MOST SOCIAL activities on weekends around Grounds would not be complete without what many consider to be a vital ingredient: alcohol. Throughout recent history, however, alcohol has been portrayed in an increasingly negative light. This is not denying that the effects of extreme alcohol consumption do carry the potential to be hazardous and deadly in some cases. But, if enjoyed responsibly, drinking can add an entirely different and enjoyable perspective to partying. Although many parents and school officials would blame underage drinking on peer pressure, media advertisements and the perception of alcohol as a taboo item, many students drink simply because it is a blast, and should continue to do so for that reason.
Finding alcohol on a typical weekend at the University is almost as easy as stealing candy from a baby. Of the many student organizations that may host parties, those that are exclusively dry are in the minority. Even the recently founded dry fraternities include alcohol in their weekend game plans, as long as it is not consumed at their house. Saying that underage drinking at our institution is widely prevalent would be an understatement.
Most child psychologists, parents and University officials are not pleased with the amount of drinking going on around the nation at institutions of higher learning. It is understandable that they are frightened by the dangerous possibilities that drunkenness can cause. Alcohol affects higher brain functions and judgments. This causes the prevalence of violence and other irresponsible activities, such as unprotected sex, to increase. As people get drunker, they become more belligerent and less rational.
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Even more alarming are statistics concerning drunk driving and the stupidity of alcohol poisoning deaths. Just last month, a freshman at the University of Maryland allegedly drank himself to death at a bid day fraternity party. In addition, just one drink can affect the chemicals in one's brain, which should be as balanced as possible when one is maneuvering a potential two-ton weapon known as an automobile.
Cleary, responsible drinking is vital when one consumes alcohol. The distressing outcomes of what can happen when one underestimates the potency of alcohol should be enough proof of that. But no matter what parents or the law state, in all likelihood drinking will remain prevalent among the college crowd. Simply stated, as long as students consider drinking to be an enjoyable activity, they will continue to drink. Perhaps the media and peer pressure contribute to first drinking experiences, but it is the foreknowledge of how students feel when they drink that will keep them picking up the bottle every weekend.
When people drink, they become more sociable and confident. This leads to many situations that one would perhaps not usually get into. For instance, wallflowers that don't think they can dance will turn into virtual Fred Astaires when they are under the influence. Whether they look like fools when they dance is not an issue because their drunken confidence will not allow that thought to be important. Most significantly, people feel good about themselves when they drink. Alcohol is a depressant, a drug that among other things lowers anxiety, feelings of guilt and inhibitions.
This generally accounts for feelings of well-being that drinkers experience when they're slamming down a cold one. In addition, people perceive themselves to be smarter, wittier, more exciting and oftentimes more attractive to the opposite sex. Although some of these emotions and perceptions may be solely alcohol-induced, that knowledge in no way decreases the entertainment factor involved. Since one's goal when going out is to enjoy oneself, alcohol is a natural accompaniment, as it can heighten or enhance the experience.
As long as people drink responsibly and are not endangering themselves or those around them, there is no reason to criticize them or stop them from doing so. It is commonly said that if you play with fire, you will get burned - but in our case, as college students, drinking alcohol can be as useful in crafting a good time as building a fire to cook food. However, even a cooking fire can start a blaze capable of burning down a house. In the same way, people must be careful when they drink but should continue to if they wish to enhance their good time in that manner.
(Alex Rosemblat's column appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at arosemblat@cavalierdaily.com.)
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