Cheers to that! To drink or not to drink? That is the question!

By Kristy Oconnell
Staff Writer

Imagine yourself, a senior in high school – way back when! And imagine yourself sitting in your room thinking about college. What were you most excited for – higher education? That’s doubtful.
It’s nice to think that advancing ourselves is the first thing we get excited about when it comes to college, but such a scenario is most likely not the case. So, imagining that you are a senior in high school, what is it that you think about regarding college when you close your eyes? Parties, bars, and fun, right?
If that is the case, don’t feel ashamed! You were not alone when you imagined college as being a sanctuary of fun – who says it isn’t? Fun is a subjective term.
Maybe you are one of those people who still associates college with partying, and maybe that works for you. But if you ask me, being successful in college does not leave room for excessive partying and drinking. I’ve learned that, when it comes to college, my fun is actually not partying or drinking at all.
That is not to say that I feel drinking and fun can’t exist in college, because that is not the case at all. I know plenty of people who party in moderation and manage with school just fine. In fact, a little partying here and there can actually be a good stress reliever, as long as your nightly activities don’t become too physically draining or negatively influence your success in class.
Stephanie Morales, a sophomore studying Art Therapy, manages her time so that she has one night a week to let loose. “I’m not a major drinker at all, but if I do drink, it’s usually only a little bit on the weekends after a really long week. It just helps me to relax a little more and takes away from some of the stress throughout the week,” She said.
I, on the other hand, have absolutely no time for partying or drinking. Between work and school, my weekends are jam-packed – besides, I just don’t like the way being drunk feels. I was never one to have the energy to stay up all night partying and drinking, but again, that’s just me! I actually admire the people who go out and party all the time while still maintaining a 3.5 Grade Point Average (GPA).
We are all different, and we all know our limits. As long as you know when to stop – assuming that your grades matter to you – there is nothing wrong with drinking and partying in moderation.
With that said, if you are reading this and you feel that you are one of those people who excessively parties to the point where you may be overdoing it, then maybe you should reevaluate your priorities. Try to remember that this is college, and college is no joke. Don’t let a few impulsive actions ruin your college career.
Consider that, at this age, we have plenty of time to party outside of the school year. Summer vacation is almost four months long! In that case, it is probably a good idea to find other ways of having fun during the school year so that overdoing it can’t be an option. We all know how easy it is to pass up a night of studying for a night on the town.
There are so many productive ways of having fun that don’t require alcohol. In fact, partying without alcohol is actually a whole lot of fun. I’ve been to a whole bunch of sober parties – movie nights, twister competitions, craft parties, etc. So don’t let going out and drinking be your only option when it comes to having fun or relieving stress. There are other options out there – you just have to be more open to them.