College & Alcohol: A Deadly Combination

Xavier Baisden
The freedoms that students face as they are in high school typically are rather mundane, as most of the time students are generally always accounted for by their parents. However, once students reach college, they are truly free and for the first time, at risk for some of the dangerous activities that are consistently found on college campuses across the nation. The most common and deadly of these hazardous activities is alcohol consumption.

The most common danger that students may not have been exposed to, or at least at this magnitude, is the presence and ease of access of alcohol. In high school, alcohol had a much more suppressed presence, due to the fact that nobody in high school is of legal age to buy alcohol. However, in college, there are many fraternities, sororities, and other organizations that not only supply alcohol for their own parties, but freely serve it to anyone. This danger is not only that is is being served to students that are underage, but to students that may easily be pushed past drinking amounts that they're body can handle in an attempt to impress others. This leads to competition and games involving alcohol, such as beer pong and races to see who can consume the most alcohol.

Alcohol also has many far reaching effects for days and weeks after it is consumed. According to a report by Ball State University, one night of heavy drinking can hamper your ability to think for up to 30 days. This report also shows that 1 in every 3 students has admitted to failing a test or project due to the aftereffects of alcohol. One final statistic is that 1,400 people a year die on college campuses from alcohol abuse. So when offered a drink, ask yourself: Is it worth it?