September 3, 1998

There's nothing wrong with a little drinky

Bob Martus
Staff Writer

Tired of all the stress of college?  Well, there is a simple solution to your problem: binge drinking.

Drinking a few beers on any given night is not the worst thing you can do to your body.  We all know that there are several normal daily routines that are more unhealthy than drinking, such as smoking or eating large amounts of fast food.

Before I go any further, I must say I do not agree with alcohol as a means for constant escape from stress.  Letting alcohol run your life is sad, and it is a problem that must be dealt with sufficiently.  So, in other words, don’t drink all of the time or allow yourself to become a slave to the bottle.

Binge drinking is defined as the consumption of four or five or more alcoholic beverages in one sitting.  When I think about my personal drinking habits, I must binge drink, because four beers really isn’t all that much.

If you simply go by definition alone about binge drinking, then almost every male college student that I know is a binge drinker.  Since most college students do drink, then I would go so far as to say that those who don’t are deviant by the very definition of deviance.  Deviant behavior, after all, is anything that goes against the social norm.

With heavy consumption of alcohol, there is always the threat of nausea.  For me, puking is a sign that a higher power is in control, not me.  Have you ever noticed how sometimes you can drink a 12-pack and not vomit, but other times a six-pack will do you in?

Puking is an element that is accepted when one drinks, but along with every other complication, it soon passes and only affects you if you let it affect you.  If you throw up after drinking, then hopefully you will learn to better prepare yourself for the next drinking experience.

I think that it all boils down to the fact that people are afraid that some college students are having a little too much fun.  In this article, I will leave out my personal opinions about conservative Christians and their social affect, but I will say that it is unfair to tell us what to do with our lives.

The occasional drunken episode is not “wrong,”, but in the eyes of some, it is considered immoral.  To those of you who are attempting to invade my life, I say: Deal.
 

Drink, have fun, but please don't be a fool

Deanna Tanner
Staff Writer

Binge drinking is a problem and a hassle for everyone involved.  According to the Harvard School of Public Health, 44 percent of college students are binge drinkers.  As Bob pointed out, binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks in a row for men at a time and four or more drinks for a woman at a time.  Herein lies the dilemma.

Most people in college drink to get drunk, which makes sense.  The problem exists when these people who get drunk don’t know how or when to stop.  These people are problem drinkers.  This does not necessarily mean that they have a problem with alcohol, it means that they are a problem to themselves as well as the people around them.

First, let me say that there is nothing wrong with drinking in itself.  It is a great social activity, and it’s fun to drink with your friends.  But, like all indulging activities, it can be overdone.  The least serious of the problems that are caused by a binge drinker is the general disorientation that comes with it.  You might wake up with a hangover and then you have regrets about some of the things you might have said or done.

Many times students participate in unplanned and unprotected sexual activity.  People often get violent and argue with  friends or strangers.  This could lead to personal damage as well as property damage.  This, obviously, could get expensive.  Also, there is a risk of blood-alcohol poisoning, which can lead to long-term illness or death.

And let’s not forget those wonderful people who drive after drinking.  A person who has been on a binge seems to be more likely to drive than a person who has simply had a couple of beers, since their inhibitions are lower and their since of invulnerability is higher.  This puts too many innocent people in danger.

I know that none of this is news to you all.  If you do not care about any of these things, then maybe you should at least worry about your friends.  The main thing to worry about is getting sick.  The fact of the matter is that nobody wants to be there when it happens.  Some of your friends might feel obligated to help you while you are in this position.  So while you are hanging over the toilet, your friends are quickly losing their “buzz” in an effort to help you.

At this point, not too many people want to be near you, because you smell, and you have made a fool out of yourself.  Even worse, any decent reputation that you are trying to establish will probably be ruined, and years from now, people will still be talking about the things that you have done.

So, for the sake of everyone involved, especially yourself, control your drinking.  You’ll have a better time, and people will still enjoy your company the next day.