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The weekend starts on Thursday, Tuesday is all about tequila and Wednesday revolves around getting wasted. Every holiday, sporting event and non-pupil contact day is more than enough reason to drink. All of the above could refer to every college town in America.
Alcohol and the undergraduate college subculture are closely connected. Boulder is no exception, and it even exceeds many other college towns in terms of consumption on campuses.
The issue of alcohol use among university students raises many questions and infers several implications about the culture of youth and how it is defined. Although not every undergraduate student drinks, CU boulder earned the number 16 position for top party schools by the Princeton Review for 2010-11. This title was not undeserved. A typical weekend in Boulder often consists of consuming a large amount of hard liquor and any other type of alcohol on hand.
Although the high level of consumption may present a problem for college students, the more interesting thing is alcohol’s deep-seated roots within youth culture.
There is often pressure, either implicit or explicit, from friends to drink and to drink heavily. CU junior psychology major, Madison Heimert, said she considers herself a part of the undergraduate social scene and voiced her opinions on how central alcohol is within the college community.
“Walking into what you know is a party school, there is somewhat of an expectation that it is going to be a part of your social life,” Heimert said. “But coming from the perspective of what is technically and legally safe, I would definitely say people drink at a dangerous level in Boulder.”
Heimert’s attitude seems to be the general consensus. It is accepted, although it is simultaneously recognized as a problem.
Students also may drink heavily because of social anxiety. Socially anxious students may drink to ease their nerves and to assimilate into their new college environment. This proves detrimental because it allows for young people to get by without ever fully developing healthy social skills.
A large consumption of alcohol must also cause one to ask whether or not social situations are of much value anymore. Alcohol in large quantities offers a temporary lack of inhibitions and an elevated mood, but these effects are not lasting and the relationships formed during a night of drinking often aren’t either.
According to the college alcohol study 2008, 64 percent of undergraduate students at CU had binge drank within two weeks of when they were surveyed. This statistic gives weight to the idea that alcohol is not only a portion of having a social life in Boulder and at college in general, but that it is absolutely essential. There are of course other means of socially interacting within the larger community such as volunteering, joining a club or getting a job, but it is difficult to argue that alcohol is not dominant in the undergraduate social scene.
This idea of alcohol as a dominating force leads to the realization that alcohol is simply a part of life. Whether you are a college student, a high school student or a parent, it is around, and it isn’t going anywhere. It is highly prevalent on college campuses, particularly CU Boulder, which places a large responsibility on students.
It is not realistic to call for a cultural change that would reduce drinking among undergraduates. This leaves it up to the individual to monitor his or her own use and strike a balance between drinking and other more rewarding activities that come with the college experience. College might center around drinking, but it doesn’t have to for every student. Alcohol is most certainly a part of college culture, but it is up to the individual to decide if it defines it.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Devon Boen at Devon.boen@colorado.edu.
