I dont know much about the "college life" since I went to a school in central illinois that at the time catered to local working people and was held mostly at night.
I was however active duty in the army from 1990 - 1993 and as a single guy living in the baracks I can relate to the images paited by people of college life. Video Games, Music, masive beer parties, sculpures of pizza boxes and beer cans, and trying to sneek girls in to our room.
The only difference being once a week we were forced to haul all the stuff to the recycle bin. Also different, college guys go to class hungover and military guys go to PT hungover.
So I disagree that its mediated by military service.
Damn those were good times....
Every military man I have ever known was a totally compulsive neat freak, up to an including underwear folded square and
placed precisely in a drawer.