Studying Abroad in Berlin

[Maverick]

So I think I'm going to Berlin for the Spring as part of an exchange program with the Freie Universitat of Berlin. One of my friends tried to discourage me from pursuing the idea on account of the fact that Berlin has an excess in the availability of ecstacy (given the whole rave scene). My friend knows that I'm highly susceptible to those sort of extra curricular activities, so he says Berlin will be my downfall. Can anyone confirm or deny his suspicions, based on the circumstances I've explained?

Also, can any of yall maybe shed some light on just how accessible those such "activities" (not exclusively ecstacy, but other, similarly illegal substances as well) are in Berlin?

[travelpunk]

I think your friend is right. While I don't know for sure one way or the other, I do know that where there are raves, there are drugs.

And Berlin seems to have lots of raves.

Youtube > type in "berlin rave"

[expatben]

I wouldn't know much myself as I am not into drugs but Berlin certainly has a lot of clubs and I would imagine it is very, very easy to get your hands on ecstacy and various other drugs. It depends on you if you think you can resist then go because Berlin is a wonderful city and on the occassions I have been there I have avoided that aspect on the other hand if you think it would be your downfall then its probably best avoided.

[Legitikick]

I'd bet its really easy to get there. But I also think there's plenty of social events and cirlces without drugs. I don't think it'll slap you in the face unless you look for it. Its not like London, where in every club most people are only drinking water. Zie Germans still toss back ridiculous amounts of beer, alone.

[expatben]

On the few times I have been to Berlin I have avoided the drugs and clubs but thats mostly because I am not a drug or club person. In a way Berlin is like anyother city I should think drugs are easy to get but also easy to avoid it all depends if you can avoid it than Berlin can be great but as I said before if you dont think you can (and theres nothing wrong with that) maybe go somewhere else like Hamburg or Munich.

[Legitikick]

Hamburg wouldn't be any different. Munich maybe.

[expatben]

good point-Munich being more southern and Bavaria in general being more conservative it might be easier to avoid drugs there athough, Munich is pretty liberal.