Ethan Beavers

James Braman
Lasuan Cassell
Jarrod Fish
Curtis Hall
Alisa Priest
Taylor Priest
Kennedy Winnie
Mr Jay B. Gross
English 12 B (3)
13 May 2014
Binge drinking on college campus
College is arguably the most important time in a young persons life. The temptation and
action of binge drinking can destroy a persons future. Colleges across the nation need to create
and enforce stricter punishments for underage drinking and make alcohol more difficult to obtain
it. Assault, sexual assault and death are large scale issues with drinking on college campuses due
to students being drunk. Pressure from upper classmen and society to drink and party also play
large roles in the problem of binge drinking. Many college students involved with binge
drinking say the drinking and partying is critical for them to stay relaxed and take breaks from
school work. However, there are many safer ways to become less stressed and still have fun
around campus. Binge drinking is a serious issue that needs to be addressed and controlled for
the safety of teenagers and young adults entering the college life.
Assault, sexual assault, and rape are large scale issues with drinking on college campuses
due to students being intoxicated. Assaults have been growing in numbers while involving
intoxicated college students. 599,000 people have been injured by college students while they
were intoxicated or buzzed in 2009. Alcohol related deaths are a huge problem on college
campuses. 1,825 of the Nations 12 million undergraduates will die from alcohol related deaths.
In addition almost 700,000 people have been assaulted physically and almost 100,000 have been
assaulted sexually in 2009 (Higson, 1). In college over 2 million students drive while intoxicated
every year! (College Drinking, 1). People between the ages of 18 to 24 are the most susceptible
to these odds. Binge drinking in college is not only a problem, it is an epidemic. Students in
almost every major university feel its effects.
Binge or undeage drinking is a major issue on college campus every where. Many
freshmen who enter college are not of the legal drinking age. Being on campus can cause many
underage students to fall under the influence of drinking. Pressure from upper classmen to drink
and party also factors in to the amount of students drinking due to peer pressure. More than 40
percent of American college students participate in binge drinking (Heavy Episodic 1). Not only
do these students have pressure from the upperclassmen they also have pressure from society.
Students spend majority of their free time with peers than with friend or family. A student
interviewed in a study of College Drinking stated Students will study like four to six nights a
week and then go out that one night, but theyll make that one night count(Eastman 1). This
party binging is causing students to lose focus on school work, and put themselves in dangerous
situations. Because of this, it is critical that colleges more closely regulate binge drinking and
partying on campus.
College students are convinced that they need to party and binge drink to relieve stress
from their school work. A study done by Kathy Morrison showed that one of the primary stress
relievers and escapes used by college students is binge drinking at parties (Woolston 1). This is a
serious issue to their health and school work. According to a study in 2009, 25% of college
students reported falling behind with their school work due to partying and binge drinking
(Higson, 2). In addition to this shocking number, 31% of college students met the criteria for
alcohol abuse, and another 6% were classified as dependent on alcohol (Higson, 2). When over
one fourth of college students are doing poorly in their studies, developing terrible habits, and
doing irreparable damage to their brains and bodies it is time for a change. Universities must
instill stricter alcohol policies with their students.
Colleges across the United States must create and enforce stricter punishments for
underage drinking and make alcohol more difficult to obtain it. Being drunk on college
campuses leads to assault and sexual assault are issues on a large scale. Pressure from upper
classmen and society play large roles in the problem of binge drinking. College students are
convinced that they need to party and binge drink to relieve stress from their school work but this
is not the case. The consequences of binge drinking are extremely serious, and steps must be
taken to prevent it and the consequences it creates from happening on campus.





Works Cited
"College Drinking-A Few Statistics." College Drinking: A Few Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 13
May 2014.
Eastman, Peggy. "The Student Perspective On College Drinking." The Student Perspective On
College Drinking. National Institure on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Apr. 2002. Web.
13 May 2014.
"Heavy Episodic Consumption of Alcohol." Binge Drinking; College Students at College
Drinking. College Drinking, 23 Sept. 2005. Web. 13 May 2014.
Higson. "A Snapshot of Annual High-Risk College Drinking Consequences."College Drinking:.
N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2014.
Woolston, Chris. "College Students." College Students. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2014.