As the end of the semester approaches, fourth years celebrate -- and mourn -- many "lasts" for their college careers. Last class registration. Last time having an entire month off for the holiday season. Last home football game.
And with the last football game comes an important choice about the way fourth years celebrate their last year -- whether or not to participate in the fourth-year fifth.
This tradition involves an attempt on the part of members of the fourth-year class to consume an entire fifth of alcohol -- something around 17 shots -- before or during the last home football game.
According to fourth-year College student Kathy Radd, chair of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team, the tradition started in the mid-1980s.
"It's not the huge tradition people think that it is," Radd said.
Her statement was borne witness by several students, first year through third, who never had heard of the fifth before.
Third-year College student Meredith Mashner said now that she knows what the fourth-year fifth is, she wouldn't consider participating.
"It's people looking for an excuse to get drunk," Mashner said.
Third-year College student Garland Bonifant, who was aware of the tradition, said she might consider an attempt.
"It's a tradition. I've seen a lot of people who I didn't think could finish it try," Bonifant said. "But it makes me a little nervous."
This year the official date of the fourth-year fifth is in question, as the actual last home football game vs. Virginia Tech will take place over Thanksgiving Break, hindering many students' ability to attend. Some fourth years, therefore, will consider this weekend's game against Georgia Tech to be their last.
"If you look at what the tradition dictates, it should be the Virginia Tech game," fourth-year College student and fourth-year class president Justin Ferira said. "But I think a good amount of people will be home that weekend."
Radd expects people to attempt the fifth both weekends.
"People have expressed interest in doing it at [the Georgia Tech] game," Radd said. "It's going to be a problem at both games."
In recent years, several groups have initiated efforts to discourage fourth years from attempting the fifth.
Each year, ADAPT holds their annual "Substance Abuse Awareness" week during the week leading up to the last home football game.
According to Ferira, because of the difficulty in requiring volunteers to give up their Thanksgiving Break for prevention efforts, the groups are putting their programs together this week in preparation for the Georgia Tech game. Ferira said he hopes the efforts this week will carry over to discourage fourth years attending the Virginia Tech game.
Paige Hawkins, a health educator at the Center for Alcohol and Substance Education, said the theme of this year's ADAPT week is "Say Something."
"It's a general message that students are in the best position to prevent problems and keep their friends safe, and not to assume that someone else is going to intervene in a dangerous situation but to do something," Hawkins said.
Events of the week include a speaker or other event each night, all concentrating on the effects of substance abuse on University students.
Tonight ADAPT will sponsor a social norms event titled "Work Hard, Play Hard," examining the truth about substance abuse at the University.
"Everyone assumes U.Va. is a party school and doesn't necessarily know the facts," Radd said.
The fourth-year class trustees help to sponsor another event, the Fourth-Year 5K, in conjunction with the Office of Health Promotion and Peer Health Educators. The run, which is scheduled for 9:00 Saturday morning, is designed to provide a healthy alternative activity to participating in the fourth-year fifth.
Proceeds from the run go to local high school chapters of Students Against Destructive Decisions and the Leslie Baltz Scholarship Foundation. Baltz was a fourth-year student who died in an alcohol-related incident the day of the last football game her fourth year.
Other efforts include a non-alcoholic tailgate hosted by the fourth-year class trustees and ADAPT.
The tailgate will take place Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Amphitheater.
"There's free food
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