The choices around alcohol are probably the ones college students make most often in school. After all, we choose classes only once a semester, but we choose whether or not we want to drink, how much we want to drink almost every weekend. Although these choices are resolved differently from person to person, given the many negative consequences of high risk drinking, it is perhaps curious that it remains such a problem on campuses today. The negative consequences of high risk drinking are well documented; for most college students, the consequences can be physical, emotional, academic, or even legal. And yet, despite all of these risks surrounding alcohol, risks that many students have experienced for themselves, some college students continue to drink. From my own experiences and observations, it seems that the time when most students start drinking is their first year of college. I wish I could say that I remembered my own first year with great clarity but like some of my peers I chose to take what seemed at the time was the easy way out. Of that first year however, I do remember the first week. I remember the excitement, hope, and anticipation with which I regarded college. The freedom of being 3,000 miles away from home in a big city was intoxicating. And somewhere, lying beneath this jumble of excitement and hope was fear. Although I did not choose to acknowledge it at the time, I was afraid of not measuring up academically or socially. The pressure to make friends fast, to learn fast, to live fast was overwhelming. It is no secret that the college environment in recent years has become fiercely competitive. Cut off from my support network at home and lacking a new one at school, I thought I had found the solution with my first drink. Who knew the transformation from little Red Riding Hood to sexy Betty Boop could be so easy? A certain combination of tequila, vodka and triple sec with a twist of lime and I was ready for anything -Hollywood, the moon, you name it, just bring it on. Except it didn't turn out to be that easy. And it took a year for this smart college girl to figure that out. In the end, I might never have woken up if not for a couple of friends who really cared and saw what was going on. It wasn't enough that I was handed a few pamphlets with numbers and smiling, cheeky peers that first day of school. I needed a voice, a warm hand, a living person to remind me that there were other choices.

One of the most important things I've learned at college is the private role students can play in supporting each other. With an issue like high risk drinking that affects every facet of our community, it becomes even more important that students take responsibility not only for themselves but for each other. By making the choice to abstain or to drink responsibly, we are doing more than just making a personal statement. We are also setting a new norm for our community by making other forms of behavior socially acceptable. Our personal choices can send a passive message but our active efforts can do even more. It's remarkable how the same students who can debate the fallacies of Marx without breaking a sweat find a gentle intervention on a friend's behalf almost impossible. Without preaching or lecturing, fellow students can do more to spread awareness on the consequences of drinking than the most well intentioned administrator. Although most students who drink tend to minimize the legal aspects of underage drinking, it is crucial to realize that the consequences are real. Regardless of one's personal viewpoints on the topic, as a community we are all bound by rule of law and must respect it. The choice to drink or not to drink in the end remains a personal choice but by recognizing the risks involved and by helping others to become aware of those risks, we can take: care of each other and leave a lasting imprint on each other's lives.

I AM CHRIS. I stood back and admired my work. Pretty good, despite the fact that my friend Chris couldn't stop rolling his head off the edge of the bed to vomit the rest of his 20th birthday celebration out of his system. You may view it as cruel to tattoo a friends' face with marker after a night of extreme intoxication, but I saw it as a reminder. I understood that Chris wouldn't have any recollection of the night's events, but I scribed his name on his forehead to make him think about his actions the next morning. Hopefully the message got to the very place I had written it. Now, back to my work in progress. Okay, I admit it. The red beard and mustache were just for fun. The temptation to drink is everywhere. I know. I can't even remember the last time I went out and was not offered some form of alcohol. So, what is the solution? In my opinion, college students should practice the age old "buddy system" when it comes to the issue. No, not literally stick together and hold hands like in elementary school, but look out for one another. The updated buddy system comes in three important steps. Avoidance is the first step. Why not elude the temptation to drink altogether by organizing a drug-free activity night with friends. You still get to hang out together and have a good time, minus the risk of a "field trip" to the local prison. Go bowling, watch a movie, play charades, go bust a move at a local club. Just imagine the memories you can make and remember. What a concept. Second, realize the influence you have over one another. Encourage a peer to make wise choices when it comes to drinking. Don't lecture. Don't nag. You're not a parent, but you're a friend. Be there when one of your peers has a decision to make. Be there to listen. Be there to congratulate a friend on a good choice. Most importantly, be there to pick them up from a poor one. Lastly, as the old saying goes, "If you must drink, please drink responsibly." At the onset of a night partying, choose a designated driver. It's a simple step that could save lives. I was the designated driver for Chris on his birthday that night. The way I look at it is simple. He made it home okay because I was there. He didn't try to take his keys and drive home drunk to possibly injure himself or others. He didn't because someone was there to look out for him. Just think of what could have happened if that "someone" had not been there. Could you possibly live with the guilt of knowing you could have done something and didn't? Make smart choices, and you'll never be forced to live with the reality of the answer to that question.

Who would have guessed that the buddy system would play a crucial role in the life of a college student? Probably not many considering the last time you heard of its existence was in grade school. Still, its values are fitting for issues of alcohol consumption in college. The system is unquestionably simple. First, avoid the situation altogether. Next, encourage your peers to make smart choices. Lastly, never drink and then drive. It's that easy. Oh, and one more tip. If you ever decide to draw on one of you friends' foreheads after a little too much partying, make sure the marker is washable. You wouldn't want them to walk around for a week with their name scrawled across their face like my friend Chris did. Oops. Sorry Chris.

Gentle Guidance: Create a Legacy of Positive Behavior
Jennifer Nagy
Unity College

"To the youth, -may you live, drink, and be merry."
As this old toast demonstrates, drinking is seen as a merry activity for the young and young at heart. If one wishes to re-educate young people to drink responsibly, one needs patience and a message combining personal emotion, real stories, facts and figures, and warnings of the consequences. Even though there are laws prohibiting underage drinking, and high risk drinking at college parties occasionally results in injury or death, students still go and participate.

Drinking excessively is seen as the normal thing to do; in fact one feels alienated if they don't partake. Through magazines and television, drinking is heavily advertised as a normal activity for young adults. Often it is stigmatized as the only way to have fun.

Frequently, college students don't realize how much they drink. When it is a natural part of social interaction, they loose track of how much alcohol is consumed. A concerned professor asked some of his students to just keep track of how much they drank everyday. A month later, the guys came back to him and said they were surprised at the frequency and excessiveness of their drinking. They have since cut back.

Threatening students with law books is not a useful way to halt excessive drinking. It is important to acknowledge that a majority of college students have little to no respect for the law~ Just because residents of an area vote not to allow public drinking or a court determines drinking under 21 illegal, doesn't mean that college students will abide. It is important to have legal consequences for illegal activities, but students constantly perceive that "1 won't get caught."

It is imperative that college students have knowledge of the laws. Ignorance is not an excuse at a hearing. A rules packet from a University, if given, will only be thrown in the trash by a majority of students. Active education about drinking laws is a more effective outreach. Hearing how other students' lives were changed due to their illegal activities is sobering. I knew a student studying Conservation Law Enforcement who was forced to change his career plans after being convicted with a DWI. All because of one stupid decision, in one night.

Tragically, the most effective method that slows a student's drinking behavior is negative personal experiences. It's a shame that the wake up call comes when they or their buddy has to get their stomach pumped. Curtailing this game of Russian roulette is an important and challenging feat.

Honest, open expressions for concern are by far the best way to reach someone.
In limbo between childhood and adulthood, individuals don't want to be preached at. If one is insincere in their communication or demeaning in anyway, young adults are placed on the defensive and become unreceptive. It is important that a tone of 'I'm older, wiser, and smarter than you, so listen ' is not set. One of my friends was compelled to rethink her drinking habits after seeing a mandatory speaker for an academic program. The speaker gave facts, figures, examples of behavior and stories in a relaxed and humorous atmosphere. Though you can't always force someone to go to such a motivational speaker, you can place yourself in that role. Find some facts or figures, better yet, tell your personal experiences or relate some.

Sharing stories is personal and compelling. While in my early teens, a close friend of mine related her life with an alcoholic father, -the alarming encounters and impact on her family. This really woke me up and illustrated how devastating alcohol can be. It can change someone completely; as she relates, "I had two fathers."

A person is rarely going to change their behavior or routine overnight. It is important not to nag a binge or highly regular drinker, especially when they are a youth. Keep yourself observant and patient. Be there for the person, physically and emotionally. Communicate the dangers and consequences of drinking, acting as gentle guidance. In the end, let the person come to his or her own decisions and convictions. That is a legacy which will persist wherever they go.