Death, illness, violence, and crime. These are the consequences of excessive drinking. The side-effects of a social elixir both socially healthy and morally wrong. Liquid courage, a social lubricant, a way to ease the pain. Liquor, booze, sauce, or hootch. Whatever the name, alcohol is a drink of controversy. It is the drug of choice across America and even more so within the American university. “Students enrolled in 4-year colleges comprise one of the heaviest-drinking groups in America” (Wechsler and Nelson). But what else in new? People are well aware of the fact that college kids drink, and drink a lot. After all, it’s mentioned in the headlines all the time. It can be seen in movies and on TV. Everyone has their stories, and if not, there’s always that one friend who drank too much back in college. Binge drinking is a significant part of college culture. And even if one does not drink, alcohol is still all around. From bars to parties to restaurants and liquor stores, there is no shortage of the hard stuff. It is simply unavoidable. But why is it that the American university provides such an environment? Why is there such a need for this substance? Ever since colleges were first established, alcohol has played an important role in the development of the student body. It has shaped nearly every aspect of college life from social activity to academic success and is responsible for a large percentage of campus crime and even death. Alcohol plays the leading role in college culture, it nearly controls every part of the student population and without it, college culture would not be the way it is today.
But excessive drinking among college students was once seen as an insignificant problem and a personal one at best. It was once believed that binge drinking was only damaging to the individual, when in fact it is just as harmful on a larger scale to the entire student body. Binge drinking affects college students as a whole and not just within one specific school, but on a national level.
Heavy
alcohol use among college students reflects a problem that is beyond
simply a psychological, clinical, or developmental problem; it is one
that is firmly rooted in the culture of college and in an environment
that promotes a heavy-drinking lifestyle. Alcohol use and the problems
that result from excessive drinking have been part of the American
college experience since colonial days, although intensive study of this
issue has not occurred until more recently”(Wechsler and Nelson).
So one must look at this issue as a social phenomenon rather than a personal vice. To get an understanding of how alcohol can shape student culture, one must first “shift away from a narrowly individualistic concern with a few ‘alcoholic’ students towards a focus on a widespread and potentially dangerous form of alcohol abuse tied to the college population and its environment”(Dowdall, 40). Unless society recognizes college drinking in this manner, nothing can be done to truly understand the issue and in turn, little can be done to stop it. But even recently, many still did not see the issue of college drinking as a serious problem. It was held by many major colleges and universities that the presence of binge drinking on campus was not a significant concern. “In 2002 only 15% of the schools interviewed considered alcohol a ‘major’ problem. Of the total number of schools surveyed, 66% reported alcohol use a problem but 17% considered it ‘minor’ and 3% didn’t see a problem at all” (Wechsler). With this attitude on college drinking , the issue could never be resolved. But as schools begin to reframe their perception on college drinking, the problem can finally be addressed properly and more can be done to prevent consumption amongst students.
Despite
the large number of universities that have considered alcohol a “minor”
problem, alcohol still has severe negative effects on student body. As
stated previously, college students make up one of the largest drinking
groups in America. “Of the estimated 8 million college students (ages
18-24), 31% meet the criteria for a diagnosis for alcohol abuse (Knight
et al., 2002). Moreover, their alcohol use is associated with multiple
negative consequences, including physical and sexual aggression, health
and academic difficulties, serious injuries, and traffic related deaths”
(Fromme and Corbin). Clearly, excessive drinking among students is
much more major than it is minor. To begin to understand how alcohol can
shape student culture, one must first look at the the physical
consequences of college drinking. It is generally understood that
alcohol is physically damaging to the individual and can cause a variety
of afflictions. From heart complications to liver failure, alcohol is
an extremely toxic drug in high doses. And seeing how college students
drink in excess, clearly there are severe consequences as a result.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
(NIAAA) “It is estimated that 1,700 college students between the ages
of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries,
including motor vehicle crashes (about half among students under 21)
(Wechsler and Nelson). The NIAAA also reports annually that an estimated
599,000 students are injured as a result of alcohol on college
campuses. More than 97,000 individuals report sexual abuse, 400,000
claim to have unsafe sex, and 100,000 claim to have been too intoxicated
to remember giving sexual consent. It is also “estimated that more
than 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by
another student who has been drinking each year (430,000 of them by a
college student under 21) (Johnston). As alcohol soaks into the bodies
and minds of these young individuals, the student population becomes
affected as a whole. These are not problems that affect simply one or
two people, but hundreds of thousands on a national scale every year.
Alcohol shapes the physical student body on a daily basis. It is
responsible for sending students to the hospital and even to their
graves. It clearly transforms college culture in a severely negative
way and creates a dangerous environment for those who drink and also
those who do not. A student who does not drink may not risk an overdose,
but that individual can still be harmed due to others around them.
George Dowdall, author of College Drinking: Reforming a Social Problem, coined this term as the “secondhand binge effect.”
This
secondhand effect creates problems for the drinker and to those in his
or her immediate environment. Those who do not drink are constantly at
the mercy of the inebriants around them. “Secondhand effects range in
severity from typically nuisance disorders such as finding vomit in
one's residence, to serious offenses including sexual and/or physical
assault. Risks for secondhand effects mount substantially in high-binge
college settings. Secondhand effects are also experienced by residents
of communities nearby colleges, particularly those in which larger
percentages of students binge drink”(Weitzman). Whatever the case,
alcohol still affects everyone. In 2001 the Harvard School of Public
Health College Alcohol Study published findings that showed how even
non-drinkers suffered at the hands of alcohol. Non-drinking students
were asked to report any alcohol related problems. Of the total number
surveyed, 14% of non-drinking students reported educational problems as a
result of alcohol. 20% reported psychological problems, 15% said that
alcohol caused anti-sociality, 10% for high-risk sex, and 26% reported
drinking and driving. While none of these individuals actually consumed
alcohol, they were still impacted by it nonetheless.
While
alcohol clearly has many physical effects on the student population,
one must also realize the impact it has on academic performance. Many do
not pay enough attention to this consequence of college drinking and
simply overlook the issue Alcohol is responsible for a large portion of
academic stress among college students. “About 25 percent of college
students report academic consequences of their drinking including
missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and
receiving lower grades overall”(Baer). Nearly one quarter of the entire
student population suffers academically due to alcohol. That is a
significant number. This accounts for hundreds of thousands of students
nationwide.
There
is also a strong correlation between campus crime and the use of
alcohol among college students. Recent studies have proven that many of
the on-campus crimes are directly caused as a result of excessive
drinking. “Independent researchers such as Ruth Engs and David Hanson
published data about the links between campus crime and alcohol use”
(Dowdall, 39). Their findings included proof that cases of violence and
sexual abuse are typically caused by intoxicated students. Dowdall
also notes that “a review of published studies concluded that alcohol
was involved in two-thirds of college student suicides, in 90 percent
of campus rape, and in 95 percent of violent crime”(65). Along with
these findings, the NIAAA also claims that “about 11 percent of college
student drinkers report that they have damaged property while under the
influence of alcohol” (Johnston).
Now
that the physical and academic consequences of college drinking have
been explored, one must understand the reasons behind binge drinking in
the first place. Obviously college students are aware of many of these
repercussions, but still, drinking continues regardless of the evidence.
This is due to two primary reasons among several others that will also
be discussed. The first being precursors within the individual, the
second is the environment. Many experts believe that personality plays
an important figure in the development of college drinking. In 2000, The
Department of Psychology at Haverford College conducted a study to see
if there exists any correlation between personality and alcohol use.
“This research extended the work on personality by using the Big Five
Factor personality inventory, which measures the five dimensions of
personality - Neuroticism or emotional stability, Extraversion,
Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness” (Davis). Based on these
5 factors, researchers concluded that people are more or less
susceptible to drink in large quantities due to their personalities.
Their findings also suggested that these traits are also extremely
important precursors when viewed in specific drinking environments.
Additional data has also been collected which proves that personal
characteristics distinguish certain drinking behaviors in college. The
Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study noted that
Young
people come to campus with social demographic, family and drinking
histories that influence their drinking in college. For example, one out
of every 10 college students reports growing up with a problem drinking
parent and, once in college, these young people either abstain from
alcohol at greater than expected rates or disproportionately engage in
binge drinking and abuse alcohol (Weitzman).
Drinking tendencies before college also can dictate the behaviors expressed in post-secondary school. It is believed that individuals that drink in excess before entering college are at greater risk for alcohol abuse in the future.
And while personal reasons do have a lot to do with college drinking, many feel it is not so much the person as it is his or her surroundings. “Far less attention has been given to the environmental factors that may influence college student drinking. These include state, local, and college-level laws; policies regarding the sale and consumption of alcohol; and the enforcement of these standards”(Wechsler and Nelson). The actual physical environment is also extremely influential. Oftentimes known as a “wet-environment” (due to the overwhelming presence of alcohol) this habitat provides students with an easy access to alcohol almost everywhere they go. Because alcohol is so readily available, experts believe this causes drinking to happen more frequently within the university. Look around any college campus. Alcohol is everywhere. Every party has it, people bring it to sports events, it flows throughout Greek life, it can be found most houses and dorm rooms. Virtually any environment within a university contains some form of alcohol. Alcohol is also relatively inexpensive within the college environment. If it can be found almost everywhere and for a low price, obviously students are more likely to drink; they are essentially submerged in the presence of alcohol all the time. “The overall alcohol environment shapes the level of drinking in a community, with the cost of alcohol, its promotion through advertising and marketing, and its availability”(Dowdall, 41).
Understanding
some of the reasons behind college drinking will help to better
understand the social transformation alcohol induces. Many have termed
alcohol as a “social lubricant,” meaning that it allows for easier
social transactions between students. Typically if a situation feels
uncomfortable, alcohol can relieve social stress. “In the eyes of
college students, drinking solves some issues in establishing themselves
in a new social environment, easing the transition from high school and
adolescent roles to college and adult ones” (Dowdall, 46). Many find
that entering into higher education causes a great deal of social
expectation and many simply cannot cope on their own. So alcohol
becomes introduced as a lubricant to make the transition easier. Because
this transition is new to most students, many do not initially
understand the norms of drinking and thus drink in excess. When this
occurs, oftentimes students become engaged in reckless and dangerous
behaviors. In an article written by Sharon Jayson in USAToday, titled
“College Drinking Is Liberating, and a Good Excuse." studies found that
many college students use alcohol as an excuse for their reckless
behaviors, claiming that if they partake in activities which they find
inappropriate they can simply blame their actions on alcohol. This
paradoxical circumstance allows students to act outside of their normal
behavior and then put all the blame on something other than themselves.
In any other environment, do this would be seen as a social taboo, but
in a college environment this behavior happens quite regularly, and is
generally accepted. This is primarily due to the fact that many college
students are still exploring themselves and are trying to define their
individual identity. Alcohol also gives students a crutch in overcome
many social anxieties. Jayson calls this “liquid courage” meaning that
alcohol enables students to socialize and behave more freely due to the
fact that previous inhibitions are no longer present. Because of this,
social networks are formed within the student body.
Meeting
new people at parties is a common activity. Because of alcohol, many
are able to interact with others that fit into their circle. Heavy
drinkers will socialize with others who drink in a similar manner while
occasional and non-drinkers will create cliques with similar
characteristics. Alcohol shapes the social culture of students by
creating a basic ranking system within the student body. This aspect of
college drinking also accounts for the popularity of drinking games
within college. A drinking game creates a way to show status among
students. To competitively drink against others, one can rank above the
rest of his or her peers. It is a way to represent social dominance
and also to impress others in order to become accepted in a new
environment. Drinking games are also used as a way to casually interact
with individuals of a higher age and also of the opposite sex. In an
essay titled, "Drinking Games, Binge Drinking and Risky Sexual Behaviors
among College Students,” written by L. Simmons, “Almost all of the
students reported drinking or using drugs to enhance sex”( 33). While
there is little evidence that supports a correlation between sex and
drinking games, many perceive competitive drinking as a way to sexually
engage the opposite gender without becoming overbearing or sexually
aggressive.
Athletic
students and also those involved in Greek life typically drink more
than those outside of these organizations and partake in drinking games
quite frequently. This is because drinking is used as a way to break
social barriers between upper and lower classmen and also plays into the
competitive aspect of college drinking. According to the Journal of
Studies on Alcohol, “Men tend to be greater risk takers than women, most
likely because of the following; (1) societal expectations of the
masculine tendency toward risky behavior (Kelling et al., 1976) known as
the ‘risk-as-value hypothesis’; and (2) a relatively greater tendency
toward sensation seeking (Zuckerman, 1979)” (Benton, Benton, and
Downey). Drinking has become a means of displaying masculinity within
athletics and fraternal life. This also establishes a tight-knit group
of individuals who function within certain social norms. Because of
alcohol, and this applies to to all students, social diversity exists
within the college campus. Alcohol creates social classes of students
and causes unique behavioral patterns to unfold. Alcohol can dictate who
socializes with who and can determine social classes within the student
body.
College
drinking has many major impacts on nearly all the aspects of college
life and while it is rooted in so many aspects, it still is a dangerous
social phenomenon that needs to be reformed. While there have been
several attempts at fixing this problem, “clearly efforts to eliminate
underage drinking have failed” (alcoholnews.org). Little is known about
the solutions to this issue, and evidence supporting the success of
these solutions is scarce. Some experts suggest that there are several
ways in which college drinking can be handled. Some believe in altering
the current drinking age. Some believe it would be beneficial to lower
the minimum drinking age from 21 others find that the drinking age
should actually increase. The human brain is not fully developed until
around the age of 23 so many believe this is when alcohol should be
legally available. On the other hand, lowering the drinking age could
theoretically reduce the amount of legal infringements caused by
underage drinking. Another more popular approach is to increase the
amount of alcohol prevention and awareness programs at schools across
the country. “Eighty-four percent of schools that received public
funding for their alcohol education-prevention programming considered
their programming a success” (Wechsler and Nelson). One study composed
by Wesley Perkins concluded that many college students drink simply
because they misunderstand the drinking norms at school. While nearly
60% of students drink alcohol, only about 40% actual binge drinks.
Perkins proposed that if students were more aware of the fact that less
than half the student population drank in excess, then less people
would continue to do it. However, “One study did find a change in
perception after a brief social norms campaign, but described the impact
on personal behavior as a failure”(Perkins, Haines, and Rice). One
final approach to reforming college drinking would be to allow “safe”
drinking environments for students. A safe environment would be a
situation in which college faculty and staff drink amongst the students
and monitor their behavior. Students would be less likely to over-drink
or act foolishly if they were under the supervision of one of their
professors. Already this strategy has been adopted by several schools
across the country including Rutgers University. But because these
methods are relatively new, there is still little proof than any of
these solutions actually work.
College
drinking. An issue unlike any other. A problem that exists as a
social concern that stretches far beyond the reaches of any personal
problem. Alcohol among college students is responsible for shaping the
culture college students practice. It causes crime, physical harm,
academic dismay, and obscure social behaviors. Alcohol controls and
shapes the student body on a daily basis in nearly every possible way,
and unless one truly understand the problem, little can be done to fix
it. Evidence shows that this issue is just recently being understood.
New studies are coming in across the country trying to figure out
exactly why this is happening and how it affects the student body. But
because this issue has only recently been looked at as a social crisis,
still not much is know about any possible solutions. In future years
perhaps social norms will be rearranged in order to keep alcohol from
transforming the college population.
Works Cited
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(2006): 543-51. Print.
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