In the story My Friend Michelle, and Alcoholic, Bridgid Stone talks about her college roommate, Michelle, who was a problem drinker throughout college. As Bridgid describes Michelle’s drinking addition, she also explains her reasoning behind the effects of drinking. Bridgid also describes the ongoing problem of statistics showing the increasing number of college students who give in to alcohol. This increase in drinking during school has become a problem not only for the grades that students are receiving but also for dedication that students put into their studies. Drinking in colleges have become a “must do” in the social atmosphere in college, but this social habit can become addicting creating problems in the academic part of college as well as when creating a professional appearance needed for finding a job after college. Drinking in college is can be harmful when making decisions about our future.
Drinking is a real problem in colleges today. According to Fraternities and Sororities on Contemporary College Campuses, “73 percent of fraternity advisers believe that alcohol is a problem in fraternities.” As if that is not evidence enough that there is a ongoing alcohol problem in colleges, it is reported in Alcohol and Youth that “more that 80 percent of all college students surveyed had been drinking in the previous month.” As large as this number is, it did not come as a big surprise to me. It amazes me that students spend such a large amount of money going to college, but then waste their money by skipping classes due to carelessness’ such as getting drunk. I would also like to point out that students go to colleges to learn about a specific work field so that they can go and be professionals in their workplaces. Would you be comforted going into a surgery knowing that the doctor that is going to do your surgery spent his years of schooling going to parties and skipping classes? I would hope not!
In the story Michelle tells Bridgid that she only drinks “to loosen up; she is much more fun if she has been drinking.” Based on this explanation of why Michelle drinks it seems to me she drinks because it is the “right” thing to do socially. Also due to Michelle’s drinking addiction, she makes poor decisions such as choosing not to attend her morning classes. These poor decisions compound leading into much larger consequences. Drinking is just one example of how one things leads to one thing right after another. Matthew 6:34 says “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” I love this verse because it reminds us that we need to be smart about our everyday decisions and that decisions that we make today will effect who we will become in the future.
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I like how you used the example of the surgeon. I would not want my surgeon to have been drinking his way through college! Even though people may think decisions they make in college, like drinking, will only affect them, it may affect their professional life. And I agree, what a waste of money if you are missing all those classes.
ReplyDeleteI honestly believe that drinking to the point where you're drunk is very very idiotic. You lose all self control. You're reference to a surgeon makes me think of Grey's Anatomy. The Cheif Surgeon was actually an alcoholic, he was later released from his duties, but I couldn't imagine putting my life the hands of someone who is drunk!
ReplyDeleteNotice that you make a big logical jump without explaining it: one sentence, you're talking about how big a problem drinking is on campus. The next, you've gone onto wasting money for classes that they miss. You're assuming that drinking problems leads to missed classes, but you have nothing in there to make that link--and while that may be true for some people, can you show that it is a given, that students who drink excessively will miss class?
ReplyDeleteInteresting choice of reading, and you did a good job of summarizing.
I really like the example you used about the surgeon drinking his way through college. I agree that drinking every night and missing your classes is a very big mistake. I don't know why anyone would want to waste their hard earned money, that was used to go to a college and get a professional degree, on being drunk. Granted it may be fun the first couple of times and everyone wants to experiment at least once in their life but doing it to the extent of missing classes and dropping out is a waste of time and money.
ReplyDeleteI am with you when you say that you are not suprised at those statistics on college students drinking. I have taken college classes and have numerous times heard students talking about parties and drinking. One girl came on the day of our exam with a hangover because she decided to party and drink the night before. That obviously was a horrible decision on her part.
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