Reflection 04: Wasted Education—College Binge Drinking

Much to the chagrin of universities and parents everywhere, binge drinking—drinking excessively with the intent of becoming highly intoxicated—is now a common part of college life in America. In fact, binge drinking is now so ingrained into the fabric of contemporary college life that some universities have even begun including information about the dangers of the excessive consumption of alcohol into their freshman orientations. It is difficult to argue that we are not in an era when many young people drink only to get drunk, but is it, as some suggest, an epidemic? How has binge drinking affected your own college experience? What do you believe will be the long-term effects of such practices on students? Finally, what do you believe universities can do to curb this practice?

Include in your discussion at least two of the following:

• "Fact Sheet: College Drinking" (NIH)
• "Early Drinking Behavior has Lifelong Effect" (Yale Daily News)
• "NIH: College Freshmen 'Vulnerable' to Binge Drinking'" (WNCN)
• "Colleges Brainstorm Ways to Cut Back on Binge Drinking" (NPR)
• "The 'Keg Stand Queens' of College Binge Drinking" (Slate) 
• "Binge Drinking: "I Black Out Almost Every Single Time I Drink”(Iowa Public Radio)

Requirements:

• Must be in MLA Style
• Must be two full page in length
• Include works cited page

Due: We 10.22