College Students & Binge Drinking
By Alison Lyke
Binge drinking is an intense consumption of alcoholic drinks (4-6 in a session) followed by intermittent periods of alcohol abstinence. Binge drinking has long been a problem for college students and college-age young adults. The physical consequences of binge drinking consist of drunk-driving accidents, alcohol related illness, and approximately 1,700 students deaths each year from alcohol poisoning. There are many social consequences to binge drinking, it can impair judgment and make people say or do things that they wouldn’t normally. This can lead to fractured friendships and relationships.
Binge drinking is detrimental to the education of college students. Alcohol abuse can make it hard for them to concentrate in classes. According to a recent National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism report, “Nearly 25 percent of all college students report academic consequences of drinking, including missing class, failing behind, doing poorly on exams or papers and receiving lower grades overall.”
Binge drinking is most common among college students despite the educational consequences. The students’ age is partially to blame, young adults are known for experimenting with drinking and drugs. Binge drinking is far more dangerous than social drinking. It is a phenomena that concerns both parents and educators. To curb binge drinking we have to attack the source, colleges that promote the culture of binge drinking.
Binge drinking appeals to students because of their schedule. Durning the school week they are busy with classes and homework, their study time often spills over into weekend leisure hours. When the studding is finally done, they have much relaxing to do in a small amount of time. This leads to the consumption of many drinks, almost all at once. Fraternity, club, and sports team initiation rites can include binge drinking. These ‘hazing’ rituals involve extreme drinking. Hazing has caused the deaths of several US college students.
Binge drinking is a localized problem, it is prevalent on some college campuses, while entirely absent on others. The differences between these campuses are key to the restraint of binge drinking. Colleges with emphasis on fraternity and sorority life have higher rates of binge drinking. Schools that have bars, stores that serve alcohol, or bars close to campus also have higher rates. Students that live off of campus have an increased chance of binge drinking.
The solution seems obvious, schools can limit binge drinking if they restrict the students’ access to alcohol. Don’t put a bar on the campus if you don’t want students to drink. Campuses with bars argue that they are for responsible drinkers. The bar is on safe ground if someone should become carelessly intoxicated. The problem is, many students are not responsible. That is why we ship them off to educational facilities that also provide food and housing. College is the ‘training wheels’ for life’s bicycle ride.
Many schools in Orange County, Florida have started an initiative to limit or end drink specials in the bars around college campuses. The county officials have also proposed lowering the drinking age from twenty-one to eighteen, they feel that this will end binge drinking as rite of passage. Opponents feel that lowing the drinking age will only exacerbate the problem. Limiting drink specials is a start, but educators need to take more steps to end the students’ perception of college as a place to binge drink.
Schools need to address the binge drinking culture that seems to go hand in hand with fraternities and sorties. Much of the damage is done during alcohol-rich hazing rituals. Hazing has spread to other institutions, there is a rising number of college sports teams that initiate with alcohol hazing. Schools should not only ban alcohol hazing, but they should ban hazing altogether. Colleges should leave no room for these unpredictable rites.
There are many ways that parents can help prevent their students from binge drinking. They can choose colleges that have alcohol free campuses. Parents can find ‘dry’ campuses and read up on binge drinking at http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/. Many college students will still drink, regardless of how easily they can obtain alcohol. Parents should discuss the difference between responsible, social drinking and harmful binge drinking. Parents should encourage sensible drinking though open dialogue and loving concern.
Related Information: College Binge Drinking
References
“Binge drinking most affected by environment, says Wechsler”. (2008, August 18). Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly.
Courtney, K., & Polich, J. (2009, January). “Binge Drinking in Young Adults: Data, Definitions, and Determinants”. Psychological Bulletin, 135(1), 142-156.
“Florida Colleges Targeting Binge Drinking.” (2008, November 3). Community College Week.
