Bard CollegeDrug Safety Summary

Written by Courtney Scott

Courtney Scott

Hometown

Nashville, Tenn.

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Although Bard houses a decent number of full-time potheads, the majority of marijuana users here only employ the drug on a casual basis. This goes for stronger hallucinogens, too. It’s not uncommon for a group of friends to spend a day on acid or psychedelic mushrooms, wandering around Blithewood or the waterfall—many point to Bard’s expansive park-like campus as the perfect environment for drug-induced exploration. Come midterms and finals, many Bardians also use study drugs (e.g. Ritalin and Adderall) to keep them awake and focused during long cramming sessions. People with prescriptions to these drugs often experience a sudden surge of popularity during the last few weeks of every semester.

Harder drugs also have a place at Bard. Cocaine use is often rampant at parties and bars—next time you’re at a Bard tavern, and in line for the bathroom, notice how many people in front of you come out sniffling and rubbing their nose. This is the international sign for “I just went into the bathroom and blew a line of coke, and I think nobody noticed, but I kind of hope they did notice because I think coke is pretty cool.” While the majority of Bardians are able to balance their recreation with their academic responsibilities, there are a consistent number of users whose addictions force them to leave college early. At the same time, many Bardians get through all four years without using any drugs at all. While they may be exposed to other people’s illicit activities, they maintain, without any putative resistance, a drug-free life. Neither students who chose to or not to participate in drug use are by any means ostracized.