Something Sobering:

Answering Questions about Alcohol and College Drinking

• Death: 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes ( Hingson et al., 2005 ).
• Injury: 599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol ( Hingson et al., 2005 ).
• Assault: More than 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking ( Hingson et al., 2005 ).
• Sexual Abuse: More than 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape ( Hingson et al., 2005 ).
• Drunk Driving: 2.1 million students between the ages of 18 and 24 drove under the influence of alcohol last year ( Hingson et al., 2002 ).
• Alcohol Abuse and Dependence: 31 percent of college students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence in the past 12 months, according to questionnaire-based self-reports about their drinking ( Knight et al., 2002 ).
• Academic Problems: About 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall ( Engs et al., 1996; Presley et al., 1996a, 1996b; Wechsler et al., 2002 ).

Calvin, along with many other colleges and universities, is pro-active in its approach to the safety of students as well as the legal, academic, and spiritual implications of alcohol use and abuse in our community.

Question: I personally choose not to drink, and most of my friends are 21 and drink responsibly. Why should this matter to me?

The consequences of underage or excessive drinking affect virtually all college campuses and college students, whether they choose to drink or not. Alcohol abuse stretches campus budgets and staff resources as they deal with increased medical and mental health problems, crime and vandalism, and problems with the general safety of students. And that's before we even consider whether this picture fits our vision for students at our Christian college or how we want to model our faith to others.

Becoming knowledgeable about the affects of drinking may help you recognize problems before they arise or to assist a friend who has chosen to drink irresponsibly.

Question: So what are some basic things I need to know if I choose to drink alcohol?

Plan ahead.

•  Decide if drinking alcohol fits with who you are as a person, your faith journey, and your personal values. Might peer pressure affect your ability to make good choices? Do you have fears about “fitting in”?

•  Is it legal for you to drink? Would you face sanctions from the college for drinking?

•  Think ahead about how you will handle situations where you are offered alcohol. Make sure there are other options, even if you have to BYO. Practice “graceful refusals”.

•  Don't plan to drive if you know you will drink.

•  Eat a meal before you drink.

Know your limit.

•  Even a small to moderate amount of alcohol in the blood affects balance and coordination, memory, and decision-making. Your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) continues to rise even after you're stopped drinking. It can take 9 hours after the first drink for the BAC to return to normal.

•  Use a BAC calculator to learn how drinking might affect you (based on your gender, your body type, and other factors). There's a good one at: http://www.ou.edu/oupd/bac.htm

Recognize personal problems with drinking and address them early.

•  Think about the amount you are drinking and how often. Binge drinking is defined as drinking to intoxication. That's five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more for women.

•  There are many on-line tools to help you do a self-assessment. Calvin's Broene Counseling Center makes an anonymous screening tool available to students:
https://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/welcome.asp

•  Join a support group. Taking Control is a campus support group for students who are struggling with substance use, including alcohol. Call Broene (6-6123) for information.

Question: How can I help a friend who's had too much to drink?

•  Stop the person from drinking alcohol.

•  Find a quiet place to sit and relax.

•  Make sure you friend stays warm (high BAC can lower body temperature).

•  If they want to lie down, be sure they lie on their side (to avoid aspiration in the event of vomiting).

•  Monitor breathing.

•  If you're concerned for your friend's health or safety call Campus Safety (on campus call 3-3333 or off campus call 911).

FOOTNOTES

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institutes of Health at http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/StatsSummaries/snapshot.aspx

Drinking: Attitudes & Actions. 2000 ETR Associates. www.etr.org

University of Notre Dame, Office of Alcohol and Drug Education, BAC Calculator.
http://www.nd.edu/~webdev/alcohol_and_drug/bac_calculator.shtml

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institutes of Health at

http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih3/alcohol/other/glossary.htm

Princeton University Health Services on-line at: http://www.princeton.edu/uhs/hi_alcohol.html