"Going Out ....less" by Tim

  

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A recent article in The Wall Street Journal stated that binge drinking has actually decreased at certain universities in the United States.

Wait.  What, brah?!  People are getting wasted and raging less?  PARTY FOUL!

But seriously.  A survey at Purdue University showed over a 10% decrease in binge drinking from 2009 to 2006 (48% to 37%)..  This has been attributed to an increase to alcohol-free last night activities, such as poetry slams, movies nights, and live music.

Not to be a douche, but all I have to say to the authors of that conclusion is—duh!  Here at the University of Southern California, going to Fraternity Row for a party is many people’s default night out.  If not that, then a house party.  There’s really not that much else.  Hanging out with friends is always fun, but people like to hang out while doing something.  If the only option seems to be going out to a party, then that is what will happen.

With most live music being restricted to 21+ establishments and movies being outrageously expensive (a 3D movie costs as much as a classy dinner these days), it can seem like there’s no other option.  I’ve had nights where I’ve escaped the USC area for fun events—comedy shows, concerts—but these nights are the exception, not the rule.

As I’ve become less interested in alcohol, I’ve started to “go out” less.  An interesting observation is that I always have more fun going to and from parties with my friends then actually being at the party.  Good friends always just want to spend time with each other; it can just seem “cooler” when there’s an event to wrap that time around.

I don’t think people my age like to drink as much or as severely as other generations.  I have no idea why, that’s just my perception.  I have no problem with moderate amounts of alcohol—it can be great to help people loosen up and get out of their own way socially—but excessive drinking always seems to turn into a train wreck for me.  A train wreck that’s been glorified (dude, I got SO hammered last night—it was awesome!), but still a train wreck.

One key to alcohol-free events (that this article brilliantly points out) is that they MUST NOT be promoted as being alcohol-free.  If you see an event advertising roller-blading or ice skating or something fun like that, it’ll be a lot less cool if “alcohol-free” is plastered all over everything at and about the event.

Late-night tea parties?  Badass.  Late-night (sober) conversations?  Badass.  Actually getting people to participate in such things?  Difficult.  Getting students to attend events where they won’t be drinking themselves silly requires some good planning, especially with so many students coming to college expecting 4 years of straight drunkenness. 

Movie nights, late-night tea houses, accessible live music—these are all steps in the right direction.  And a little nudge from universities is always a good thing.  Late nights don’t have to be followed by a hangover, and I’m glad to see more students realizing this.

"You CAN have Fun" by John

  

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The last blog posting I wrote was concerning the alcohol-free events that my campus puts on during the weekends. This blog posting I would like to write about how successful these alcohol-free events are at a national level. Some people may think that no one really goes to these events and that everyone just parties instead but they’d be surprised. According to a recent article by the Wall Street Journal, College Parties, Minus the Beer Binges, there has been a significant drop in binge drinking among college students which maybe a result from these alcohol free events.

According to the article Purdue University has seen a drop in binge drinking students, from 48% in 2006 to 37.3% in 2009 while at the same time there has been a huge increase in alcohol-free events on their campus, student and university ran. I don’t think this is a coincidence. There was a quote in the article from a student at the University of Pittsburgh that really highlights a good point, “Many think that ‘if they're not out at a party and doing something that involves alcohol, their weekend was unsuccessful and they have no stories to tell.’” From my experience this is completely true! The reason why these alcohol-free events are so successful is because they show students that they CAN have fun even when they are sober. When kids come to college they get in this mind set about how they must act to “fit in” and they conform to this idea without really thinking about it. Then when these alcohol-free events pop up and students decide to go they actually realize that there are a lot of options out there rather than drinking every weekend! I’m not saying that everyone should stop everything they’re doing and go to every alcohol-free event for the rest of the school year. I’m saying maybe take a break from your regular Friday or Saturday night and go to one of these events. You’ll be happy you did. Drinking every weekend gets old after awhile; every weekend turns into one huge blur and you forget what you even did. Students should live a little more and mix their weekends up; they’d be surprised on how much their missing.

Here is a link to the Wall Street Journal article I was talking about, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703312904576146232117046602.html?KEYWORDS=sue+shellenbarger

Sans-Alcohol Options at USC by Tim

  

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Here at USC, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights belong to Fraternity Row.  It’s impossible to miss the packs of girls (who all seem to be wearing the same black dress) and guys almost-ceremoniously parading to the Row.  The smell of alcohol is tangible as soon as one turns the corner.

However, students of USC are not doomed to only alcohol-fueled entertainment.  Luckily, USC has done an excellent job of providing students with lots of alcohol-free events (or at least they’re supposed to be).

Visions & Voices is a program unique to USC—it is an Arts and Humanities Initiative started by current USC President Max Nikias.  There are a few Visions & Voices events every month, some of which include some very notable speakers.  In last few weeks, I’ve seen three famous poets (if that phrase isn’t already an oxymoron) give readings—Carol Muske-Dukes, W.S. Merwin (current U.S. Poet Laureate), and Billy Collins (former U.S. Poet Laureate).

Some other awesome speakers have included Deepak Chopra, Ira Glass (host of This American Life), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilema), and Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation).

I don’t mean to just rattles off names and make USC seem super-amazing (although I certainly think it is)—but it’s amazing as a student to be able to see such amazing speakers and events on consistent basis.  These events help stimulate ideas and inspire students—and I’ve had some great conversation with other students about Visions & Voices Events.

Other than Visions & Voices, there are many other university-sponsored events—free excursions to local restaurants, trips with our building government—there’s always fun things to be doing.

Other than university-sponsored events, an unstoppable number of student organizations exist—USC has over 700 of them.  Everything from martial arts to surfing to sky diving is available, and of varying commitments.  I guess I could also mention Greek Life, but I feel like that’s so obviously tied to drinking that it’s not really worth mentioning in terms of alcohol-free events!

Being in the middle of a major city also supplies an endless amount of distractions, which are mostly explored without alcohol.  And once you’ve explored everything inside Los Angeles (which is impossible), there is everything you could ever want to do within an hour’s drive—skiing, hiking, flying a plane, driving a racecar, surfing…everything.

And lastly, and surprisingly, I’ve found that one of the most fun alcohol-infused events to attend alcohol-free is parties.  Going to a party sober is actually a completely fascinating experience—you’re aware of so many things that you never normally see.  Sitting back and observing everything can be very eye-opening, and make you really glad that you’re not drunk.

Many events exist here at USC that are sans-alcohol, and I’m sure that every campus has its fair share.  When one is looking for a good time though, alcohol certainly does not have to be in the equation.

"American Drug Education: The Pendulum Model" by Tim

  

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In my public school experience, drug/alcohol educators seemed to have one slogan: “Start ‘em young!”  As early as 5^th grade, I was bombarded with the staunch anti-drug message of the D.A.R.E program. After that, it was Health class in 8^th grade, being bombarded with a barrage of drunk-driving videos, horror stories, and other material that seemed designed to scar me in a “positive” fashion.

This kind of ignorant, it’s-all-bad-and-will-kill-you education doesn’t really seem to serve any real purpose.  I see my relationship towards alcohol as a sort of pendulum—the scare tactics education swung the pendulum very far in the negative direction, but as most people’s high school experience (and physics) will tell you, the farther you hurl the pendulum in one direction, the more violently it will come crashing in the other direction.

The D.A.R.E. program is particularly legendary in its effectiveness, showing a 0% success rate in almost every study every conducted of its effects, and actually showing to increase substance use and decrease self-esteem among kids from middle-class suburbs (that’s me!).  The D.A.R.E. program did nothing but peak my curiosity.  While it might keep some kids away from alcohol out of fear, I believe it eventually just causes a violent drinking rampage.

Rather than trying to employ scare tactics, why not approach drug education with a non-judgmental, informational perspective?  Supplying kids with accurate, non-judgmental drug safety information would be endlessly more valuable than trying to scare them away from something they will try anyway.  Keep the pendulum in the middle, and it will stay in the middle.

When should students start being educated about alcohol use?  I think middle school is an appropriate place to start, and I think it’s something that should be talked about at home and at school.  Ideally, I think home should also be a place for a gentle introduction to alcohol through parents.  If you normalize alcohol at an early age, I don’t think it will be as tempting to binge at later ages.

And has this model been implemented successfully anywhere?  Yes—Europe!  In France, children are often served wine (sometimes diluted a bit with water) at the dinner table as early as 13 or 14.  Of course, the major problem with this approach is our archaic drinking age.  While most of Europe has a drinking age of 16, we have our drinking age at 21.  And this seems to actually increase our problems.  Europe doesn’t have anywhere NEAR the problems we do with drunk driving, alcohol poisoning, and general abuse of alcohol.

Ultimately, I think the problem with current alcohol education is not the age we start children at, or how it’s taught.  The main problem is our cultural attitude towards alcohol, and the rebel stigma that has been infused into underage drinking.  As long as drinking is “cool,” it will continue to happen, and happen even more excessively if it’s illegal.  The problem with our drug education is a problem with the drinking age.  And until the drinking age and the culture change, our country’s problems with alcohol will remain the same.

"The Gift of Education" by Shelley

  

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I’m sure every 18 year old is a proponent of the lowering the drinking age to 18. Even at 20 I still think it has its advantages. However if the USA was going to lower its drinking age to be more in step with the rest of the planet* I think an overhaul of the alcohol education system should be put into effect. Drawing on my own educational experience, I’d say that even if they don’t lower the minimum drinking age, there still needs to be some sort of reformation. Maybe my experience of being taught about drinking responsibly (or lack there of) is the exception. My alcohol education pretty much stopped at “Don’t drink and drive, kid. If you do, you’re stupid.” Maybe I somehow slipped through the cracks in the system…but I doubt it. I think I’m much more the norm than I’d like to believe. I think that the majority of teenagers are not ready to face reality when they start drinking regularly at the age of 17, 15, and even 14 years old.

As a young adult, I believe that alcohol education should start in the home. That’s where we learn to walk, talk and eat, why not learn to drink there? The scare tactics used on me (if you drink, you’ll die, become a victim of rape, or kill somebody) seem to be about as effective as teaching sexual abstinence only….but that’s a whole other can of worms. Alcohol education shouldn’t be focused on staying sober; alcohol education should be focused on teaching teenagers responsible drinking habits. These responsibilities can be taught by parents, through conversation and example. However, this can only be done correctly in a perfect world. A world where the parent is a mature adult who can make safe decisions when is comes to alcohol and be a good role model. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was no such thing as alcoholics?

Because there is a fair chance that the parents fall short (Adults are busy bringing home the bacon, taking care of other siblings, paying bills and such), the school system does need to take a more active role. I admit that many schools have educational programs such as DARE and AlcoholEDU, but I think there is still headway to be made. Classes with a more one-on-one feel might be more beneficial when looking to build a healthy respect for alcohol in middle-schoolers and into high school. For me, taking an online class on the evils of alcohol is the biggest waste of time. If educators really wanted to make a difference, they would take the time to create a curriculum that tailors to the students’ specific needs, not regurgitate some poorly acted scenarios for the “average young adult” over the world wide web.

Alcohol is a subject riddled with questions: what are the health effects, what should be the minimum drinking age, how to handle alcoholics, how to teach students about it, how to prevent teenagers from getting it. However, there is at least one truth: teenagers and college students drink. There is really no way to change this obvious fact. If they want, they will. Education, though, can draw the line that separates a responsible drunk from a belligerent drunk. Personally, I think we should try for the first and make some changes in our present, broken system.

 *The majority of the world has a drinking age of 18, while the US and about 4 other countries are sticking to their guns with a minimum drinking age of 21.

"Pancake Night" by John

  

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By now you probably have heard of the “alcohol-free events” that your college does around campus especially centralized around the dorms. From pancake night to Wii video game night there is something going on at least 3 times a week in your dorms believe it or not. Your school is constantly trying to deviate students from the popular drinking activities to more sober safer environments. Some schools are more successful than others.

From my own personal experience at CU Boulder I have found these events to be somewhat successful. Last year in the dorms I remember seeing flyer after flyer for video game night or movie night - now I never went to these because well video game night doesn’t really draw my attention for a good substitute to a Saturday night but regardless it something to do if you didn’t want to drink – CU always had something set up for students that didn’t drink and you’d be surprised how many students stay sober for the majority of their college career.

Anyway I did however attend three events sponsored by my school last year. The first one I went to was pancake night, it was a Thursday night and they held all you can eat pancakes. Now I’m sorry but I absolutely love pancakes and that’s something that I can’t pass up so I went and actually had a good time. Met a lot of kids that lived nearby and I then played a little Twister, so it actually wasn’t too bad; it wasn’t as corny as you would think. The second Thursday night activity I went to was making Valentine day cards. They supplied you with food and Valentine card supplies. Again this was fun and I think nearly half the people in the dorms came, turned out to be a great alternative to the ever so common Thirsty Thursday.

Lastly there was the Copper trip! Honestly one of the best weekends I had during my Freshman year. This was a sober weekend up in the mountains of Colorado at a ski resort called Copper. It was completely free. The bussed us up to the mountains, they played Harry Potter on the way up, and then dropped us off at the hotel, ski in and ski out might I add, and we just skied and ate the whole weekend. There was food, hot tubs, ladies, and skiing – couldn’t ask for more. I had a blast, had my own hotel room and well… it was just good things.

In the end I advise you to at least give those alcohol free events a try. You’ll never know how much fun they’ll be until you go. Just because it is sober doesn’t mean it’s not fun – drinking gets old just like anything else: law of diminishing returns, I learned that in my econ class. It’s true some of those events will suck but some will be amazingly memorable.

"Four Loko: The Rise and Fall of The Original Party Foul" by Tim

  

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With ample amounts of alcohol, taurine, caffeine, AND guarana—what’s not (or wasn’t) to like about Four Loko?

I heard many a tale of the infamous Four Loko long before I ever saw it in person—the “one and done,” the “blackout can,” the “four-dollar hangover.”  I spied a can of Four Loko one night in a convenience store and was quite shocked at a few things—it was 12% alcohol, it was quite, quite energized, and it was under four bucks.

The “problem” with Four Loko is that it turns your night out into a bleary drunken crash at 2pm the next day.  One of these suckers will keep one drunk and awake for hours, often with hilarious/slightly pathetic consequences.

Having recently been outlawed in several states, the energy component has been removed to the disappointment of teenagers and college students everywhere.  Its cult status come and went.  The “new” Four Loko is rarely ever seen, while the original has actually been driven underground, and the black market for Four Loko is alive and well.

Essentially though, Four Loko is gone—and gone before it really ever got here.  I think the previously developed “Hipster Model” applies excellently to Four Loko—allow me to demonstrate:

"Four Loko and the Movies" by Clare

  

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A few weeks ago, I was at one of my good friends’ apartments having dinner and catching up with her. We’d both had a pretty crazy semester so far, so it was nice to see an old friend and talk about our new college lives.

As our time together winded down, she and her other friends in her apartment were discussing taking her car to see a newly opened thriller movie. They talked about seeing the movie drunk because it would be more fun (and perhaps less scary) that way, but my friend insisted that she wouldn’t drink and drive. So her friends told her to drive to the movie, drink some Four Loko, and by the time the movie was over, the Four Loko would have worn off. I had to go home before they finalized their plans, so I don’t know what actually happened after that.

The scariest about sitting there, completely flabbergasted, and listening to this conversation was that I really had no idea what Four Loko was. I think it had been only the second time I’d heard of it, and having never consumed any alcohol or energy drink in college, I would have been the last person to have any real authority on the subject. So I sat there in silence, hoping that Four Loko wasn’t as bad as everyone made it seem, and that my friend would make good decisions.

But even though I’d never actually tried any energy drink (ever!), I wondered if I could still have said something to my friend. What her friends were suggesting didn’t sound safe in the least, and maybe I could have been her voice of reason. But did my naiveté disqualify my concern for her?

My pastor once said that we would be foolish to think we have to try every bad thing out there in order to know they are bad. Likewise, I don’t need to try this Four Loko drink to know that it could have some very harmful effects, ESPECIALLY if there is a vehicle involved. Still, it’s a tricky social situation. I still wonder how I could have effectively communicated my concern for my friend even though I’d never tried this Four Loko drink.

"Drink or......." by Shelley

  

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The University of Iowa has been seen as a party school in the past. I suppose it is still a party school. However recent events have taken place to try and change that image. The most forward of these is the “21 Ordinance.” On campus these words when ushered by the freshmen and sophomores are spoken in hush tones, feared and hated. For those over the age of 21, they are seen as funny, a joke on those of the younger demographic. The 21 Ordinance, in short, is an attempt to cut down on underage drinking which, as you can imagine, is a chronic condition in Iowa City. It is such a prevalent state for many reasons, one being The Pedestrian Mall (ped mall). The ped mall is like a cobblestone street, closed to traffic, lined with boutiques, restaurants, and bars. Lots of bars. They all charge cover, check IDs, stamp hands, and hand out ID bracelets. However, these “precautions” are not all the effective because once in the bar, it is pretty simple to walk up to the bartender, hide the mark proclaiming “Not 21!”, and order a drink. Or just have a friend who is 21 (friend is a relative term. It could just be an acquaintance) buy you a drink. Many times, the bartenders simply don’t care. It is that simple. This excess in opportunity leads to an excess in opportunity takers. Thousands of students frequented the ped mall every weekend prior to the 21 Ordinance. In long, the 21 Ordinance is a law that prohibits people under the age of 21 from being in an establishment after 10:00pm that makes more than 50% of its profits from alcohol. This has really cut down on the night life. If a police officer catches a 20 year old in a bar after 10:00, that unfortunate soul can be fined in excess of 300 dollars.

Now what is a healthy 20 year old supposed to do on a Thursday night, I mean besides go to house parties? This is where alcohol alternative events come into the picture; things like improv, Thursday night comedy, CAB movies, the bijou theater, dive-in movies, plays, musicals, and late night at the rec center. There are so many options, but here are some of my personal favorites:

1. Paperback Rhino: Paperback Rhino is a student run improve group. There are approximately 15 members and each and every one is hilarious. The shows are only monthly, but as they say “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” They play games, encourage the crowd to participate, and there is a very, very limited filter. It only costs 2 dollars, which is like one beer at a bar.
2. The Bijou Theater: Have you ever quoted an obscure movie and everyone in the room has just stared at you, not getting the reference? This problem is solved by the Bijou Theater. The Bijou shows independent, artsy, foreign, and classic films daily. And best of all, it’s free. What can you get for free at a bar?
3. Late Night: Late Night is at the rec center (the CRWC). There is extended hours for the pool and rock climbing wall. There are volleyball, basketball, and dodge ball tournaments.  There is pizza, Gatorade and other snacks. Plus, it’s all free. Just bring your school ID. What can your school ID get you at a bar, besides a strange look from the bouncer?

These are the events that happen periodically that my friends and I try to always make. There is always the random concert, carnival and slip ‘n’ slide, but we can always count on the events above. We still drink when the opportunity presents itself (usually 8am before a football game), but it’s always nice to know we have options for weekend fun that doesn’t end in a hangover. 

Alcohol and Energy Drinks - John

  

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Alcohol and energy drinks go hand in hand at college. From chasers to mixers to staying awake for the night, an energy drink is the number one choice. You might have heard of the drink, Four Loko, it was just recently banned in many college towns. Now I don’t know what started this Four Loko craze but it’s nothing original. There are soo many things out there that are just like it. Either way banning Four Loko isn’t really changing much on college campuses in my experience. Everyone is just going to find the next closest thing to it. I mean it is pretty much a Rockstar and vodka; I know there maybe different ingredients in these drinks but it is the same idea; cheap alcohol and a sweet energy drink mixed together to do some damage. If you mix alcohol and sugar it’s going to turn out bad, if you mix alcohol, sugar, and caffeine then you’re going to get into some major problems, hence why this Four Loko drink was banned. Like I said, you’re going to see something like this in college if you haven’t already, just try to avoid it. I don’t care if you’re 6’4”or 4’6” – that kind of drink with excess will put you over the edge in a bad way and it doesn’t take long so stay away or proceed with caution.