It is common knowledge that throughout the country, college students are exposed to underage drinking and take many substances before focusing on their school work. During my high school years and becoming an incoming freshman in college, I knew I had to be aware of what was going to be bad for my health. I knew once I entered Rowan University I had to set my priorities first. I call first-year college students “the most gullible” since it is the time when most freshmen start to try and experience new substances and go out to parties. 

As an athlete, I and many others have learned to be “the chosen babysitter” due to not being able to drink or smoke. You observe how much alcohol can really do to one person. What I’ve noticed is that today’s college generation may or may not realize how much alcohol can do to their own body.

It is a normalized idea that drinking at parties is cool, and people might think you are boring for not. But because of this, college students tend to abuse the usage of alcohol. And the truth is; everyone is cool in their own way, no matter if you drink or not. 

But I have now come to the conclusion that many college students might not understand the long-term effects of drinking. And I wholeheartedly encourage college students to understand what drinking can do to our bodies. 

An article by Verywellhealth states, “Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that has immediate effects on the body, like intoxication (feeling drunk) and hangovers (unpleasant aftereffects from drinking) While these effects are short-lived, long-term alcohol use can trigger systemic inflammation, which damages the body’s tissues and vital organs over time.” 

Drinking so much can lead to severe liver disease and will break down acetaldehyde, which is a toxin that damages the organs and tissues of the human body. This means that years of drinking can result in people having heart disease, cancer, weak immune system, and many more. 

Rowan University is known for its party life, and more notoriously, its fraternities. In truth, attending these kinds of parties myself has made me come to realize the value of practicing sobriety. I want this to motivate college students to realize that being sober can not only be a good thing but can also help them to feel more safe. 

If you are a woman, it is common knowledge that men have more of a chance to take advantage of you. With going to parties and drinking, as a woman you have to be aware of the risks of drink spiking. 

Spiking drinks is unfortunately very common and college students should be knowledgeable of where they receive and leave their drinks. Spiking can include adding more alcohol to an alcoholic drink or dropping in an illegal drug. People use drink spiking to intoxicate someone to commit certain crimes, such as sexual assault or robbery. 

In other words, when you leave a drink unattended, get another drink because you never know what was put in that drink while you were looking away. 

An article by Bustle states, “After analyzing more than 6,000 students from three different universities, lead researcher Suzanne C. Swan found that 462 students, or 7.8 percent, said they had been drugged with Rohypnol, Xanax, or an unknown drug without their consent, and 1.4 percent reported knowing someone who had drugged another person or doing so themselves.”

When I was a child, I didn’t realize the effects of alcohol. I grew up where most of my family members were alcoholics and couldn’t stop drinking. Now that I am an adult, I am very well aware of how alcohol can ruin one’s physical and mental health, which is why I avoid it. Some of my family members ended up having liver issues due to the amount of alcohol they drank. 

According to Psychiatry.org, it is stated “Alcohol use is common, 84% of adults ages 18 and older report drinking alcohol at some point in their lives. Among adults aged 18 and over, approximately 11% had AUD [alcohol use disorder] in the past year.”

AUD can lead to numerous bad habits. In addition to drinking underage, it might impact one’s growth and throw off your natural chemicals. It can also cause college students to feel unmotivated, making it difficult for them to complete their schoolwork. Having an alcohol addiction can be very problematic not to just yourself but to the people around you. 

Even though Rowan University is known as a party school, I want us, as college students, to know that being sober is a good thing. If you are concerned about yourself or someone you care for, resources on campus are available to help form a healthier relationship with your drinking habits. No one should ever feel insecure about wanting to get better. 

Focus on what is best for you. Coming out of an addiction can of course be difficult but it is never too late to become better for yourself. We are young and we, as college students, have a whole life ahead of us. If there is anything that students can take away from this article, let it be that there are resources to help you get through the challenges.

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