Alcohol, and Its Effects on UGA By Caroline Toth, Haley Fort, & Kelly Truitt

     
       A topic that we've discussed in class is alcohol and the positive and negative impacts it can have on a person. Some of the positive affects it can have on a person is to relax them, make them more sociable, and can benefit your cardiovascular system. Some negative effects are alcohol abuse, addiction, dependence, liver damage, poor decision making, and possible health risks including death. 
      This is an interesting topic for us because we attend the University of Georgia, which was recently ranked the number 2 party school in the U.S., because of the amount of alcohol consumed here. We are surrounded by alcohol on a regular basis and see the side effects with people we know. Most of our extracurricular activities are centered around alcohol. We know there is a fine line between drinking to enjoy yourself and drinking to a point where irresponsible decision are made.We think that students at UGA should be more encouraged to acknowledge these side effects and try to benefit themselves. The goal should not be to tell students NOT to drink, because this will not change anything, but to educate them on how to drink responsibly. 
       Alcohol impacts our lives because each of us is a member of a Greek life organization. Although Greek life offers more to the community than drinking, it's common in many of our events. In class, we had a speaker come and educate us on how much alcohol is in a cup, shot glass, wine glass, beer can, etc. This was very beneficial because often times we attend events where people pour drinks for us and we are not aware of how much alcohol is in them. Knowing how much alcohol is in each container can help us drink more responsibly and also inform our friends. It's all about communicating. Next time we pour a drink into a solo cup, we'll be more mindful of how much alcohol there and we won't overindulge. 
      Alcohol can make an impact in a family setting as well. Alcoholism runs in many families and can make an impact on someone without them even knowing or having control. A lot of students at UGA have families who have alcoholism and are unaware of how it will affect them in the future. Partying a lot know may not seem like it's harming anyone, but in the long run, it can have a huge impact on an individuals health. Religion can also play a role in who thinks drinking is okay and who doesn't. For example, in Catholicism, it is acceptable to sip wine in church on Sunday's as a form of Communion. Alcohol is not necessarily frowned upon in our families or religious practices, but it is an important topic to address because if not taken seriously, or used responsibly, alcohol can have devastating effects. 
       Alcohol can effect public health in instances like drunk driving. If people are uneducated or irresponsible about their drinking they can harm others by, for example, drinking and driving. It is good to know on college campuses too because many students act irresponsibly on campus when under the influence and are more likely to engage in sexual activities. Recently there have been two on campus rapes reported on The University of Georgia campus, both including alcohol. Maybe if students drank more responsibly and more educated about how much they were consuming, they would be less likely to drink excessively and would be more responsible, staying with friends, making it less likely for them to be harmed. Does the University of Georgia provide any services, like panic buttons, for students to use in case of an emergency. Are students educated enough about these services?