Ask any college student about the upcoming weekend’s plans, and most will say this: alcohol. Eighty percent of college students drink alcohol, spending at least $40 a month on it. This isn’t surprising — in America, $163 million was spent on alcohol in 2011, and the average consumption per person is two gallons of alcohol each year. Alcohol consumption is prominent in American society, and its presence is especially strong in the collegiate sector.
For many college students, attending parties and drinking alcohol go hand-in-hand. While drinking is a part of the social aspect of college, many college students rely on it too heavily and are irresponsible with their choices. Binge drinking — drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short amount of time — is extremely common among college students in America. Many drinking games that college students play encourage drinking a lot of alcohol, oftentimes liquor, quickly.
Some people drink like this because they’re pressured into it, while others enjoy the buzz they get from alcohol. More often than not, students won’t worry about these habits — after all, college is the time to have some fun. These kinds of drinking habits have negative effects on the consumer. Some may be minor, such as missing class because of a hangover or spraining an ankle on the walk home from the bar. Other consequences leave a larger impact on college students. Assaults are more likely to occur among drunken people, leading to serious criminal offenses. Around 110,000 college students are arrested each year for alcohol-related crimes.
Injuries can often occur while drinking. Approximately 600,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 reported that they inadvertently hurt themselves while drinking. Although many of the injuries might have been trivial, such as a bruised elbow or a scratched knee, serious injuries do occur. These injuries could be broken bones, concussions or even alcohol poisoning.
The most serious consequence to drinking is death. Each year, almost 2,000 college students die as a result of drinking. These deaths can be from injuries sustained while drinking or from consuming too much alcohol. Some students have even attempted suicide due to drug and alcohol habits.
Alcohol is popular because, even though it’s a depressant, it increases dopamine levels in the brain. This is why the consumer feels great while drinking. Meanwhile, alcohol increases clumsiness while decreasing inhibitions. Many college students, especially underclassmen, use alcohol as a way to overcome shyness and meet new people.
Even though alcohol has been proven to be a dangerous drug, its consumption is prominent in most colleges and universities. About 17 million college students — two times the New York City population — drink alcohol. The average undergraduate is drunk for over 10 hours each week. The list of top 20 party schools, compiled in the Princeton review, shows that excessive drinking occurs all over the country.
While some students see the weekend as a way to blow off some steam after a week of classes, the repercussions that follow might not make their actions worth it. Missed classes or bruised limbs may seem insignificant at first, but when those grades go down and those injuries become serious after drinking binges, the consequences leave an impact that can be hard to ignore.
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