Columns

Alcohol – that’s pretty topical.

 
There’s been a lot in the media about the Government potentially raising the drinking age and shaking up licensing laws. The University has banned alcohol sponsorship in an effort to reduce binge drinking focused event,s and Gardies is all but gone. Our drinking culture is changing whether we like it or not.
The University knows that students love to drink. Probably because the whole country loves to drink. On The Gruen Transfer recently there was a magical quote along the lines of “if they make drugs and alcohol illegal we are still going to spin around in our backyards until we fall over because it’s what we want to do.” We want to drink, and no one is saying we shouldn’t.
The University also knows that having pubs around is good because people drink at a managed venue, rather than getting outrageous in their own homes. So don’t worry, The Cook is safe.
So, why is there so much pressure to change the drinking culture? The University invests a lot in clearing up the damage caused by Scarfies on the piss – both to themselves, to property, and to all of our reputations. Talk to the nurses and doctors at Student Health – they see a huge amount of students who have done real damage to themselves and others because of excessive alcohol consumption. Or think back to the times you have injured yourself (even if it is minor), been too ashamed to check your sent texts, woken up somewhere you didn’t want to be, vomited all night, or had a really miserable time because you drank too much.
There is a line that is very easy to cross that turns a fun night in to a really bad one. I’ve had lots of those and it’s taken me a while to work out where that line is. But what really saddens me is when that line gets crossed because other people pressure you into it. Lots of people tried to convince me to drink 21 shots at my 21st and, sadly, it took a huge effort to let them know that I can’t handle 21 standards in a short space of time. I didn’t want to spend my 21st unconscious on the bathroom floor covered in vomit – that’s not fun. Drinking is fun, but if you take it too far (or are pushed too far) the downside just isn’t worth it.
Still, the question I haven’t had answered is: How does me being more intoxicated than I want to be make your night better?