The most popular organizations are STAT (Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow), all Greek life is very popular, the club sports are popular, there are tons of clubs who a couple of times each year set up booths on the brickyard to get people to join. Pretty much anything that you're interested in, there is a club for it.
I am a sister in the Alpha Kappa chapter of Chi Omega. It was the best decision I ever made to rush a sorority. I would never have seen myself becoming a sorority girl, to be honest I have no idea what compelled me to rush, but I would absolutely encourage every person to try to join greek life, no matter what "social group" they think they're in. 99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the stereotypes about greek life are completely inaccurate, but it's difficult to explain that to people who are not involved in greek life because they can never know how amazing it is if they are not involved.
Some students leave their doors not only unlocked, but wide open, even when they're not there, and then there are students like me who lock it even when I'm in the room with other people. It is just a matter of how comfortable people are. However, I would say that my overprotectiveness is not really necessary, there have never been any breakins to the dorms or any people there who should not have been.
The athletic events are incredibly popular, students sign up for tickets as soon as they're available and the games completely consume the campus.
There is a movie theater on campus right down the street from my dorm that is incredibly popular as well.
I'm not sure about the dating scene because I have a boyfriend that I started dating years ago, so I'm not involved in that scene.
My closest friends are my roommate, and then the others are just girls down the hall that I got to know just by close proximity.
If I'm up at 2am on a Tuesday I am either at a party or up studying late with my girls in my room or the study lounge down the hall from my dorm room.
A big tradition each year is homecoming, there is a whole week of festivities and it's a ton of fun, and Greek Week is a big deal with all of greek life. There are competitions and cookouts and it brings all the greeks together in a great atmosphere.
The partying is subjective to each person. Its kind of like its available if you want it, but its not pushed on you if you don't want it.
Greek life is incredibly important from my perspective. We, as greeks, provide some of the best philanthropic opportunities on campus, we get students involved, we make students aware of important issues on campus like voting for the student government. NCSU would not be nearly the same school without the involvement of our great greek life.
Last weekend I went to a party close to campus Friday night, had an all day greek event Saturday, went out for one of my sisters birthdays Saturday night, and went to church on Sunday.
On Saturday nights there is always the option to go to parties and not drink, it's not like you're going to be hassled if you don't drink, and if you feel weird not holding something to sip on, have a cup of water or soda in your hand, it's not like you're going to be treated as some weirdo for not drinking. You can always go to the campus cinema which plays great movies all the time, you can go out to some restaurants near campus, or go bowling. There are places to ice skate near campus and a lot of students spend their whole nights just walking around their dorm buildings meeting people which is a lot of fun as well.
Off campus I have a lot of friends to hang out with since I grew up in this area, but for people who didn't grow up here there are restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, skating parks, parks to run in and paddle boat in, gyms to work out it, great movie theaters and pool halls, there is a ton of stuff to do off campus.