Reed does an excellent job of funding student bodies around campus to give back to the community. Reed will give you money if you want it to bake cookies to pass out for free.
I'll just say now that one of my favorite things on campus is the MLLL (pronounced mill), or the Comic Book Reading Room. Which is basically a room filled with thousands of comic books and graphic novels. Any student can go in and read whenever they like (though nothing may leave the room). Even if you don't read comics now, you should read Transmetropolitan and Sandman (both are available for your viewing pleasure).
CAVE, or Carnivorous Alternative to Vegetarian Eating, often provides free meat (burgers, ribs, etc.) at events around campus. Bagels and Shmear passes out free bagels. There are free cookies. Free ice cream. There's an apothecary with herbs and teas and spices on campus, all funded by Reed. There is so much you can get involved with, so much you can do around campus if you want to.
Students do leave dorm doors open or unlocked. Again, at the beginning of the year, most people form groups with their dorm floor. It's easy to make friends here.
Eh, not many athletic events and there's rarely school-wide hype.
Guest speakers are awesome. Gray Fund is rather good at bringing people on campus that students find interesting. Last semester, Dan Savage spoke and I'm told that Cory Doctorow from BoingBoing spoke a year or two ago as well. Soon, Frank Warren, creator of PostSecret, will be speaking. Also, Kaul Auditorium on campus often hosts many classical musical performances. Students also give performances in the chapel occasionally.
Reedies...are weird about dating becaues of how much time we spend studying. There's a lot of casual sex and there are people who have extremely close relationships, but not much 'dating'.
Paideia happens at the end of winter break, a week before classes start. Students organize and teach their own classes on a wide variety of subjects. This year, there were classes on programming, a couple D&D campaigns, curry cooking, crafts, auto-repair, how to use the print shop, journaling, and the traditional underwater basket-weaving. It's great fun and a good way to ease back into Reed after a long break. Incidentally, winter break is incredibly long. This year, it lasted from December 14-January 28th.
At the end of the year is Renn Fayre, which is nothing like a traditional Renaissance Fair. Basically, it's a huge celebration at the end of the year which results from the inevitable build up of stress. Reedies couldn't work as hard as they do without Renn Fayre at the end of the year. It's like a reward, for making it through the year. Each year, there is a theme around which people create projects. For example, the theme one year was Neverland and the Blue Bridge on campus was turned into a giant crocodile that you could walk through. Art installations, drugs, softball, revelry and so much more characterize Renn Fayre.
There's usually a party going on every weekend, but rarely anything on school nights. They rarely get very wild or out of hand.
There are no frats. No Greek life at Reed. Social life is more inclusive than exclusive here, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Last weekend I read comic books in the MLLL, did some homework, grabbed some Voodoo Donuts, visited Powells Books and walked around downtown with friends.
Depending on your friends, you can do a lot on a Saturday night without drinking. You can stay inside and watch a movie, go downtown, go out to eat, read in the MLLL, study, party, etc. If your friends just want to get drunk, then I guess you're out of luck for social things.