The Dangers of College Drinking.

Alcohol has become a way of life for the majority of U.S. college students. Even walking through the halls of C.S.U.N you can hear students converse about how they got so waisted over the weekend that they were unable to finish their assignments. However whats even more frightening is the many dangers college students are face with through the misuse of alcohol, however I feel that it is important to clarify just how alcohol has affected the average college student. According to MAXIM Magazine 85% of college students have participated in binge drinking. Maxim Magazine pg. 15 2007. Binge drinking is when an average person drinks more than five beers over the course of two hours. Also binge drinking has been the cause of an alarming number of drunk driving deaths each year, as well as sexual assaults. According to the Alcohol Policies Project binge drinkers are 21 percent more likely to have; missed class, driven a car after drinking, had unplanned sexual intercourse, and have fallen behind in their classes. When binge drinkers were asked why they binge drink they said because drinking is part of
the college culture, and drinking is also another way to be socially accepted by their peers. What is even more frieghtning is that many college students don't remember half the stuff they do when they are drunk. Parents and law makers are concerned over the growing number of alcohol consumption amongst todays youth. Alcohol has always been part of the college lifestyle, but the amount of students who participate in binge drinking has spiraled out of control. Binge drinkers don't think of the consequences of over drinking. Students feel that if they over indulge that they will be socially accepted by their peers. Paul Woo a student at San Diego State University says that all of his friends engage in binge drinking every weekend. Woo also admitted that he engaged in some unspeakable activites while being intoxicated. Yet, he does feeel that binge drink should be permitted in college, because alcohol boosts the liveliness of a party. Not much has been done to stop binge drinking amongst college students. However, lawmakers have tried to boost the legal drinking age from 21 to 25. Although the opposing argument to the increase of the legal drinking age, is that if a person is able to enter the military at 18 then they should be permitted to purchase alcohol.Although many are left wondering if the legal drinking age limit is increased would it really put a halt on college binge drinking.