On College Drinking: Be Smart. Be Safe. Be Respectful.

Let’s talk about alcohol.

Benjamin Franklin said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” He might have been right. Or he might have been full of… well, let’s just say it.

You will hear a lot about alcohol and alcohol policy at your college and some of it will be true and some of it will be full of it. As with most things, more often than not important points get lost in the translation when things get paraphrased and repeated casually.

But, there are also a lot of good sources of information to help you make sense of what can often seem like mixed signals and contradictions. Odds are good that you have received communications from your college about drinking, alcohol policy, and making good choices. You may also have been asked or required to complete an online alcohol education program like AlcoholEdu or My Student Body. And, of course, there are a litany of magazine articles and blog posts that provide helpful information and insights for you to consider. Just this week my good friend and colleague Beverly Low posted a terrific piece on the Huffington Post that I highly recommend (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/beverly-low/drinking-in-college-the-f_b_11295884.html).

My advice is to dig into everything that your college sends to you. Complete the surveys and online education programs. Read the articles and blog posts (especially the blog posts). Talk about all of it with your family and friends. Do your best to make sense of what you’re hearing and seeing and reading.

And then try to remember just three things: Be smart. Be Safe. And be respectful.

Be Smart.

• The drinking age in every U.S. state is 21. Of course, that doesn’t mean that nobody under 21 drinks alcohol in college. It just means that those who do are breaking the law (and college policy). That’s a choice you get to make. Let’s face it, people choose to break laws all the time. Lots of people drive over the speed limit. And if they get caught, they get a ticket and pay a fine. So if you’re under 21 and you choose to drink alcohol and you get caught, then own up and accept the consequences.
• Most of the really scary situations that arise from student drinking involve consuming hard liquor (spirits) – usually doing shots or drinking spiked punches wherein you have no idea exactly how much alcohol you are consuming. If you choose to drink, it’s smarter to drink beer or wine.
• If your instinct is telling you not to go to the party your roommate is trying to convince you to attend, then trust yourself and don’t go.
• If you are approached by campus security/police, be courteous, and do what they ask. You can always go speak to your RA or another staff member the next day if you have concerns about an interaction with an officer. But getting into an argument with campus police at 3 a.m. on Sunday morning after you and/or your friends have been drinking is never a good idea.

Be Safe.

If you’re going to drink:

• Set limits and keep track of how much you consume.
• Take care of yourself, look out for your friends, and have your friends look out for you.
• Make sure you eat and also drink water.
• If you are going to be drinking off campus always have a designated driver (who is not drinking at all) or call a taxi.
• Never drink alcoholic punches or other mixed drinks from a common container because you cannot be certain of exactly what kind, and how much alcohol is in it.
• If someone has had too much to drink and is sick (vomiting, uncommunicative, passed out, etc.) always call campus security/police or an RA for help. Never assume someone will just be okay. It really is a matter of life and death.
• It’s worth repeating: when in doubt, ask for help.

Be Respectful.

• Respect yourself. You don’t have to drink to fit in at college.
• If you do choose to drink, only drink in ways with which you are comfortable.
• Intervene if you see someone being pressured to drink, do something unsafe, or that s/he does not want to do.
• Understand that you live in a community and that the things you do impact others.
• If your neighbor from down the hall knocks on your door and asks you and the 12 other people in your room to quiet down, then quiet down.
• If you hosted a party that disturbed your neighbors and created a mess in your residence hall, apologize to your neighbors and clean up the mess.
• If you break or damage something, take responsibility and pay for it.
• If you know that a friend or acquaintance broke or damaged something, tell him/her to take responsibility and pay for it; or turn them in.

The choices you will have to make about drinking and parties and such are in some ways difficult and complicated, but in other ways pretty straight forward. For the most part, the more you are able to keep it simple, the better off you’ll be. Be true to yourself and live your values. If you are troubled by or not sure about something, talk to your RA or an advisor. Above all, be safe.

Ben Franklin also said, “Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.” If you can be smart, safe, and respectful when it comes to drinking you may find at least one particularly important morsel of wisdom at just the right time.

Author: jterhune

Jim Terhune is an educator with over 30 years of experience as a senior administrator and dean at top colleges. Jim is founder and principal at James Terhune Consulting, LLC (JTC) - an educational consulting firm that provides counsel, strategic management assistance, and practical advice to colleges, schools, and students aimed at enhancing and enriching the student experience. Before launching JTC, Jim spent 11 years at Colby College as vice president for strategic initiatives (2016-2017) and vice president for student affairs and dean of students (2006–2016). Prior to Colby, he worked for 15 years at Colgate University in a number of leadership roles including director of student activities, dean of first-year students, associate dean of the college, and dean of student affairs. Jim began his career in higher education at Middlebury College in student activities and the dean of students office. He has an A.B. in English from Middlebury College and an Ed.M. in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from Harvard University. View all posts by jterhune