Whether you have recently completed your first-ever semester on a Georgia college campus or you are now an upperclassman who is eagerly awaiting spring, when you finally walk the stage to receive your diploma, chances are that at some point, you have encountered personal challenges during your post-secondary academic career.
If you are one of many college students whose problems have something to do with alcohol, you’ll want to read this entire post as it may provide resources to help you get life back on track. Keep in mind that you are definitely not alone in your struggle; in fact, students who are in their first six weeks of freshman year are at greatest risk for trouble regarding binge drinking and other alcohol-related issues.
A few basic facts
Whether you’re a top-notch student whose name is on the dean’s list or you pretty much have to claw your way to each good grade by studying non-stop and spending a lot of time with tutors, if you go to parties where alcohol is present, you are at risk in several ways. The following list provides information regarding alcohol consumption on college campuses throughout the nation:
- Peer pressure is a main factor that prompts many college students to imbibe alcohol.
- Many freshmen say they felt pressured to binge drink within their first few days on campus.
- Some college students say they feel obliged to drink alcohol because it is promoted as a typical part of the college experience.
- In recent times, many college students have started choosing hard liquor over beer as their drink of choice.
If you’re age 21 or beyond, there isn’t necessarily a legal or administrative problem with you consuming alcohol on campus unless, of course, your campus happens to be dry. However, your age doesn’t guarantee that you won’t run into trouble while drinking in college, it only means you can legally purchase and consume alcohol, so long as you adhere to all state laws regarding the issue.
Negative consequences
If you’ve ever experienced a time when you drank a bit more alcohol than you initially intended, you are likely familiar with what it feels like to have a hangover. In addition to morning-after headaches and nausea, the following risks associated with alcohol consumption may also apply to your situation:
- If your blood alcohol content level is high, you are at great risk for personal injury. Intoxication can cause you to stumble and fall, perhaps suffering lacerations, sprains or even broken bones.
- Many college students drink because it helps them relax in social settings. It can also place you at risk for assault by lowering your inhibitions and perhaps, becoming too incoherent to protect yourself or fight off an attacker.
- Your grades are likely to plummet if you spend more time drinking than you do hitting the books. This can also have a negative impact on any academic scholarship monies you might be receiving at the time.
- A myriad of legal problems can arise in conjunction with alcohol consumption in college. Facing drunk driving charges, underage drinking charges or assault charges related to alcohol can quickly turn your college life experience into a living nightmare.
The good news is that there are numerous resources, perhaps including some on campus, to help you overcome addiction to alcohol. Even if a police officer has arrested you and you had to call home and tell your parents you were in jail, it doesn’t necessarily have to mean you’ve hit the end of the road to success in college. There are typically several options to build a strong defense to help mitigate such circumstances; speaking to someone well versed in Georgia criminal law is a good place to start.