College. It's about freedom, going out, meeting people, and maybe just a little bit of education thrown in there. People spend a good portion of their younger lives looking forward to it all. Especially the alcohol.
It's no secret that people drink in college, including--or maybe especially--people underage. This isn't a condemnation of them either.; I'm not completely innocent myself. What's the point in going off to college if you are going to spend every night sequestered away in your dorm room? There are plenty of people who can enjoy a night out (or many) and excel in their lives. But it's not necessarily the drinking that is the problem, it is the overdoing of it.
In Athens it is common for people to go out about two or three times a week. But then there are those who go out five nights every week, using the other two as recovery days. Their entire lives revolve around the next outing and where they are going to go and with who. Their roommates only ever see them when they come stumbling in at 2:30 in the morning after all the bars close or the next morning when they pull the covers up to hide from the day.
This becomes problematic when it affects their academics. It is difficult to maintain a 4.0 when the only studying you do is glancing over Quizlet as you run to a class you haven't attended since the last exam. And it is pretty hard to focus on vocabulary with a pounding headache. I know this because I know people who live these lives. Right now a couple of them are having to face the option of transferring back home next year, all because they spend more time downtown than in class.
There's a lot of reasons people drink in college, some more valid than others. Ironically, academic stress is one of the leading reasons. A lot of times I've gotten a text from a friend: "DT tonight? I just failed my test and I want to forget about it." Another reason is emotional. We're all going through this weird phase in our life of being away from home and figuring out who we are on our own. Add that onto figuring your relationships with the people around you and it is a hot mess of emotion. Some people find comfort in turning to alcohol to deal with everything. The actual effectiveness of this depends on the person, but chances are they're just going to end up feeling better for the night and waking up upset again in the morning.
A lot of experts want to blame the college culture for the increase in alcohol consumption. And while that certainly does play a role, there are other factors that arguably contribute moreso. Yes, you're more likely to drink when the people around you are, but not once have I been pressured into drinking when I didn't want to. It's not like the movies where people surround you and stare you down until you finish a red solo cup. And that wouldn't explain the people getting drunk alone at the bar every night when most people stay home.
I'd like to say again: this isn't about how drinking is evil. Done the right way with the right people, it can lead to a pretty awesome time. Even though college is about furthering your education, it is also about creating memories and forming friendships that you'll have for years to come, and alcohol can potentially play a role in that, good or bad. Too often it has been villainized when in reality, it comes down to the consumer whether or not it will have a negative impact.
So go out, have fun, party it up. But maybe just not every night, and not till the bottle is dry. Why have a night to remember when you plan to blackout and forget it all anyway?
- College Drinking Facts for Parents ›
- Binge Drinking in College - Addiction Center ›
- Reasons for Drinking in the College Student Context: The ... ›
- Why Colleges Haven't Stopped Binge Drinking - The New York Times ›
- How to Drink Alcohol Safely in College | Teen Vogue ›
- Why Do College Students Drink Alcohol? | The Haven at College ›
- College Alcoholism and Binge Drinking - Alcohol Rehab Guide ›
- How To Drink In College Without Ruining Your Life Or Liver | HuffPost ›