5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Drink In College

By Makani Speier-Brito on September 23, 2015

5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Drink In College

If I could write to my younger sister about drinking in college, this is the advice I would tell her. College is rigorous. As a college student, you are experiencing emotional changes and loosening the ties from family. Classes are demanding. Reaching for the bottle or joining in on a game of beer pong feels like a release. Though to truly enjoy yourself in college (or at the very least graduate) you need to be feeling your best mentally and physically. You need to nurture your body. Below are the top five reasons why I believe you should not drink alcohol during college:

 

1. We Are Young

Think about it. You are probably nearing or in your twenties. Your twenties are known to be a time of ‘hella change’ and instability. You have plenty of time to drink alcohol after you graduate from college when your life has stabilized. If you can restrain yourself from drinking alcohol, you will feel better post-graduation. Save drinking for your post-college years, when you can afford to pay for your bottles of liquor.

When you test your limits, limits will push back. What do I mean? I have a story to share with you. I will always remember seeing my younger sister in her dorm room. I opened the door and there she was, lying on her bed exhausted. The night before she went to a concert with her new friends she had met in the dorms. She drank so much alcohol, her body collapsed. Someone found her unconscious lying on the cement in a parking lot. Turns out she had alcohol poisoning. My younger sister had poisoned her body with alcohol. Why? She simply did not know her limits or how much alcohol was too much.

2. Drinking Alcohol is Depressive

When I see my friends drink I know something is wrong. Those who drink, use alcohol as a ‘crutch’. Those who drink do not feel supported. Their reaction to feeling alone is to reach for the bottle. Instead of recognizing and managing their feelings like an adult, alcohol becomes their soother. If you are reading this as a college student who drinks alcohol, ask yourself: Why do I feel compelled drink? Am I drinking for fun? How do I feel after I drink alcohol? And answer these questions for real. Be honest with yourself.

If you are drinking alcohol because you feel bad, you probably are not ready to drink. What do you do when you feel bad? Do you wait it out? Do you talk to a friend?  How do you feel better? If you drink alcohol to feel better, you do get a ‘buzz’ but it’s a temporary good feeling. A ‘buzz’ feels great but it fades. Your problems will still be there for you when the buzz fades.

3. Drunk People Are Annoying

Who likes smelling beer on someone’s breath? Who likes waking up with a hangover? Or listening to that one guy: “Oh man, I got so wasted last night!” When I am in the company of a person drinking or when someone gets drunk I just feel sorry for them. I see someone who has crammed so much in their life they need to escape. I see someone desperate trying to escape their reality. I see someone lying to themselves. This person needs to talk to someone. When I see a drunken person, I see someone desperate to tell their truth. The person who drinks only wants to talk to someone who will listen. Would you listen to someone talk about their worries or problems?

4. Habits Are Formed During College

You reap what you sow. Example: If you study, you will get good grades. If you work, you will have money. If you exercise, you will be healthier. And the opposite is true too: If you drink regularly, you might become an alcoholic. When you are in college, you are creating habits that stick – be sure your habits are good ones. Taking shots of tequila every Friday night with your friends could last for years after graduation. Do you want to be a forty year old who still goes to the bar?

5. Better Things To Do

Like swimming, laughing, going to birthday parties, joining a club, walking, hiking and eating tacos. Why waste your time and money on alcohol? Go outside and personalize your life. What I mean? Fill your life with caring people and activities that bring you joy.

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