(ThyBlackMan.com) For many people, drinking alcohol and going to college simply go hand-in-hand. But the harsh reality is that established drinking habits mixed with the college environment could be a recipe for disaster. Some say the stats surrounding the increasing number of college students who drink are frightening.
Let’s take a look at just how many college students drink alcohol, and we’ll also examine whether this figure is on the rise.
The Statistics
The statistics regarding drinking among college students are quite alarming:
The Repercussions
The problem is not always the drinking itself; it’s the repercussions that come with it. A quarter percentage of college students report academic consequences of their drinking behavior including falling behind their work, missed classes, poor exam results and overall lower grades. Many college students begin their weekends on a Thursday and it’s popular to plan to drink before going out, at times even doing so on their own. Called ‘prep drinking’ it is something that a college-town bar manager says is on the rise.
“While local bars are constantly being told to be more vigilant in monitoring the alcohol consumption of their customers, the reality is that a lot of these kids do prep drinking at home or in the rooms of their residences before heading out,” states Paul Gentile.
Colleges and universities south and north of the border are well aware of the problems with alcohol abuse. The 2014 student handbook from Western University in London, Ontario, states: “Despite ongoing evidence in residence and the community to educate young adults about alcohol and other harmful substances, and the kinds of difficulties that can arise from their abuse, alcohol and drugs continue to figure prominently in a large range of residence problems”… adding that “the consumption of alcohol is restricted to your room, provided you are of age.”
What is being done to combat excessive drinking among college students?
While colleges and college communities are attempting to tackle excessive drinking in a variety of ways (including disciplinary measures such as expulsion from student housing), competing with this is the, at times, loneliness and social pressures affecting students, the widespread availability of alcohol, and limited interactions with parents and other adults. And the worrying thing is, these feelings of loneliness and prevalent accessibility to alcohol will always be an ongoing struggle for students.
Staff Writer; George Brown