recreational drugs.
Rieke is the captain of the soccer team, admired and respected by his teammates. He expressed the same sentiment as Murali about alcohol-centered team social events. “Usually there are ways to incorporate me, which still makes it fun.” When talking about drinking and smoking, Rieke commented, “It feels like people think it’s a big part of college culture. And I mean, maybe for some people it is… But I haven’t found that it diminishes anything that I hoped to get out of college.”
Nicotine remains a common recreational drug at Harvard, and marijuana use has more prominently entered the mainstream since it was legalized in Massachusetts in 2016. But, similar to alcohol, these drugs have their abstainers. ROTC member Jack Martin ’26 opts for a smoke-free lifestyle, partly due to the risk of losing his financial grant for Harvard in the event of a positive drug test. “I’m on [a military] scholarship, so there is a strong incentive not to [smoke], but beyond that, it just is not something that’s ever appealed to me.”
The choice to abstain from drinking and smoking in college is simultaneously more and less countercultural than the straight-edge movement. While the punk rock scene is proudly countercultural, many of the sober students whom the Independent talked to participate in “mainstream” socializing. Each person interviewed explained that they are surrounded by people who drink or smoke regularly, typically once a week. This arguably makes their choices more radical, not less.
One ironic aspect of counterculture is that it can become its own dominant culture, just on a smaller scale. It is far easier to embrace countercultural ideals when you are surrounded by like-minded friends who share similar choices. Without the encouragement of a peer group that creates its own rules and standards, these students choose their own pathway. They do not allow themselves to succumb to peer pressure and have made their lack of substance use a part of their identity.
If reading this has made you realize that you do not want alcohol or drugs to be as big a part of your college experience, you will not be alone. Murali encourages prospective straight-edgers not to worry about “[being] afraid to stand up for something that you believe in” or fitting in and belonging with a team. If the people you say “no” to are truly your friends, they will not make you feel judged or excluded for sobriety.
“Put yourself in situations where you know you can have fun without being drunk or drinking alcohol,” Rieke suggested. Instead of “seeking out the people that you only really get drinks or party with,” he recommends surrounding yourself with friends who you can have interesting conversations with.
“Your time is precious,” Martin said. Most Harvard students are extremely aware of how little free time they have. Martin suggests you spend your time doing what you truly want to do. “I’d say to follow your intuitions,” he advised. “And if you’re truly being pressured, maybe those aren’t the people you want to be around.”
Natalie Frank ’27 (nfrank@college.harvard.edu) wrote this while sipping an ice-cold water.