College Ritual

College+Ritual

What do weekends consist of in college? Parties, Greek life, and a celebration for any occasion one can find an excuse to binge drink. It has become a ritual many  look forward to and an experience throughout four years in college.

Could be it because students grew up watching movies and shows that signifies the feeling of some sort of independence away from our parents?

As years pass by there has been a form of change for many colleges in how to stop these students from binge drinking due to problems it could cause such as sexual assaults, academic failures and death. Parents and faculty have tried to come up with different tactics to approach new ways of stopping the underage drinking and consumption of overly exceeding limitations with alcohol.

Yet, some college students do not see a problem with drinking because it’s the norm. Though parents might do their own research if the colleges their children choose is not a “party” school that does not stop the children from consuming anything new they want to experience.

These children usually range from 18-22 years old and at this time of their lives they are still figuring things out and exploring without the guidance of their parents.

“Sophomore year I was living it… partying every weekend with the squad till 4 a.m.”

Jennifer is a senior now, and clarifies how she was the life of the party but as she grow she gained some sort of perspective and how life hit her junior year. She started to make wise choices and knowing her limits when drinking out with her friends.

As a freshman being far from home for a couple months, it gets chaotic because students have not learned to balance their school and party life. Then there is having to meet new people in order to find the right group of friends.

“The friends I have now are completely different from when I first started, I’m glad now that I think about it.”

Ashley showed a sense of relieving, reminiscing back to the old days of freshmen year.

“I think some people it’s hard for them to grow out of that phase, there are people in their mid-twenties still drinking and acting crazy.”

Being a full-time student and working practically full-time as well has become a priority and caused Ashley to understand that adulthood is serious.

“I had to find a job throughout my years in college, my mom was not gonna send me money when she’s already paying for school.”

There are many students similar to Ashley’s situation where one grows up in an environment where things are not handed out so easily compared to others.  Then there are those students who do internships junior or senior year and that is consuming as well since it could turn to a potential job for them.

Some students and parents blame alcohol for the choices made? Or is it another excuse used for our poor judgment and behavior? Some could blame perhaps the schools for allowing throughout the years this sort of behavior.

People look at statistics and think there is a problem but we have to look at the students as individuals and each one lead different lives causing them to make different choices for one another. NO ATTRIBUTION FOR MANY OF THESE CLAIMS. OR STARTS AND FACTS. 

It could be that responsibility causes college students to gain perspective and make rational choices. Since once college is the experience of partying throughout the day or night is not the same since you probably have a full-time job by then and it would be unethical to show up half-drunk or hungover.

 

NEVER USE THE WORK NOW OR LET US. YOU ARE NOT A PART OF THIS STORY. Now let’s look at college students who do not have to grow up as quick and have the opportunity to keep on exploring and living on the wild side. Their families are financially stable enough to not have their college children working part-time jobs.

NO. LOOK AT NEWS REPOTING STORY EXAMPLE ON GOOGLE DOC. You ask yourself as a college student who stresses school and finally, the weekend is here what is it that I want or need? Mentally we trick our minds to think alcohol can solve our problem but again we go back to making excuses.

 

“I like to drink, but I know my tolerance now”

 

Many students have consumed alcohol on the daily since college began they have built a higher tolerance for it now. They think handling it will not cost them a problem because yes there are still some students who are able to maintain their grades and not let it affect their main goal as to why they are in college, to begin with.

 

Conversing with different college students from different schools you gain a sense that alcohol is an enjoyment to celebrate youth and freedom. The students who consume alcohol and let it control their lives is because they do not have a clear mindset to what they want in life. Parents have to help out their children in making sure they figure themselves out without causing harm to themselves or others.

 

As much as people try to control this ritual of drinking at college it will not stop the students from figuring out ways to binge drink or party. There has been an acceptance, it should be about finding different tactics in making sure students balance out their lives away from their parents and finding the right group of friends.