College is a gateway to a new world for many students. Many students are unsure if it will be their first time on their own. College is quite different from high school. College life can take some time to adjust to. The college lifestyle for many is about partying several nights a week, drinking excessively and getting little sleep. Binge drinking is defined as excessive consumption of alcohol in a short amount of time. College students are guilty of this. Although college drinking may not seem like an issue, I know firsthand the consequences of binge drinking and have pinpointed some causes.
Being independent is an important factor in binging at college. College students are not able to rely on the same parental support that they had before entering school. Students are now responsible to their own health and wellbeing, as they have no parental guidance. Although it is fun, being responsible can be hard at times. I remember when I first arrived at college, I would spend my nights playing on my ps4, not doing my homework, and I would socialize too much. My independence and responsibility were issues for me. This contributed to my alcoholism. I refused to turn down the chance to have a drink in high school because I wanted my peers to like me. I was able to enjoy alcohol in college because I didn’t feel like anyone was looking at me. My college experience was a great learning experience. I made friends three years earlier than I was and they were able access alcohol. A fake i.d. is also available. It says that I am 21 years old and only 50 dollars. This meant that alcohol was readily available to us when we visited friends’ homes or, sometimes, if I had the money, I would just go and buy it myself. I was able to drink more alcohol than I needed, which led me to binging. With alcohol and peer pressure, I was quickly on my way towards dangerous drinking habits.
My binge drinking started because of peer pressure and the older girls in my life. All of us feel that we are part of something and will do whatever it takes to fit in. My college party began with a few friends. We were playing quarters. This game allowed you to get drunk by getting your friends drunk by throwing quarters into cups that contained alcohol. The game made me like the game, which eventually led to me reducing my alcohol intake. The habit of drinking alcohol and playing games such as quarters became a daily routine. These games led us to binge drinking. One night we drove drunk back home to campus and I caused four hundred dollars to our car. Sometimes I tried to tell my friends I shouldn’t drink tonight but they insisted that I was missing out on college. I ended up getting so drunk that we had to stop drinking. This became a regular part of college life, with heavy drinking and parties on weeknights. The consequences of binge drinking and partying were numerous. My binge drinking initially affected my financial and physical health. Heavy drinking can be expensive and draining. I would wake up with headaches after a night of heavy drinking. These hangovers were a problem for my training, as they reduced my focus. These frequent hangovers eventually prevented me from getting up each morning to study and kept me from being able to get up when I needed. I was unable to do well in academics as a result.
Academically, I was an addict and it affected my ability to learn. My ability to study and understand class material would have been enhanced if I had consumed less. I would also have missed fewer classes if I wasn’t so drunk. It is possible to use the time I spent on my own drinking for essential sleep. For students to be able to focus, they need to get enough sleep. In my first semester of college, I binged almost every day. This really affected my academic performance.
I didn’t feel motivated to improve my academic grades. I let my grades go and continued to drink every single day. That was all that kept me going. Due to my drinking and failure to improve my grades, I was placed under academic probation and could not play rugby the rest of the semester. My academics started to decline and I noticed a decline in my mental health. I began treating others with disrespect, and was getting into trouble with campus security.
Most people believe that binging on alcohol helps to hide the depression and anger. However, this will only make it worse and make us even more aggressive. I have suffered from depression myself and had thoughts of suicide. I tried to quit drinking to escape these bad feelings, but it only made me more miserable than before. College students who have depression or suicidal thoughts are at greatest risk. Stress can also lead to depression and other mental health problems. We are more likely than others to become angry at someone or something and start a fight, or break something.
Binge drinking refers to excessive alcohol consumption in a short amount of time. College students are guilty of this. I know from personal experience what binge drinking can do to your health and have pinpointed some of the possible causes. Independent living is one of the main reasons college students binge drink. I accepted an offer to drink at high school. It was because I wanted the coolest and most comfortable environment. I was a college student and realized that there were more opportunities to drink. Many students have access to alcohol at college. So, alcohol was always available at our homes. I also had the option to go to my friends’ houses to purchase it. Because of all the alcohol I had, this led to binging. I was now able to drink more alcohol due to peer pressure and the party culture. Peer pressure from older friends, older girls I like and the influence and culture of the party scene was the real catalyst for my binge drinking. This game involved getting the others drunk by having them bounce a quarter into a cup with alcohol. The game made me like the game, which eventually led to me reducing my drinking. I would have been able to spend more time studying, and my comprehension of the material, if I had drank less. My academic performance started to decline and I noticed a decline in my mental health. I began treating others with disrespect and was getting into trouble with campus security. Although binge drinking may seem to help with anger or depression, it can actually make us more aggressive and depressed. I have tried to quit drinking to avoid those feelings but it only made me more miserable.
