By Heather Kryszak

For freshmen at Buffalo State College, it’s their first time away from home, and they’ll drink to that.

Students can sometimes find themselves overwhelmed by the freedom of going away to school and being away from their parents’ watchful eyes. While toasting their newfound liberty is understandable, over-indulging can be the rule rather than the exception.

Binge drinking, according to the Glossay of Terms for Teen Substance Abuse, states that taking five or more drinks in rapid succession in one sitting – can result in some serious problems for not only freshmen and women, but all students.

Terry Jourdain remembers his first year at BSC living in Perry Hall dorms.

“People would be carried home,” he said. “They lost their shoes. They would be stumbling all over the place promising to never drink again.”

Eric Ando, alumni of BSC, remembers his party going days.

“Everyone’s away from their parents and there's no one watching them so they can go crazy,” he said.

So, other than a bad hangover, what can go wrong? Plenty.

According to the In the Know Zone website the physical effects of binge drinking include the risk of memory loss, blackouts, coma and death, seemingly less-threatening side effects also occur:

 •  missing class or falling behind in schoolwork

 •  engaging in unplanned sexual activity

 •  engaging in unprotected sexual activity

 •  getting in trouble with campus law enforcement

 •  damaging property 

 •  getting hurt or injured 

 •  driving while intoxicated

 •  riding in an automobile with a drunk driver

 •  a high likeliness to use other drugs

In a study conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, found that at least 7 percent of college and university students report injuring themselves while drunk. And 10 percent admit they miss class because of alcohol.

But that doesn’t seem to stop the imbibing.

“I don't know a single person my freshman year who didn't drink a lot,” junior Rose Hernandez said.

There are ways to prevent binge drinking on college campuses. Education is vital, but social, legal and economic changes must also be implemented. Some ideas the Harvard School of Public Health suggested include:   

•  a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol-related violence

•  limited or regulated alcohol use on campus

•  restricting access to liquor by not serving intoxicated patrons and enhancing law enforcement presence 

•  no alcohol-related sponsorships or marketing on college campuses 

•  strict enforcement of carding and confiscating fake IDs

For more information and facts about college drinking and prevention, visit the College Drinking: Changing the Culture website.

Contact Heather Kryszak at: kryshm19@mail.buffalostate.edu