Binge Drinking In College Essay

On a wet, dark, and snowy Sunday night an outsider wouldn't expect a Northeastern University campus bar to be crowded. In fact, most students can't even leave their dorms because there is too much snow. Yet a tiny pub, located barely off campus on Gainesboro Street, is packed wall to wall with students. A small community is drinking away their problems while discussing the probability of school being canceled. Many experts would describe this act as binge drinking, but any student would prefer to describe it as just a regular Sunday night.

Binge drinking is the act of excessive alcohol consumption. People may use alcohol as a temporary escape that students take advantage of releasing dopamine in one’s brain to make them feel better for the meantime. Since people may drink to forget about an issue occurring in their life it can often lead to more issues. On the weekends in college, most students are out at a party having fun. When people are out they are unfortunately underage drinking. College students are most likely considered binge drinkers. “40% of college students are considered binge drinkers, which is defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as consuming five or more drinks within about 2 hours for men and four or more drinks within about 2 hours for women (2004)” (Gale, 2017). This statistic is explaining how a lot of people underage drink when in college and are drinking more than they should be. Since college is a new experience for many people, they often take advantage of being on their own and doing what they want. Yes, people are on their own but that doesn’t allow people to do anything that want disregarding responsibilities that may follow. Abusing alcohol is very dangerous and harmful. Even though people in college drink, it can’t be

“From the moment freshmen set foot on campus, they are steeped in a culture that encourages them to drink, and drink heavily. At many schools, social life is still synonymous with alcohol-lubricated gatherings” (Cohen). Binge drinking is a huge aspect of the culture of college life; many college students binge drink to become socially accepted in a particular group. Binge drinking is not only

Students gain expectations to drink alcohol from each other, as they depend on it, pressure each other and face a new environment and a new social setting. When in college, a student does not have anyone looking after them and so they get free time and they do not know how to use it. They end up filling up their extra time, with going out to frat houses, bars, and or other house parties to drink. Students go from being in high school, where they have to be home by curfew and drinking is still sometimes and issues, to not having a curfew and not having someone wait until they get home that night to make sure they aren’t drinking.

Many people don't know how to drink responsibly so that could lead to binge drinking. If you drink a lot you will do things you don't want to do, like drink and drive which could possibly kill someone including you. Drinking irresponsibly can lead to violent behavior which could put others at risk. Also for violent behavior and drinking+driving could get you in jail.

There are various reasons why students choose to drink in college. Peer pressure, academic stress, wanting to fit in, wanting to be more social and outgoing, or because they are away

could go to jail, have health problems, or end up in the hospital if they do not drink responsibly.

Americans are abusing alcohol less than in the past with one exception: college students who drink more and binge drink more often than nonstudents of similar age. The definition of binge drinking is " the consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time." (Dictionary.com) Alcohol continues to extract a high toll from those who abuse it at any age, killing 80,000 Americans a year and draining more than $220 billion from the economy. Out of all the teens who drink, 90 percent of them binge drink to get drunk. To fight alcohol abuse, many educational institutions, community organizations and government agencies are stepping up efforts to promote abstinence among the young and responsible drinking by adults. (Alcohol Abuse)

The most abused substance on college campuses is alcohol. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that four out of five college students drink alcohol. College students are traditionally between the ages of 18 and 22 years old, with 21 being the legal drinking age in America. Even more important, half of these drinkers engage in binge drinking, which is the consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period. Many factors, in addition to its easy access, makes alcohol the substance of choice for students. Upperclassmen over age 21 can buy alcohol legally and distribute it to younger students, and it is relatively inexpensive.

Drinking in college is becoming more and more of a problem though. College students are starting to ditch class because they are hung-over more regularly.

In Alcohol, Tobacco, and Caffeine, shows that alcohol is a serious issue on campus universities. Especially being a binge drinkers, who are the cause of deaths, lack of interest in college, and even rape. However, university presidents are concerned about the student’s behavior on campus with alcohol use. They attend to provided leadership groups that help with students on alcohol abuse,

Being drunk can also have other dangers. In The "Risky Business" of Binge Drinking Among College Students, the consequences of binge drinking are shown in statistics. Alcohol has been accounted for in 95 percent of violent crimes. Also, a quote from in From Knowledge to Action: “Colleges must protect their students from these negative effects of alcohol. One in eight non-binge-drinking students nationwide reported being assaulted physically or having personal property vandalized due to another student's alcohol use.” (Wolburg 20) An average of 29 percent of women has been sexually assaulted during their time in college; of the cases, 85 percent were date raped.

Because these people used alcohol they automatically put themselves at a higher risk, than non-drinkers, for alcohol-related injuries, problems with the law and many different negative health effects, including liver dysfunction, (MU Health, 2004). Users of alcohol also put others around them at a higher risk for negative consequences including disruption of events and studying, (Statistics on Alcohol, 2000).

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, reported that the first 6 weeks of freshman year are vulnerable times for heavy drinking and using drugs. Students are usually peer pressured into these activities. Studies have shown that students in their first year of college tend to use alcohol and drugs at college parties or gatherings to fit in with the other students attending the college or university. It is also noted that college students drink more or consume more alcohol and have a higher drunk driving than non-college peers.

Alcohol is a very serious and dangerous drug, although it is not treated this way anymore. College students have taken drinking to a new level in which, for many, is very scary. Alcohol is much more dangerous than many would think. Kids see a night of drinking as a great way to have fun and party but do not see the consequences. Getting drunk and even blacking out can lead to many problems. When alcohol is consumed in unhealthy amounts, it can lead to not only short-term effects, but long-term ones as well.