Colleges Try to Decrease Binge Drinking

The University of Virginia has become the latest college to try to discourage incoming freshmen from dangerous binge drinking by requiring them to attend an orientation session devoted entirely to alcohol abuse and by taking a one-hour online course. The efforts are designed to give students and parents basic facts about alcohol and debunk some of the myths about college drinking.

Each year college students, many of them away from home for the first time, die from alcohol poisoning after consuming too much alcohol too quickly.

"Every year we hear about students across the country dying from alcohol poisoning," said Susan Bruce, director of UVa's Center for Alcohol and Substance Education. "We don't want that to happen here."

The University's orientation session is called "Is Everybody Drinking?" and tries to debunk the notion that everyone at college is partying hard.

Not Everyone Is Binge Drinking

During the session, Bruce asks students and parents to give their opinion of the college's drinking culture, with the choices being "Sobriety Central!" (nobody ever drinks), "Happy Hour" (mostly light drinkers), "Party Mix" (an equal mix of abstainers and heavy drinkers), and "Crazy Kegger" (everyone is drunk all day, every day).

Most students said they though UVA was a "Party Mix" school, and four out of five parents agreed. The rest considered it to be "Happy Hour."

But actual student surveys indicate that 75 percent of first-year students either do not drink at all or drink very modest amounts, Bruce informs the group.

"It’s a misperceived norm," she said. "If you go to a party and you see everyone drinking out of red Solo cups, you’re probably going to assume that everyone’s drinking. What you’re not seeing is that maybe some of those people are drinking water. Or maybe some of those people are just holding the same cup all night long."

However, Bruce reports, 25 percent of UVA students report drinking more than six drinks during a session.

Source:
UVa Seeks to Curb Alcohol, Substance Abuse

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