2008 Woodie Awards
Students must be careful when drinking
By Crystal Hawkins
Rocket Staff Writer
Issue date: 2/3/06 Section: Opinion
I don't understand college students and I'm not sure I ever will. There seems to be a universal pastime among us that has never sat well with me. Apparently, the only way to have a "good time" anymore is when you're not sober. I am not only vexed by these norms, I'm annoyed by them, too. Alcohol abuse is an exceptionally large problem on college campuses because getting your eager , underaged hands on a bottle of liquor is not exactly difficult.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism said that the majority of college students who drink most frequently are typically male, white, members of a fraternity or sorority, athletes or first year students. They also described the infrequent alcohol consumers as being attendants of two year institutions, religious schools, commuters, and students of historically black colleges or universities.
The NIAAA's report on college drinking stated that customs handed down through the generations of college drinkers reinforce students' expectation that alcohol is a necessary ingredient for social success. .
Many friends have enlightened me on their reasons for drinking alcohol. I have been told that drinking loosens them up, and they become friendlier. They say this helps them make more friends when they are intoxicated. And while this is a good enough reason to drink for countless college students, it's still not a good enough reason for me. So many accidents occur when people get drunk and start behaving recklessly, that I have not yet seen the balance in endangering myself to make friends.
In fact, 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related injuries including automobile accidents. In 2002, more than 70,000 college students were victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
Being under the influence of alcohol impares your judgment, and jeopardizes your safety and that of others. It also affects your ability to perform academically. 25 percent of college students reported earning lower grades from missing classes, doing poorly on exams or papers and falling behind due to their regular drinking habits, as reported by NIAAA.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism said that the majority of college students who drink most frequently are typically male, white, members of a fraternity or sorority, athletes or first year students. They also described the infrequent alcohol consumers as being attendants of two year institutions, religious schools, commuters, and students of historically black colleges or universities.
The NIAAA's report on college drinking stated that customs handed down through the generations of college drinkers reinforce students' expectation that alcohol is a necessary ingredient for social success. .
Many friends have enlightened me on their reasons for drinking alcohol. I have been told that drinking loosens them up, and they become friendlier. They say this helps them make more friends when they are intoxicated. And while this is a good enough reason to drink for countless college students, it's still not a good enough reason for me. So many accidents occur when people get drunk and start behaving recklessly, that I have not yet seen the balance in endangering myself to make friends.
In fact, 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related injuries including automobile accidents. In 2002, more than 70,000 college students were victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
Being under the influence of alcohol impares your judgment, and jeopardizes your safety and that of others. It also affects your ability to perform academically. 25 percent of college students reported earning lower grades from missing classes, doing poorly on exams or papers and falling behind due to their regular drinking habits, as reported by NIAAA.
