PARTY ON.

WHETHER YOU ARE FOR OR AGAINST COLLEGE PARTIES, THEY HAPPEN. IT’S UP TO YOU HOW THEY EFFECT YOUR LIFE.

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Wrap Up

Over my first semester in college I have been blogging about the affects college partying has on college students. As the semester comes to an end, so will these blogs. I have learned so much by researching and writing about college parties and their affects on the student body. Since I am a first year college student this topic is very relevant to me and the students in my class, because we experience first hand how partying will affect our own and other students lives.

I have enjoyed reading about and learning of the pros and cons of college partying, since there are many different prospective society can see this topic from. This has taught me how to expand my thinking when researching and also how to support my argument by arguing my point of view while also arguing the counter argument that others would use to try and disagree with my argument. Over all, I have enjoyed this blogging experience and am glad that I have learned so much that will help my in my personal life in college partying and also my academics.

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This video is part of an interview with entrepreneur and researcher Vivek Wadhwa, explaining the differences between students that party in college compared to students who do not. Wadhwa argues that the" basic skills that are learned in life, are learned in school". With partying they learn the social skills needed to deal with success, failure, acceptance, and rejection through interaction with other peers. He says that partying and social interaction is what makes these students more innovative.

Even though this video is short, it effectively explains and compares the benefits of students partying in college with students who do not party. The speakers make their topic, evidence, and reasoning well stated through out the video. The technique of this video interviewing Vivek Wadhwa helps to quickly and clearly state the questions and reasoning behind Wadhwa's argument.

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Zen with Jeana

This picture is a photograph of a stair well graffiti covering all of the walls and floor. On the center of the stairs it says the words "college", "party", and "drink". This photo is relevant to my topic because in the middle of the craziness of this picture are these three words. There words strongly describe the first thought a person would think of when thinking of a college or university. College students have given a reputation out to the world that its all about drinking and partying rather than growth and education. This is a perfect example of how students broadcast the wrong image to society.

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This is an image of a flyer advertising a fraternity party. The girl and the red cups are the first objects to notice in the picture. Fraternities are promoting the presence of women and alcohol to be at their party. Greek-letter organizations are meant for benefiting the campus and influencing positive skills and behaviors. Also as one of the most popular organizations on college campuses these groups have a huge responsibility of influencing a positive behaviors and characteristics on college campuses. This flyer instead promotes negative behaviors, and inflicts a poor image on the fraternity and university. It is important to have good leadership on an academic campus to help students succeed, and grow. Without strong and positive role models, students do not compete and perform in academics to the best of their abilities.

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As young people are putting more of their lives online, companies and other potential employers are looking for it.

This is an interview is with a student who is a senior at Temple University, that was in one of the first I'm smacked videos. In the interview he states that he is a good friend of the owner of the I'm smacked videos and didn't think much about the long term effects of being a part of it. He states "I do care about my future....College isn't forever... [but] I never knew it would be so huge. I never thought it would catch on like that.". Now he worries of the consequences of underage drinking and doing drugs in such a viral video, and if these actions will hurt him in the future when starting his career.

I'm smacked videos have over 7 million view on YouTube and are known by many people. A common mistake many students make, is that they put up videos and pictures over the internet with drugs and alcohol in them. Doing this seems harmless in the moment. But it is easy for these online videos and pictures to be found by future employers and can effect their chances of getting a job in the future.

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Fraternities and Sororities on the contemporary college campus

This book is a good resource for finding out information about the effects fraternities and sororities have on college campuses. It gives readers recommendations on how the negative effects influenced by fraternities and sororities can be reduced and make a more positive impact on universities. The book also states future problems Greek organizations could potentially lead to. It provides new view points and ideas of the way that fraternities and sororities issues can be resolved on college campuses.

The authors express how Greek organizations have a negative impact on student development and poor reputations that reflect universities. They stress that if fraternities and sororities were more advised by colleges, Greek organizations would reach their full potential in impacting their university in a positive way. Fraternities and sororities would be much more controlled, excelling in academics rather than focusing on socializing and parties. I recommend this book to college students interested in joining a fraternity or a sorority because it will give them a different point of view on these organizations.

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In the article "Cognitive effects of Greek affiliation in college: additional evidence"(2001), Ernest T. Pascarella, Lamont Flowers, and Elizabeth J. Whitt suggest that Greek organizations have a huge negative impact on first year college students who are involved in Greek organizations compared to students who don't join Greek Organizations. Pascarella, Flowers, and Whitt compare first year students to second and third year students, explaining how the time consuming commitment of a Greek organization negatively effects first year college students and their academic performance because they spend more time at social events rather than focusing on school work. The authors purpose is to prove that first year college students are not responsible enough to handle the commitment of a Greek organization, in order to make readers aware that first year students should not be involved in Greek organizations until their second or third year in college. The intended audience of this article is an academic audience including teachers, universities and college students.

I strongly agree with this article. I believe that Greek Organizations are a great way to be involved with other students and campus activities. It is a fun way to feel welcomed and meet many new people on college campuses. Although Greek organizations bring great life experiences, the commitment and time consumption affiliated with joining one of these organizations makes balancing school work and socializing much more difficult to handle. First year college students struggle adapting to the new freedom and independence of living on their own. Their maturity is tested in the first few months when they are challenged to succeed in managing school work, new friendships, living with a roommate, a job, going to parties and countless on campus activities. First year college students should have to wait until their second or third year in college to be able to join Greek organizations. Not only do Greek organizations host countless gatherings during the weekdays, but they are a huge influence of on campus partying. Older students who are more responsible and use to managing a college lifestyle, succeed in going out to parties while getting good grades because they are already use to this lifestyle. If first year students focused on their school work while gradually becoming more involved in campus activities and groups like Greek organizations, I feel that they would be more academically successful in their second, third and fourth years in college.

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Partying policy

Fraternities and sororities are a huge influence and factor of college parties. On an average weekend at a University campus most students who are looking to party will go to a party hosted by a fraternity house. The males who host these parties, are looking to have a great night allotting the maximum number of college students into the party as possible. But in some cases depending on the night, fraternity, or number of students trying to come to that party, there are restrictions on who is let into the party. This policy accustomed by fraternities is not documented or written down but generally known by most college students. When attempting to go to a fraternity party females; whether they are in a sorority or not, a freshman or senior, will all be allowed into the party for free. As a male, the chances of getting into a fraternity party are less promising than a females. Male students generally must be in a fraternity, know a member in the fraternity, bring girls with them to the party, or pay money to enter.

As a female this policy typically has no effect on my night out and can benefit my college experience having a free pass to enter parties. But I feel that this unspoken policy made by fraternities and accepted by students of the universities is unfair. In my opinion males should not have to pay to get into parties. Fraternities are taking advantage of their power on campus, and are doing so in a way that is disrespectful towards their peers by making some students pay and others in for free. Females do not take into consideration why they are being let into these types of parties with no cost. This policy is degrading towards women because fraternities are also taking advantage of females by inviting and letting them into their parties for free, with the intentions of taking advantage of them later on that same night. 

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http://www.imaginus.ca/Drinking_vs_Studying_College_Humor_Poster_p/a6088.htm

As a college student you have the responsibility of making your own choices when it comes to choosing to focus on academics or partying and socializing. This poster is making a joke of the battle college students fight in their mind every night. Students are ultimately in control of their own actions and the choices they make will either have a positive or negative outcome. This poster says "Which one will win tonight, Drinking; A lot of beer V.S. Studying; some boring crap". The poster suggest that students would much rather be partying than studying. I think that this poster correctly perceives college students and the influence drinking has on their studying habits.

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The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is an organization researches and studies the effects alcohol has on human health and well being, and focuses on reducing alcohol related problems. The organization researches things such as  genetics, neuroscience, epidemiology, prevention, and treatment. Also it is the founder of the largest alcohol research organization in the world. NIAAA's goal is to find an overall effective method for preventing and ending alcohol abuse.They also provide links to other websites related to alcohol abuse, helping scientists interested in results of researches and clients who need treatment. Their website is full of information, informing readers on the effects alcohol has on people in different age groups, alcohol disorders, drinking statistics, and much more. Finally this website posts the upcoming studies being done, and also new discoveries from research. Which is very interesting and helpful to the audience which regards scientists/researchers, and people who have or may have the potential of abusing alcohol.

I think that this article is very effective and explains its purpose thoroughly. The website is very organized and provides the all of the information needed so that when readers are looking at the website they can easily understand what they are looking at. Also NIAAA easily communicates their purpose of the website which is researching and putting an end to alcohol abuse and alcoholism. NIAAA states on their website what their mission is and explains why they spend so much money on research and experiments. Overall this website is easy to understand, and states their purposes/missions so that readers can efficiently interpret the information given.

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Alcohol Controversies

 Drinking Age:

Whether the drinking age should remain the same at 21 or be lowered to 18 is a huge controversy in society. People say that since 18 year olds are considered adults they should have the right to be able to drink. It is also argued that lowering the drinking age would only put young adults in more danger. Increasing their risk of DUI's and alcoholism as they grow older.

Government changing the price of alcohol:

The government has debated raising the price of alcohol to reduce the amount of alcohol abuse and dangers it brings to peoples health. Changing the price of alcohol would limit customers to buying it as frequently and to drink less of it. This would also take away the opportunities for people to binge drink and to over consume cheap alcohol. The effects of changing the price of alcohol would control drinking, reducing the high rates of DUI's, deaths due to alcohol poisoning, under aged drinking and much more. 

 Advertisements of alcohol:

Advertisements of alcohol are shown all over the world. Targeting adults of all ages. But in recent studies it has been stated that advertisements have a big influence on the increase of under aged drinking. If alcohol companies didn't publicize alcohol so much in young adult's environments then maybe under aged drinking would not be as bad as it is. On the other hand it is also stated that alcohol advertisements have no direct connection in the increase of under age drinking, and that young adults are influenced from peers, parental guidance, and other personal influences.

Driving under the Influence:

Some people believe that with only consuming a few drinks of alcohol it is acceptable for them to drive a vehicle. Those people also believe that there are no risks or dangers brought with getting behind the wheel and only have considered a small amount of alcohol. Recent studies show that any level of alcohol consumption has the possibility of having a negative effect on a driver. People who get behind the wheel having consumed one drink risk the same dangers as a person who gets behind the wheel having consumed 5 drinks.

Alcohol consumption while pregnant:

Some Doctors have told their patients that moderate/light drinking is okay while pregnant and will not have any negative effects on the baby when it is born. But it is also well known that drinking while pregnant there is possibility of a huge negative impact on the baby resulting in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) or even death. Research has shown that it all depends on what is considered "light drinking". Three to six drinks per week is considered "light drinking", resulting with a small chance of any negative effects on the baby. But it is said that avoiding alcohol all together while pregnant results in the safest outcomes, not risking any negative effects on the baby.

 http://alcoholnews.org/Alcohol%20and%20Pregnancy.html

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Drinkng age

For years people have been debating whether the legal drinking age of 21 years old should remain the same or be lowered to 18. Many people say that if the drinking age was lowered to 18, young adults who drink underage would drink less because it would no longer be rebelling against the law. It has also been argued that  the drinking age should remain the same because lowering it would only have a negative effect on young adults and be more dangerous for them all together, raising the risk of young adults driving under the influence and also drinking more than they normally would.

I feel that the drinking age should remain the same. I think that young adults may be responsible, but are not ready to be legally drinking. Young adults are at a prime time in their life where the choices they make in school and with their friends and family will effect their future. I feel that being so young and having to make such important life decisions, this is not the time to be focusing only on drinking and partying. I think that lowering the drinking age to 18 would only make partying more available for young adults, which is not necessarily a good thing. Most eighteen year olds are already driven to go out and party with friends and legalizing drinking for young adults would be a huge distraction. Students would be able to go to bars and the amount of alcohol they consumed would rise dramatically. Also now the risk of driving under the influence becomes even greater, which is more dangerous and life threatening. Young adults are better off waiting until 21 to be able to legally drink.

P1: Alcohol is a distraction.

P2: Young adults have important life choices to make.

P3: Alcohol distracts people from making the right choices.

P4: If the drinking age was lowered young adults would consume more alcohol more often.

C: The drinking age should remain the same.

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Joni Balter, Seattle Times editorial columnist and mother of two college aged kids, wrote "In support of college drinking policies that focus on help, not punishment" (2010) argues the importance and the positive effect of promoting safe drinking over the punishments that come with drinking on University Campues. To explain this, Balter uses extensive examples of Harvard and Yale's effective drinking policies, personal stories, and the life saving outcomes when colleges advertise amnesty. Balter persuades the audience that College students drink no matter what, so in order to see students practicing safe drinking Universities must promote the ways to drink safely rather than promoting the consequences of underage drinking. She is expressing this opinion to University's and parents, in the hope of changing the way Colleges promote underage drinking.

I agree with this article. Underage drinking is inevitable on college campuses. Students would benefit for the better if Universities focused on promoting the safe and responsible ways on how to drink, rather than only the consequences of underage drinking. Since students are drinking underage, they might as well know all of the precautions and ways on drinking the safe way to keep themselves and their friends safe.  A lot of students are unaware of the dangers that come with drinking. And how quickly a night meant to have fun with friends, could lead to someone getting hurt, alcohol poisoning, or even death. Students drinking responsibly and using amnesty to help other students when needed is the safest and most effective way to control underage drinking. I think that this article is very effective and will benefit Universities and students in many ways.

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Who's worse? Us or our parents.

An article in the Time magazine talks about the way media advertises College campuses, giving students and colleges a bad reputation. Today, the media releases stories focusing on how college students are out of control and excessively abusing drugs and alcohol. But the news and other media rarely ever show stories of how college students are not as irresponsible as people make them out to be. The article says studies show that college students aren't overusing drugs or alcohol any more that their parents did. And shows statistics proving that out of the students from ages 18 to 20, only 31% abusively use alcohol and 51% of those students don't drink alcohol at all.

This article was an eye opener. Most of the time society looks at college students as out of control, abusing alcohol and drugs. When in reality, there is only a small majority of students who actually participate in the partying lifestyle. Society doesn't take into consideration that there is a point in everyones' life where you are a college student. So I feel that our parents and other adults who judge us college students shouldn't be so quick to assume that all college students are out of control. Technology and researching is improving and advancing as we speak. The research and studies on safe drinking and how to be safe while partying in college is DRILLED into college students heads at the start of every school year, and through out the school year. Universities make it a point that us college students have no excuse when it comes to abusing alcohol or drugs. Sitting through multiple lectures on how to drink responsibly, being in groups when going out, and learning all of the risks and dangers of alcohol, its safe to say that all college students know the ropes and strings of safe drinking. Back when our parents were college students, Universities didn't emphasize the importance of safe drinking and amnesty policies. Safe drinking and partying habits were unimportant and unthought-of, leaving college students un educated about the hazards and dangers of alcohol and drug usage. So it is no shock to me that the statistics of college students who abuse alcohol and drugs are lower than expected, since today we are educated on how to drink responsibly.The students in college today deserve more credit than what their given, because according to the statistics, kids now a days are more responsible than their parents!

 http://healthland.time.com/2012/09/28/college-binge-drinking-how-bad-is-the-problem-really/

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http://gawker.com/college-students-riot-after-im-shmacked-party-turns-1287844186

These are some pictures of the I'm Shmacked event at the University of Delaware. These pictures show the estimated 3,000 students walking down the streets of the campus being loud and creating chaos. Also the after effects when the police shut down Main Street, breaking up the crowd and sending the students home.

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I'm Shmacked Appearance Triggers Near Riot at U. of Delaware

This past week, " I'm smacked" a group that produces viral videos of college parties, made an appearance to the University of Delaware. The group, before even arriving, influenced thousands of students to venture out on a Monday night to join other students in a massive party. Thousands of students flooded out of the house party, filling the streets. The students then proceeded to parade down the streets of the University. Creating chaos, damaging school property, yelling, and jumping on cars. Seventy- five University of Delaware Police, New Castle County Police, and Delaware State Police officers came to break up the out of control crowd. Three people were arrested. The intended audience of this article were adults and members of the community.

In my opinion, I think that the behavior of the students destroying school property and jumping on cars is embarrassing to our schools reputation. The University has worked hard to ensure that our school is a positive and hard working community. The students who behaved so immaturely should be ashamed of their actions because I think that they took this event to an unnecessary extreme. Partying is a good way to have fun with your friends, but there is a boundary line that you should be aware of when it comes to not only making yourself look bad, but the University as a whole. I will admit to being one of those 3,000 college students walking downs the streets of the university. But I was not involved in any of the rioting or recklessness. Because drunk or sober, we are always aware of the actions and choices we make and for every action there will always be a consequence.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/shmacked-appearance-triggers-riot-delaware/story?id=20227524 

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Introduction

College students are well known for crazy parties filled with belligerently intoxicated students, all of which are mostly under the drinking age. Making poor choices that could negatively effect the rest of their lives. As an outsider looking in I can understand and agree with all of these negative aspects. Nothing good can come from a party full of drunk 19 year olds. But there is a whole other side to  this topic, that most people don't take account for.

 While there are many students who do party every weekend, there are also many more students who make the choice not to party. Taking a higher interest in focusing on their academics, and other social activities that the campus provides for us. There are also students who do go out with the partiers, but make a personal choice to be sober; because you don't need alcohol or drugs to have a good time. Lastly who says partying is so bad? I think that students partying and having fun with their friends is more of a way to relieve stress and have a good time bonding and celebrating their youth with friends. Students don't go out to rebel, but to enjoy the little time away from studying and working hard in school by making memories they will remember for a lifetime. As you can see there are many pros and cons to college students partying. And I hope that this blog will better explain all of them, giving you a better understanding to our madness.