Should parents worry about their college-aged students engaging in binge drinking? The short answer is a resounding "yes!" Binge drinking affects 44% of college students nationwide.
Parent Expectations
When parents send their children off to college, they experience several emotions all at once: joy, sadness and often a disquieting sensation that maybe their little Johnnie or little Janie isn't as mature as they need to be to succeed in college. This fear inhibits many parents from "letting go."
The first few weeks the house may seem unusually quiet except for the occasional cell phone call or e-mail communication from the absent student. Hearing long-distance from the now "mature" college student with informative news about their new friends and/or the rigors of their college classes naturally calms the nerves of most parents. Still, for some parents, a whisper of future problems invades the serenity of the home front.
Results Of Binge Drinking
Without warning, the phone jars the parents awake in the middle of the night. The words coming from the other end of the line are alien and frightening: "Your son/daughter was found unconscious earlier this evening by a fellow classmate. He/she's been admitted to St. Mary Francis Hospital due to an apparent overdose of alcohol." The calm has been shattered by the reality of a real life nightmare.
This gut-wrenching scenario plays out in American households all too often. Below are statistics compiled by experts about the binge drinking crises on our college campuses.
The Facts About Binge Drinking
- Binge drinking is the number one major problem on all college campuses
- 44% of U.S. college students engage in binge drinking
- One in four college students are frequent binge drinkers
- If college students were binge drinkers in high school these students are three times more likely to engage in binge drinking in college.
Why Do Students Binge?
- Many students feel that binge drinking is the ultimate release from responsibility (information gained from personal interviews with college students)
- Many students enjoy the sensation of being drunk.
- Drinking is an accepted culture on most college campuses
- Some students perceive binge drinking as a rite of passage
The Effects Of Binge Drinking
- Missed classes and school work
- Students risk being physically injured
- Property damage: Many students drink and drive.
- An increase in physical assaults and rapes on campus
Possible Solutions to Binge Drinking
So, how do parents approach the reality of binge drinking with your college student? Some of these answers might help. Call your student often to maintain a presence in their life. Take an interest in their lives and their challenges. Be available to them when they call or ask for assistance. Remind them that adulthood is not measured by how much alcohol that they can consume at any one sitting. Encourage them to have fun without over-indulging in alcohol. If your student acts irresponsibly and their college contacts you, don't over react. Be the voice of reason and support.
Allene E. Swienckowski - I am passionate about completing my first book. I have been published twice in the Los Angeles Times newspaper. My day job, to keep food ...
