Freshman year is supposed to be a period of self discovery, growth, and a fair share of mistakes, but this does not mean students should be left to fend for themselves in the world of college drinking. Although university administration would rather not have students drinking at all, the reality is they are and they show no signs of stopping.
In May of 2011 Boston University (BU) joined a national organization whose goal is to reduce binge drinking on college campuses, according to the Boston Globe. This organization will perform 18 months of research to find more effect ways to reduce binge drinking. However, this long term solution leaves much to be desired. If BU wants to extend the reach of its influence into this weekend’s Friday night game of kings or beer pong, then it may not want to wait 18 months to change its current methods. Namely, it should focus on enabling and educating incoming freshmen now, so they can learn how to make wise decisions before they end up in the hospital.
“When I was a freshman I was completely new to the drinking and partying scene, so I didn’t really understand it. I thought it was really fun, but I didn’t know my limits or how to do anything but binge. I usually drank too much, too often, but for me it was fun and nothing bad ever happened,” said an anonymous BU senior.
“My freshman experience was pretty crazy; college ceased to be a place of learning and trying your best, but a recovery period until I could go out and drink again. I would rip far too many shots before I went out (probably five to nine) and then drink something when I got to a party. The more I drank, the cooler I felt, and my priorities got very jumbled,” said Chrissy Lovey, CAS ’14.
According to a recent study from the University of Washington, students’ perception of drinking is largely based on how many negative or positive experiences they have. This means that freshmen who are new to the college drinking scene will be willing to take more risks that may endanger their health since they see it as “fun.” In addition, according to Collegebingedrinking.net, a 2009 study found that a single intervention session can impact students’ drinking behavior, since many students overestimate how much their friends consume alcohol.
“Getting taken to the hospital made things pretty serious, pretty fast. I didn’t think I was drunk enough to get carted away, but I do think it was necessary in order for me to reprioritize my life a bit. It was a good wake up call for me…After my hospital visit, I don’t get as drunk [as I did before],” Lovey said.
With the right information, students can be guided in the right direction when it comes to binge drinking. We simply need to provide it for them.
