Spring Break
The Daily OrangeBoozing barrier: After turning 21, drinking habits change
By Ali Pickering
Posted: 11/4/07, 11:39 PM EST Section: News
But experts say the youngest students have the most trouble holding their liquor.
About 50 percent of students affected by alcohol poisoning annually are freshmen, said Dr. Dessa Bergen-Cico, assistant professor in the department of health and wellness.
After the large majority of freshmen cases, a quarter of alcohol poisoning instances involve sophomores while the remaining instances are nearly split between juniors and seniors, she said.
Not knowing boundaries is the biggest issue for freshmen, Bergen-Cico said.
"Seventy to 75 percent of freshmen come to SU with experience drinking in high school," said Bergen-Cico, adding that while drinking is underground in high school years, in college it is part of the normal social life.
Another distinctive parallel exists between increased alcohol consumption and sexual assault. The first six weeks of the fall semester show the highest rate of sexual assaults, Bergen-Cico said. Most of the victims were first-year female students, and most of those cases involved alcohol consumption.
Increased alcohol consumption poses an increased risk in other attacks as well, such as robbery and assault.
"As alcohol consumption goes up, the risk of being victimized increases as well," Bergen-Cico said.
As students mature, they realize safer limits and moderate drinking more, Bergen-Cico said.
"When alcohol is harder to access, students are going to drink as much as they can when they have it," Bergen-Cico said. "Students are a lot more socially mature when they turn 21."
Junior John Troynousky, who is under 21, believes that the ability to drink legally does not match the excitement of getting to that point.
"There's a lot of hype to get to that plateau, and then it's not so great," he said.
About 50 percent of students affected by alcohol poisoning annually are freshmen, said Dr. Dessa Bergen-Cico, assistant professor in the department of health and wellness.
After the large majority of freshmen cases, a quarter of alcohol poisoning instances involve sophomores while the remaining instances are nearly split between juniors and seniors, she said.
Not knowing boundaries is the biggest issue for freshmen, Bergen-Cico said.
"Seventy to 75 percent of freshmen come to SU with experience drinking in high school," said Bergen-Cico, adding that while drinking is underground in high school years, in college it is part of the normal social life.
Another distinctive parallel exists between increased alcohol consumption and sexual assault. The first six weeks of the fall semester show the highest rate of sexual assaults, Bergen-Cico said. Most of the victims were first-year female students, and most of those cases involved alcohol consumption.
Increased alcohol consumption poses an increased risk in other attacks as well, such as robbery and assault.
"As alcohol consumption goes up, the risk of being victimized increases as well," Bergen-Cico said.
As students mature, they realize safer limits and moderate drinking more, Bergen-Cico said.
"When alcohol is harder to access, students are going to drink as much as they can when they have it," Bergen-Cico said. "Students are a lot more socially mature when they turn 21."
Junior John Troynousky, who is under 21, believes that the ability to drink legally does not match the excitement of getting to that point.
"There's a lot of hype to get to that plateau, and then it's not so great," he said.
Be the first to comment on this story