Hitting the bottom of the bottle too fast

Students deal with risks of binge drinking

Luke Beerbohm
Staff Writer
May 6, 2004

College is a chance to get away from the stresses of home and parents, start over with a clean slate and discover new things you might not have known about before. In other words, college is freedom.
But with freedom, comes responsibility. The party scene can be fun and exciting, but things can get out of control.
According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), many students drink with one goal in mind; to get drunk. Many students at Doane agreed, saying a party isn’t fun unless they’re drunk.
Students who go out exclusively to get drunk are classified as binge drinkers. Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks in a row for males and four or more in a row for females.
Colleges with high binge drinking rates are more likely to attract students who were binge drinkers in high school.
Because Doane is a privileged campus, students can have alcohol if they’re 21. Students look at that fact when they’re choosing what college to attend.
“Partying is one of the things I looked forward before I came to college,” junior Mitch Johns said.
Binge drinking is a big concern for parents and professors because it affects classroom performance. Binge drinkers are more likely to miss class and fall behind in their schoolwork.
Johns said it’s hard to wake up for class after a night of drinking because all he wants to do is sleep.
Although drinking may seem fun at the time, it can have serious consequences.
The most serious concern is alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning is having a severe or potentially fatal reaction to an overdose of alcohol. Symptoms include vomiting, unconsciousness, clammy hands, and irregular breathing.
Drinking not only affects the drinker, but the people around them as well.
In schools with high binge drinking rates, non-drinkers are more likely to be assaulted or insulted.
Another big issue related to drinking is unwanted sexual advances. People who are drinking become more aggressive and direct.
Sophomore Danielle Sjomeling said she has experienced this type of behavior more than once.
“Guys always get touchy when they drink,” said Sjomeling said. “Some of the time it is offensive, but most of the time it’s just annoying.”
If students have any questions or want to get help for somebody, they should contact Kelly Jirovec, director of Health and Wellness, at 8265 or Counseling Assistance at 6719.