Secondhand Effects of College Binge Drinking
Secondhand Effects of College Binge Drinking
We’ve all heard about the epidemic of binge drinking on college campuses across the country and the effects it can have on individual health and academic success. But what about the secondhand effects of this behavior? Much like smoking, collegiate binge drinking causes a host of secondhand problems for those that are surrounded by it.
In my freshman year of college I was on the rowing team and lived in a frat-like “team house” with my fellow rowers. Much like in a fraternity or sorority, many of my housemates and neighbors drank large quantities of alcohol after a win or on the weekends because this was the perceived college cultural norm. As it often does, this behavior caused many problems for my team as a whole including getting written-up for noise violations and being hung-over and late for practices and even races.
Unfortunately, many times it is not just those that engage in this activity that are harmed. Quite often these are the conditions under which fights, verbal and emotional abuse, and humiliating events such as hazing occur. It is also quite common, as I experienced more than a few times, to have one’s sleep disturbed by intoxicated roommates and neighbors or having to “babysit” a friend who could no longer take care of themselves.
The occurrence of ritual binge drinking has dramatic and widespread secondhand effects on both non-binge drinking individuals and college communities in general. Will this trend of binge drinking on college and university campuses continue? Unfortunately, it seems that a combination of stress, peer pressure and a cultural idea of drinking as part of the collegiate experience lead to this unhealthy and destructive phenomenon.
Labels: alcohol, binge-drinking, college-binge-drinking
6 Comments:
Ｉｔ does seem like a problem that all of us who went to college did experience. Any thoughts on how to address it?
Students select their college of choice based on numerous reasons. One of the most popular reads to help guide them in their decision making process, is the annual Princeton Review. While the Princeton Review is responsible for ranking the schools for their academic status, they also have "fun" surveys/rankings they include every year. So not only are prospective students looking to see which school is in the top 10 for their state, they also look into who ranked in for the top 10 for party schools, binge drinking schools, alcohol free schools, etc. Princeton review even gives these title awards attractive names, such as "Hold the scotch, pass the milk" or "Reefer Madness", implying that these are equally important characteristics to take into consideration. When you have something as important as the Princeton Review highlighting the fun binge drinking or party craze, how could college binge drinking ever not be popular?
I feel that binge drinking and its effect on selves and others should be taught and addressed in high schools and during college orientation. The binge drinking/party lifestyle may sound appealing, but hearing of consquences from person's who've suffered from and learned from these experiences may speak louder. Thank you for addressing this important issue...
the only thing that undergraduate binge drinking taught me was my drink limit - if only everyone could treat it as a lesson to learn and act accordingly instead of continuing the action over and over again.
I ask my daughter Erica, a freshman at Yale, how much she's drinking and how much her friends do. I get answers like "it's college... what do you think?" She's very responsible and tells me she doesn't drink to excess, but I remember some of her high school friends that drank til they threw up.
I guess if you can't type in the word verification, you're too drunk to post a comment.
When i was in college I chose not to drink too much. I seemed to know my limit. It seemed that my friends that drank a lot, had more issues concerning their boundaries or happiness. I feel like binge drinking has more to do than access to alcohol, but their relationship to it and to themselves. Binge drinking is a symptom of dissatisfaction with self.
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