If you asked most students to name an integral part of their college experience, what do you think some top answers would be? Meeting some of their lifelong friends, or becoming part of a meaningful club/organization would surely be up there. But I would say a top answer for most would be partying and drinking. Do you think that means having two or three drinks throughout the night? Probably not. For most students (not all, of course) they would be referring to behaviors that encapsulate binge drinking.
What is binge drinking?
According to the CDC, binge drinking is defined as a pattern of drinking that raises an individual's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 g/dl or above. This usually occurs when male-bodied individuals consume 5 or more standard drinks or when female-bodied individuals consume more than 4 standard drinks in roughly two hours (BTW, standard drink sizes per serving for beer = 12 fl. oz./355mL, malt beer = 8 fl. oz/237mL, wine = 5 fl. oz./148 mL, and liquor = 1.5 fl. oz./44mL). Generally speaking, the majority of those who binge drink do not have a severe alcohol use disorder. However, there are many health problems associated with binge drinking. These problems can be short-term or long-term.
Short-Term Effects of Binge Drinking
Nausea and vomiting
Alcohol-induced blackouts
Unintentional injuries (e.g. car crashes, burns, or falls)
Alcohol poisoning (in some cases can be fatal)
Unplanned and/or unprotected sex, unplanned pregnancies, and an increased risk of HIV infection
Inflated risk of violent, antisocial, or aggressive behavior and suicide
Long-Term Effects of Binge Drinking
Strokes
Heart attacks
Cirrhosis
Liver cancer
Neurological damage
Depression and anxiety
Relationship issues
Why is binge drinking prevalent on college campuses?
Those between the ages of 18 and 24 enrolled in college are more likely to drink to excess compared to their non-college peers. What is it about a college campus that enables this behavior? According to the American Addiction Centers, some probable contributing factors involve the increased social pressure to drink, less structured time, irregular enforcement of underage drinking both on and off-campus, academic stress, and just the vast availability of alcohol around a college campus. Knowing that your environment is innately exerting this pressure on you to easily develop dangerous drinking habits, it is important to implement some safe partying strategies to combat it.
How to Have Fun Without Overdoing it in the Long Run
Avoiding partaking in binge drinking risk behaviors will decrease your likelihood of getting incapacitated, and keep you in the feel good, buzzed zone. Some of these binge drinking risk behaviors include things like shots, mixed drinks or jungle juice/punch, drinking games, pre-gaming, and “catching up” or “keeping up” with others. Here are some tips REACH suggests for safer drinking:
Create a drinking plan before going out. This can include setting your own limit such as the number of drinks, the time you want to be done drinking by, or limiting how much you spend. Using cash instead of a card helps you visualize how much you are actually spending on drinks. Bring a specific amount of cash, and once that cash is spent, you’re done drinking.
Count and measure your drinks.
Space and pace your drinks (one drink per hour rule).
Eat food before and while consuming alcohol. Having food in your system helps slow down the rate of alcohol absorption in the small intestine.
Alternate with non-alcoholic drinks.
Avoid mixing alcohol with other drugs. The combination of alcohol with other drugs results in the enhancement of both drugs. This can be extremely dangerous.
Stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water helps rehydrate the brain, which decreases the “hangover” feeling the next day.
Remember, not drinking at all is always a perfectly acceptable option. However, if you choose to drink, it could be helpful to utilize some of these strategies before and while you are partying. Stay safe, friends!
Resources
On-campus
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention (ATOD)
Email: aodstaff@binghamton.edu
Decker Student Health Services
Phone: (607) 777-2221
Harpur’s Ferry Student Volunteer Ambulance Service
Phone: (607) 777-3333
Health Promotion and Prevention Services (HPPS)
Phone: (607) 777-2254
REACH (Real Education About College Health)
Email: reach@bingahmton.edu
Instagram: reachbinghamton.edu
TikTok: @reachpeers
Off-campus
Addiction Center of Broome County
Phone: (607)-723-7308
Address: 30 W State St, Binghamton, NY 13901
References
About the Author: Dana Palermo
I joined REACH because I wanted to be part of something meaningful and bigger than myself that would enable me to make a difference in the lives of my peers. I am proud to be part of an organization that promotes a healthier and safer community through connecting with students and providing them credible information, reliable resources, and free supplies (e.g., safer sex kits and menstrual care products). I am passionate about helping cancer patients and I eventually want to have a career in oncology. This is my third year as a member of Binghamton University’s Relay For Life, and my second year serving as the Youth Mentorship Coordinator!