- Which set of students are heavy drinkers?
- Why do many students drink?
- Why are some of the drinking habits difficult to combat?
- Does age affect the drinking habits of students in college?
- Which students are most affected by the drinking habits in college?
- What measures can be taken to reduce drinking in college students
Which set of students are heavy drinkers?
Students in colleges and campuses are known to be heavy drinkers and especially those who study abroad. The students that study abroad consume alcohol twice as much as students who study in their home countries. In a survey that was conducted in the University of Washington, results were really astonishing. The sample constituted one hundred and seventy seven students.
It was aimed at researching about the drinking habits of the campus students. This was done before, after and during the times that the students had their exchange programs. In this case, the students were held at school for three to five months. They responded that they had at least eight drinks in one week. The number of drinks went up twice as much when the students had gone back home. Students whose campuses were located in New Zealand and Australia were the heaviest drinkers compared to those located in other campuses.
Why do many students drink?
The reason why drinking was quite widespread even among US students in the Middle East was because of the legal age stipulated for drinking. Another shocking fact was that students below twenty one years of age drunk less before taking a flight.
Upon getting to campus abroad, the percentage of those who were under twenty one years old and also consumers of alcohol went up to about one hundred and seventy percent. On returning home, the same students were totally changed because they consumed less alcohol than the same way they did while abroad.
Why are some of the drinking habits difficult to combat?
The age of twenty one was not really the motivating factor behind drinking because there are countries that allow people under the age of twenty one to drink alcohol. Some of the students confessed that their dream of going abroad was not really to study but to have more freedom to drink. For a few of the students, their drinking habits were regulated or reduced after they returned home, with those remaining in the United Sates continuing with their heavy drinking.
Despite the fact that some of the students are self motivated and do not really want to be drunkards; some cultural habits force them to drink. For instance, food is served alongside some wine or beer, and this can easily lead to addiction when done continuously, even without the consent of the person. Being away from home and parents or guardians tends to encourage heavy drinking.
Does age affect the drinking habits of students in college?
The minimum age for drinking in most countries is twenty one. However, individuals who are heavy drinkers in colleges and universities abroad are not citizens of those countries.
In addition, men tend to drink alcohol more than women. Underage consumers of alcohol do it secretly and by the time they are twenty one, they are already alcohol addicts. Most parents insist introducing alcohol to their college children in a controlled manner to prepare them for what is expected when they get to campus. Studies show that those that are already aware about alcohol before joining campuses abroad control their drinking compared to those that learn about alcohol at campus for the first time.
The closer the alcohol outlets are, the more drinking habits are experienced among campus students. As the number of these outlets increase, the numbers of those who consume alcohol also increase proportionately. When compared to other drugs such as tobacco, alcohol is highly consumed among college students.
Which students are most affected by the drinking habits in college?
In the United States, there are more than one million underage students who drink heavily. The number has always been increasing tremendously.
Out of the over one million heavy drinkers, a percentage of thirty nine in their eighth grade, fifty eight percent in grade ten, seventy two percent in grade twelve and eighty five percent have at least tested, tried alcohol and maybe chose not to continue with the habit. Drinking in the US is more of a life style than a habit. For this reason, it is not easy for college and university students to completely evade drinking. Drunkards who are not yet of the legal drinking age take an average five drinks in occasions that are schedules like five times every month.
The shocking comparison is that students who are aged twenty six years and above consume on average, three drinks in occasions that are scheduled for up to nine times in every month. Unfortunate research studies document that in one year, over five thousand underage drunkards lose their lives while others commit suicide and homicide owing to the effects of underage drinking. Alcohol is another cause of risky sexual behaviors such as rape cases.
What measures can be taken to reduce drinking in college students
The management of colleges should ensure that the alcohol outlets are located as far as possible from areas where students cannot easily access. There should be stringent rules and tough punishments for underage drinking. Students should be sensitized on the effects and risks that are associated with heavy drinking. All these steps will go a long way in ensuring that heavy drinking in college is reduced. Some of the measures were tested in various colleges and proved to be successful.