I think I can answer that. No matter how respectfully you try to frame your position, you will inevitably come off as a moralizer. You may not buy this analogy, but it's a bit like going out to dinner with a vegetarian. That they abstain from meat implies on some level they have an issue with meat consumption*. Whether or not you intend it, when you assert abstinence, you will make the drinker feel judged, if only subconsciously. It is unlikely they will respond favorably.

Alternatively, they might just think you're a party-pooper. If you don't engage in an activity with everyone else, you're presence is burdensome. It'd be the same thing if you went to play ball and refused to participate.

It's not exactly fair, I agree.

If you're happy, then that's all that matters. You don't need to party. And partying need not involve drinking.

Haha. Well, Madison was the top rated party school in playboy a few years back. But we've slipped to #6 since then (they added a "bikini" ranking, which favors southern schools). But there are plenty of other activities to get involved with as well and I'm sure that's true of Washington State as well.

And you can do both (party and succeed in school). Tons of people manage. You just have to be responsible. Binge drinking is stupid, but there's no reason you can't "have a good time." If you always defer "having a good time" to the future, you'll probably find that future will never come. College is when you're supposed to have a good time.

Now, I don't speak from personal experience--my anxiety prevents me from doing some of the things I'd like . . . but I can observe the people around me. The happiest people have a good balance . . .

Heh. Every school is a party school. No sense trying to avoid it.

I'm sure you'll have a good experience wherever you go.

This is the first site the comes up on Google. This is one of the lower rankings I've seen for Madison, but whatever.

http://rankings.usnews.com/college/items/3895

That site has Madison ranked as 35 and Washington State ranked as 116. You can compare all of the stats there. The main thing that stood out to me is that Washington State has a 76% acceptance rate while Madison has a 56% acceptance rate.

Here's a source that puts Madison seventh world wide. Of course, the ranking has a lot to do with methodology and should be taken with a grain of salt.

http://latestuniversityranking.blogs...king-2009.html

Basically, UW-Madison is a huge research university. Very big school, very competitive (especially for a public school). It offers absolutely everything. But of course it is not good for everyone.

I checked, and yeah, the out of state tuition is pretty bad.

It'd be neat if you come. There is a sense of egotism in this, but I'd like to you experience what I have at this university. For the same reason, I want my sister to come here (though I don't think she'll be accepted).

Not to mention we could hang out and I could show you everything and help you out with things.

I do truly believe it's a special place and there are many rankings that would back me up on that. I've seen UW ranked as high as seven world wide (30s is a more typical placement, which is still great). Plus, Madison is routinely voted as one of the best places to live in America.

Several people, yourself included, have been making comments to Renee that she would look better without her contacts. Some of the posts are coming out in a manner which could be taken offensively. Your most recent one included =\

If you make a stupid/spammy/borderline insulting post, it gets deleted. If you do it too often, you may eventually get infracted for it.

You probably don't intend for those posts to come out that way, as you make plenty of good, contributing posts as well, so I'll easily give you the benefit of the doubt.

I meant to reply to your last message last night, but I posted it on my own wall. I tend to do that.

Basically, I encourage you to come to UW-Madison if at all possible. I can tell you anything and everything you need to know about it if you're at all interested.

It's been alright. I'm done soon (May 16th), but I'm taking summer class back home.

You should come to the University of Wisconsin. You won't find a better college experience.

Yeah I definitely will check those out tomorrow cuz its 11 here and I have to get up at 5:30 for school so I'll talk to you and Alex tomorrow then I guess.

Yeah I know it is but the beginning guitar in it blew my mind. I've only listened to limited Led Zeppelin like Kashmir, Black Dog, and Stairway to Heaven.

I decided to listen to some live Led Zeppelin because your always saying how good they are and I think this songs called Moby Dick. The guitar riff in that song is pretty amazing.

You could be right.

*glares at black dog for using my pokepuns*

This get you high.

I suppose so

A bodyslam's fairly simple. You basically just have to lift, spin, and then fall. A good MMA fighter would apply two tons of force over the recipients' back.

Indeed.

I'll probably go back to hermit look in winter. xD

Not much I can do on that front.

Maybe try out Is This Thing On? The lyrics are wonderful, if a tad bit repetitive.

See, that nearly happened to me at the gym once. This guy was making a big deal of how he was all muscle and the weight of it was immense. I was lifting and he was all "I bet you couln't lift me, young man," so I was like "Fine." I got a good grip on him just below the pelvis and heaved him up. I was going to lose my balance but then the badass little voice in my head said, "Bodyslam," and so it was done.

I've never seen that dude since. xD

I will rip your arm off, and beat it with you. That's right. I will pick you up and beat the arm I ripped off with YOU!

I'm not sure why.

I thank you for an idea, though. Whenever the six months are up I'm changing my name to Bingo Steven, a combination of Beh77 and Ringo Starr.