Last night I went to an alcohol policy forum in the college park community center. It was mandatory for us to go so I was curious to find out what they wanted to tell us. First they started to explain why there was the change in policy to not allowing any hard liquor on campus. In September, on bid day, which people told me was always a big party, students went off campus to drink because the police announced to be at the quad and hand out tickets to any underage drinker. At 5 pm, one male student was sent to the hospital because of alcohol poisoning, he was close to dying. Long story short, this terrible occurrence made Drury University change its alcohol policy.
I have to say that I understand both sides, the students that are mad about the policy change and the University, which had to react to this occurrence.
As a European, the topic “alcohol” is not nearly as big of a deal for me. The legal drinking age for beer and wine is sixteen, but most people also have their first experiences with hard liquor at that time. People like to party as well but I have to say, that people don’t nearly get as crazy as college students in America. Alcohol is not a big deal for us, that is why we don’t completely go crazy every time we drink. This is what my impression of drinking in the US is. Especially underage drinker don’t know their limits and they push it too far. In Germany and I believe all over Europe people drink before they are allowed to drive. This means that either their parents will pick them up from parties or they will drive home with friends that don’t drink. At home, I have never been in a car with a drunk driver and it is sad to say but I have seen many people here driving drunk. I believe that all of this is a vicious cycle. In high school kids drive drunk because they don’t want to leave their car somewhere else because then their parents could find out why they have left it there. Also, people don’t have the chance to take the bus or public transportation and somebody is always in need to drive.
I might be wrong but I believe that the legal drinking age of 21 provokes younger people to drink more and irresponsibly. I believe that it is too high and should be lowered to 18, the time they start going to college. One consequence at first would probably be people drinking more; over the long run though, it will get a little more boring for them because they are allowed to drink legally. They don’t have to sneak around which takes away half the fun.
If you give people the power to drive with 16, go to war and vote with 18… you surely should give them the power to drink responsibly with 18!
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I agree with you, Anna. I don't want the drinking age lowered just so I can drink sooner. I think it should be changed so that drinking isn't as big of a deal as it has been made out to be. Since drinking is so glorified and made so distant by society people totally overdo it when they get the chance and end up making incredibly stupid decisions. It makes me sad that so many people don't realize that it doesn't have to be this way.
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