It was September 16th, 2004, and four (1.75 liter) bottles of whisky and six (1.5 liter) bottles of wine waited untouched in the dark woods of the Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest. “Nobody is leaving here until these are gone” a fraternity brother said firmly to the pledging freshmen from University of Colorado’s Chi Psi Frat house.

There stood twenty-six pledges dressed in coat and tie, blindfolded in the middle of the forest, expected to consume 16 liters of hard alcohol, in less than 30 minutes.

It was “bid night”, an important night in Greek life, when all pledging students are mutually accepted by their preferred Fraternity or Sorority.

After the 30 minute binge drinking episode, all 26 pledges returned to the Fraternity house where intoxicated freshmen, Gordie Bailey, was placed on a couch to “sleep it off”. The fraternity brothers continued to party the night away, writing on Gordie’s inactive, passed out body on the couch; the same body that was found the next day, facedown on the floor, blue, and unresponsive.

On September 17th, 2004, 18-year-old Lynn Gordon Bailey Jr. “Gordie”, a son, brother and loyal athlete was pronounced dead, just three weeks after arriving on campus.

“Excessive alcohol use led to approximately 88,000 deaths and 2.5 million years of potential life lost (YPLL) each year in the United States from 2006–2010, shortening the lives of those who died by an average of 30 years.” Do you still want to chug those 10 beers?

Binge drinking is not only a fraternity trend, but very common in most US house parties, particularly college ones. To binge, by definition, is “a behavior engaged in excessively over a short period of time”, which is an unhealthy behavior to be engaged in by anyone, particularly inexperienced underage drinkers. Binge drinking is particularly popular between the ages of 16 and 25, the “partying” ages. Whether you’re at a house party in your friend Bob’s basement, at a college party, or a Greek life event, binge drinking occurs.

By definition, binge drinking is having 5 or more drinks in one sitting, though, studies from Indiana University show that over 70% of all admitted binge drinkers have a average of 10–15 drinks in one sitting.

Drinking games such as beer pong, keg stands and flip cup have continued to encourage the dangerous behavior, turning binge drinking into a sport, with the winning intention of becoming belligerent. There are also websites illustrating students binge drinking, and its effects, introducing new games and making it seem “cool”, when in reality it is everything but that.

This rising activity has recently been refered to as “the rising plauge on college campuses”, and I can not say news reporters are wrong. “Every year, more than 3 million students between ages 18 and 24 drive while drunk. Alcohol accounts for 1,850 annual deaths in that age group, including deaths from car crashes and suicide. Almost 600,000 are injured under the influence of alcohol and another 700,000 have been assaulted by an intoxicated student. Around 400,000 had unprotected sex as a result of intoxication and 100,000 reported being too drunk to give consent for sex. Eleven percent of college drinkers damaged property. A quarter report academic difficulty due to alcohol use, while 150,000 college students have alcohol-related health problems” 50, 000 need emergency medical assistance, and 80,000 cases of rapes and sexual assaults involving alcohol are reported.

With a US drinking age of 21, if something goes wrong, people normally do not call for help due to the harsh repercussions they would take on. For example, nobody called for help when Gordie was belligerent, and his “friends” later admitted in a video interview that nobody called because they were afraid of the consequences.

90% of all drinkers under 21 are binge drinkers, but why this specific demographic? Binge drinking stems from the almost universal idea of “pregaming” which is when people drink before they go somewhere, in order to not pay for drinks. Though, when President Ronald Reagen changed the US drinking age from 18 to 21 in 1984, people started “pregaming” because they were unable to buy alcohol legally. Since the drinking age went up, highschoolers and the majority of college students could not go to clubs or bars, so, house parties, drinking games and therefore binge drinking became much more popular. This slowly morphed into what is now the trend of binge drinking, because who wants to go out, sober, not being able to buy a drink all night? Nobody, and that is why people are drinking absurds amount of alcohol, in short periods of time.

Although one is more prone to heavily drinking between the ages of 16–25, TIME magazine says it could have longer effects. According to The Psychiatric Proffession’s Diagnostic Manual, college drinking is such an issue now that critics are predicting over 40% of college students will develop a drinking disorder later in life. This is loosley supported by the fact that 39 million American adults continue to binge drink 4 times a month, but we will have to wait another few decades to see if TIME magazine stands correct, lets hope they are wrong.

Although many already know the dangers that alcohol can have on your life, body and mental health, people, most commonly college students, still continue to binge drink, but why? To answer this question I interviewed Dan Balis, a junior who studied abroad in Paris this year from George Washington University, Alli Toffolon, a freshmen at Southern Methodist University, Maureen McCarthy, a freshmen at College of Charleston, John Chud, a freshmen at Dickinson College, Austin Zaephel, a freshmen at Case Western, and Emma Sassoon, a junior at Cornell University, and this is what they had to say…

When did you begin drinking and when did you begin drinking heavily, when did you notice your friends doing the same?

Dan: I began drinking my freshmen year of high school, i began drinking heavily towards the tailend of my sophmore year of high school, and all my friends were pretty much on the same schedule.

Alli: I began drinking at age 8 and heavily drinking around age 11, my friends are always heavily drinking.

Maureen: I began drinking heavily my Sophmore year of high school. I thought I was drinking freshman year if I had one beer or something but I realize now that I wasn’t. I didn’t notice my friends doing this until the same time as me or junior year because we went to Boarding school, so there was not as much partying as “normal” high school students.

John: I started drinking my first year of college, and I don’t consider myself to be a heavy drinker. My friends started to drink their sophomore year in high school, but didm;t really start to drink heavily in the summer going into freshman year of college

Katie: I had my first beer in 10th grade, but I didn’t get drunk till my senior year because of personal preference. I saw my friends doing it a lot younger… getting drunk starting their sophomore year.

Emma: I started drinking the summer going into my freshman year. Didn’t drink heavily until middle/end of freshman year and neither did my friends.

Austin: I started at 15 and heavily 16 and my friends started at the same age

What percentage of your friends engage in binge drinking, and how often do ayou engage in the activity?

Dan: 100%, and I engage in the activity 2–3 times a week.

Alli: 90 percent of my friends binge drink 4–5 days a week and I binge drink 2–3 days a week.

Maureen: I would say 99% of my friends participate in binge drinking. I only can name one of my friends who does not partake in this activity. I would say, because I personally have tried to focus on my studies this semester, I binge drink 1–2 times a week. In the summer, this number is probably 2–5

John: I would say about 75% of my friends binge drink, but I very rarely binge drink maybe once or twice this year.

Katie: I’d say more than 75% of my friends binge drink. they drink to get drunk and not to enjoy the beverage. I’d say this happens at least once a week on the weekend. sometimes twice. Ive never been black out drunk personally

Austin: 95% of friends enage in binge drinking and I enage 2 to 4 times a month.

If you are aware of the serious reprecussions of alcohol, in particular overconsumption, why do you continue to binge drink?

Dan: I am aware of the alleged health detriments, but I keep doing it because its just how I drink, and the culture of drinking that I was brought up with.

Alli: I continue to binge drink because I’m only young once.

Maureen: I, admittedly and like most teenagers and young adults, feel invincible at most times and think to myself “I am young, my body will recover.” Or, “I will stop binge drinking when I’m older and have more responsibilities.” This is why I continue to do it because I do plan to stop and think that I’m young.

John: I am very aware of the serious repercussions of alcohol, and that is why I do not binge drink.

Katie: I’m aware of the serious repercussions mostly because my dad was an alcoholic and thats why I don’t binge drink. But I think others do it to get away from the stressful college environment. This past weekend, my friend said “This shot is the for the psych test, and this shot is for my spanish oral”

Austin: I enjoy the feeling and I can still somewhat monitor myself. And it makes me forget about everything

Emma: because rarely ever do me or my friends actually get sick.

Do you think that binge drinking has anything to do with peer pressure?

Dan: Its not peer pressure its more of just the culture, because when Americans go out, their goal is to drink. Where as here when Parisiennes go out people actually talk and sit in more calm environments. In the US when we go out to a bar, we go to drink, and are going to be drinking all night long. In France they’ll have a beer an hour, in the US we will have 4, 5, 6, beers per hour.

Alli: I don’t think peer pressure influences my binge drinking.

Maureen: I would say that binge drinking starts out as peer pressure to act cool, older, and care free. Especially in college when most of the social life revolves around drinking games. In my group of friends, however, I find instances where I am being peer pressured to NOT binge drink because they fear one of us will get hurt, into trouble, or make a fool of ourselves.

John: Yes I do, my freshman year being on a team I could see in others that they got peer pressured into drinking more than what they thought they were going to that night.

Katie: Binge Drinking is all about peer pressure. people say how can you have fun at college without being drunk. you are scared that others will think you are a party pooper if you don’t drink.

Emma: Maybe when we were younger, but not in college.

Austin: Yeah it has to do with peer pressure because you want to keep up and not look inferior to others.

Why do you think binge drinking is such a big part of US College culture?

Dan: I think it goes back to I think the whole difference between the college environments where in France people commute, they don’t live at school. I live with my friends, I go to school with my friends, we are always together and than we all just go out drinking and we have all weekend all night pretty much to do whatever we want.

Alli: I think binge drinking is so big because everyone wants to be drunker than the person next to them.

Maureen: I think binge drinking is a large part of US college culture because, for boys, the excuse to still act like children, and for girls, the excuse to do things they wouldn’t normally do. Boys and fraternities come together around drinking beer and watching sports and do foolish things when they’re drunk. I think girls drink to do what they want to do and not care if people are judging them because girls are constantly being judged. sexuality is also a large part of being a young adult and I think that drinking brings out this sexuality more.

John: I think it is a big part of US college culture, because it is a way to socialize and after a hard academic week of classes, you want to reward yourself with a couple of drinks and to have a good time.

Katie: I think binge drinking is so big in the US because we never learned to appreciate alcohol because we are not legal to drink it. Its our way of rebelling, and its easy to get access to alcohol. Its the only way people think they can have fun at concerts, sporting events and parties.

Emma: People do not think of binge drinking in the way it is defined so they are not aware they are actually “binge drinking”.

Austin:

Do you think growing up with alcohol in France and having it be legal and being tollerated at a younger age plays into the fact that the French are not binge drinkers compared to Americans? Have you drank less being in Paris for a semsester.

Dan: Absolutely, I think that in the US people start drinking in high school, where its hard to get alcohol. If you made it easier to get alcohol kids wouldn’t idolize it as much, or hide it, and they would reach out for help if they needed it, and it would be a more normal part of life. And, I have deffinatley drank less.

Do you think that drinking absurds amount of alcohol is considered cool?

Dan: Yes and no. Being able to drink a lot publically and handle yourself is cool. Getting abliterated and having your friends take care of you is not cool.

Alli: I don’t think it makes you cool depending on how much you drink.

Maureen: I think for boys, drinking an absurd amount is cool because it shows them being “manly” if they can hold down large amounts of alcohol. For girls, I think the same is true but because it is “not cool” to get sick from drinking and girls are more easily embarrassed, they understand to not drink absurd amounts.

John: No I do not think drinking absurd amounts is considered cool. People have different beliefs on things and I do not think it makes you cooler to drink a lot.

Katie: I don’t think drinking a lot of alcohol is cool. Honestly it makes people sloppy, and it is scary when a friend is drunk to the point of barely being responsive.

Emma: Going out is a huge part of college, its not necessarily considered cool or not but its fun.

Austin: Yeah it is considered cool and people who don’t drink, start drinking to be cool, and are peer pressured into that I think.

What implications do you think the US drinking culture has on the hook up culture?

Dan: They go hand in hand, everybody binge drinks and everybody hooks up anonymously, where in France everyone is in committed relationships

Alli: The drunker you are, the more likley you are to hookup with someone, and everyone at my school at least is normally always billigerent on the weekends, so everyone hooks up as a consequence.

Maureen: Alcohol lowers inhibitions and makes people more willing to do things that they may be afraid to do before, so I think people drink largely to meet and hook up with people. Many relationships start at people meeting at bars and concerts etc.

John: It is very big. When I am at parties I see people hooking up all the time after drinking and partying all night.

Katie: I’ve heard multiple boys say they don’t remember the last time they had sober sex. I think that drinking has a huge impact on the hu game because it gives people the confidence to say and do things they wouldn’t when they are sober.

Emma: Drinking culture and hookup culture almost go hand in hand. hooking up happens or at least starts at a party where drinking is taking place

Austin: Drinking and the hookup culture go hand in hand. People get super drunk and therefore hookup with everyone, its a normal thing I think.

Do you often see drunk students around campus on weekends?

Dan: I go to school in a city, so I don’t see a lot of drunk people around campus. But as soon as I go where there is a party, there are billigerent people everywhere, especially towards the end of the night.

Maureen: I don’t think it’s shocking to see really drunk people on campus at all. But if I am sober and I see them, I laugh because they’re acting rediculous. I see people go to the hospital from time to time and though it’s common and people are usually okay, it is still scary. I never want this to happen to me or my close friends.

Austin: It is not shocking to see drunk people on campus it actually makes me want to be drunk when I see them. And when someone is to drunk I would advocate for them to go to the hospital to avoid a dangerous situation; I actually have sent four friends to the hospital this year, and see people going to the hospital at least once every two weeks, I am not phased by it anymore.

Emma: It is not shocking to see drunk people on the weekends. It is actually a very normal thing. people rarely have to be taken to the hospital and if they do it is usually during a huge event (at my school, slope day and homecoming)

Katie: I go to the University of New Hampshire so I would not say its shocking to see drunk people on the weekends at all. I would say 95% of the campus spends their friday and saturdays planning on how they are going to get plastered that night without freezing their butts off in the negative degree weather. There are siren sounds at night sometimes but I would not say it is a huge problem of people drinking that much. Honestly I think that its okay for people to drink and do what they won’t because no one will be able to stop them, but I personally like to stay out of the heat of it because I think people make dumb decisions while they are drunk. It definitely freaks me out when I have to take care of my roommate when she’s too drunk or I have to worry about my guy I’m with getting to drunk to remember he’s with me. But I guess thats the college culture

Alli: There is always someone who goes to the hospital, at least once a week. I’m used to seeing overly drunk people all the time, but someone is always helping them.

As you can see from the student’s responses, some people drink more than others, and everyone has their own oppinion. Though, I can not help but to recognize a pattern in the last question; every student is used to seeing very drunk people around campus, especially on the weekends. But, how is this possible if alcohol is illegal to people under 21? It is because binge drinking takes place behind closed doors, which is even more dangerous. We can only hope that US college students become aware of this unhealthy binge drinking trend, and try to slow it down, before it gets worse.