Alcohol Awareness

Although it is not legal until the age of 21, you may soon find out that drinking alcohol can feel like a big part of campus life. Most college students choose not to participate in high risk drinking and most students at UCM have 0-3 drinks per week. Learning to be responsible with alcohol is very important.

Choosing not to drink is the best way to avoid problems with alcohol, however if you must, you should understand the risk. It can happen to you. National statistics show that students who participate in high risk drinking are 2-5 times more likely to experience problems from drinking and twice as likely to die from injuries than non-high risk drinkers.

If you decide to drink,

• Plan your drinking. Think about how much you want to drink before you drink. Remember that food, attitude, and the environment affect your susceptibility to alcohol.
• Take care of yourself. Don't put yourself in a situation where other people might have to take care of you, because they might not be there.
• Be aware that drinking games put you at risk for high risk drinking, since most games encourage drinking a lot in a short period of time.
• Don't ever force or pressure anyone to drink, or spike drinks. This is rude, harmful, and could be fatal. Respect others' decision not to drink