Don't waste your spring break getting wasted
Emily Booker
Issue date: 3/5/10 Section: Opinion
I'll be honest. The only thing getting me through this past week was the reminder that spring break was only days away. I'm in need of a week of relaxation.
I'm sure most of you will be flocking to destinations so famous for spring break that MTV devotes a whole week to broadcasting from the beach. Panama City alone draws more than 400,000 college students to its shore every year. No doubt there will be a lot of underage and excessive drinking.
When you put thousands of scantily-clad college students together, there is going to be partying, but why does it have to be excessive and dangerous?
According to the Journal of American College Health, during spring break, the average male reported drinking 18 drinks per day and the average woman reported 10 drinks per day. That's every day. For a week. How can anyone so intoxicated make clear decisions?
It's called getting wasted, because (duh) you are wasting your body, your mind, and your morals.
But this isn't about warning you against the harmful effects of alcohol. I'm sure you've heard all that before. Rather, I wonder what kind of society we live in that views binge drinking as an acceptable pastime.
If someone came out to be and flat out said, "I don't like being able to think clearly, and I am going to use my spare time to make myself black out and forget what I did." I would think that person is stupid, immature, and probably in need of some sort of counseling.
But excessive alcohol use is not uncommon amoung young adults. In fact, it seems to be the expected norm.
About 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 years in the United States is in the form of binge drinks, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. And about half of all binge drinkers are in the 18-21 age group. Is getting wasted actually enjoyable or is it just a form of rebellion to a drinking age much higher than our European counterparts?
"Gee, I'm going to drink so much, I lose all my inhibitions and reasoning skills, dehydrate my body, vomit, harm my liver, pass out, and not remember any of it only to wake up with a massive headache the next day. That'll show everyone I'm an adult."
I'm sure most of you will be flocking to destinations so famous for spring break that MTV devotes a whole week to broadcasting from the beach. Panama City alone draws more than 400,000 college students to its shore every year. No doubt there will be a lot of underage and excessive drinking.
When you put thousands of scantily-clad college students together, there is going to be partying, but why does it have to be excessive and dangerous?
According to the Journal of American College Health, during spring break, the average male reported drinking 18 drinks per day and the average woman reported 10 drinks per day. That's every day. For a week. How can anyone so intoxicated make clear decisions?
It's called getting wasted, because (duh) you are wasting your body, your mind, and your morals.
But this isn't about warning you against the harmful effects of alcohol. I'm sure you've heard all that before. Rather, I wonder what kind of society we live in that views binge drinking as an acceptable pastime.
If someone came out to be and flat out said, "I don't like being able to think clearly, and I am going to use my spare time to make myself black out and forget what I did." I would think that person is stupid, immature, and probably in need of some sort of counseling.
But excessive alcohol use is not uncommon amoung young adults. In fact, it seems to be the expected norm.
About 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 years in the United States is in the form of binge drinks, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. And about half of all binge drinkers are in the 18-21 age group. Is getting wasted actually enjoyable or is it just a form of rebellion to a drinking age much higher than our European counterparts?
"Gee, I'm going to drink so much, I lose all my inhibitions and reasoning skills, dehydrate my body, vomit, harm my liver, pass out, and not remember any of it only to wake up with a massive headache the next day. That'll show everyone I'm an adult."
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Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
This is silly
posted 3/05/10 @ 10:09 AM CST
Nice rant. I could find more facts on the side of a cereal box.
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