Sobering statistics on college students' alcohol use

According to the Core Institute, an organization that surveys college students' drinking practices, 300,000 of today's college students will eventually die of alcohol-related causes such as drunk driving accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, various cancers and heart disease.

59,000 of today's first year college students will drop out of school next year for alcohol or other drug related reasons.

The average student spends about $900 on alcohol each year. Do you want to know how much cash the average student drops on his or her books? About $450.

Almost one-third of college students admit to having missed at least one class because of their alcohol or drug use, and nearly one-quarter of students report bombing a test or project because of the aftereffects of drinking or doing drugs.

One night of heavy drinking can impair your ability to think abstractly for up to 30 days, limiting your ability to relate textbook reading to what your professor says, or to think through a football play.

The realities behind some common college misconceptions

• Myth: "I'm more fun when I drink."
  Reality: Believe us, no one thinks you're fun when you're slurring, stumbling all over the place, puking in your pillow, or keeping your roommate up all night. Remember there's a big difference between laughing with someone and at someone.
• Myth: "Everyone drinks heavily at parties so they can relax and hang out."
  Reality: Though many people use alcohol to help themselves loosen up in social situations, if you'd stop drinking for a sec to take a closer look, you'd realize that most people aren't drinking heavily. There are only a few people who really get trashed at parties, lose control, embarrass themselves, or endanger their lives.
• Myth: "It totally mellows me out to smoke a little weed after I throw back a few beers."
  Reality: Mixing drugs--including drugs like alcohol and marijuana—has what scientists call an "additive effect." This means you'll feel the intoxication from both. So don't kid yourself into thinking you'll have a few drinks and then "mellow out" by smoking pot. Sure, you may feel mellow, but what you really are is wasted.
• Myth: "It's no one else's business how much I drink. I can handle it."
  Reality: If you're drunk and lose your keys and then have to pound on the door until your roommate wakes up and lets you in, that affects your roommate. In fact, studies show that one person's drinking habits can affect an average of five people other than the drinker. Still think it's nobody else's business?
• Myth: "If I didn't drink, there would be nothing to do at my school."
  Reality: Find your college handbook and read it. Learn about the clubs, sports, and volunteer organizations your college offers. You may be surprised to find out how many people are involved in extracurricular activities.
• Myth: "I'm having as much fun as I can while I'm in college. As soon as I graduate I'll get my act together."
  Reality: Your drinking habits can keep you from attending class, studying regularly, or getting involved in a career-oriented club or internship. Plus, if you're thinking of going to grad school, you still need to be making the grade so that your transcript looks good to graduate schools. One other thing to keep in mind: even though no one goes to school intending to become an alcoholic, heavy drinking behavior in college can ultimately lead some people to full-blown alcoholism after college.
• Myth: "Even though my mom or dad is an alcoholic, I know how to drink without letting it get out of hand."
  Reality: Maybe, maybe not. Children who grow up in homes with parental alcoholism are three to four times more likely to become alcoholics themselves. Though this doesn't mean you'll definitely have an alcohol problem if one of your parents does, it does mean you should pay special attention to your behavior. You are not like people whose parents aren't alcoholics.
• Myth: "I just drink socially."
  Reality: Drinking with other people doesn't make you a social drinker. Social drinkers might drink regularly but they don't get drunk. Nor does a social drinker exhibit any of the clinical signs of addiction to alcohol like out-of-control behavior while under the influence, inability to control alcohol cravings, and severe memory loss, like blackouts.

How to handle it when others are drinking and you're not

It can be tough to socialize with people when they're getting wasted and you're not. Sometimes, you may have to go home early to get away from heavily drinking partygoers, or stay away from the bash altogether. But if you are in the mood to hang out, here's some ways of dealing with possible pressure. Obviously, the simplest thing to do is to tell anyone who cares to ask that you aren't drinking. However, if you can't handle that, be as creative as you want to be with excuses. Here are some alternatives:

• If someone says...
  "Hey, everyone, how about doing a round of kamikaze shots?"
  You could say...
  "No thanks. The last time I did shots I puked up colors you've never even seen before."
• If someone says...
  "C'mon. Just have one beer."
  You could say...
  "I'd love to, but I have a bet with someone to see how long I can go without drinking." (You don't have to let on that the someone you're betting is yourself.)"
• If someone says...
  "Why aren't you drinking?"
• You could say...
  "I don't drink" or
  "You should've seen me last night, man. Then you'd have the ugly answer to that question." (You can say this even if you didn't drink last night!) or
  "I'm taking the night off."

Source: Factsontap.org