drinking

Drinking is a personal choice. Some people choose not to do it and others do it daily. For the most part many of your college friends will be all about it, it moderation, and only on the weekends. Others may be interested in having a beer every day. Regardless, this is a personal choice.

If and when you decide to drink, (not saying I'm promoting underage drinking), do it cautiously. Avoid huge parties, if you get caught you will be punished. Whether it's community service hours, an overnight stay in a jail cell, or a phone call home, your actions will have repercussions.

Don't ever go out alone, EVER. Women are easier to take advantage of when they're alone. So play it safe and use the buddy system.

Overindulgence can lead to severe injury or death. Alcohol poisoning isn't a myth, it's a real life occurrence, and it happens more frequently then you think. It accounts for thousands of 911 calls each year on campus and is the leading threat to college aged adults. Learn more about alcohol poisoning here.

Alcohol also impairs judgement and is believed to effect memory. After even a few drinks a person is unable to make decisions regarding driving: buzzed driving is drunk driving. You know the statistics and if you don't here are some. You may also have feelings for people you otherwise wouldn't, commonly referred to as "beer goggles", meaning someone may seem one way when your intoxicated but may be a completely different person in real life. Be careful about who you go home with, if that's your style, because you may lack judgement regarding partners and protection, and you could be easily taken advantage of given the vulnerability due to alcohol.

What's a girl to do?

Make a choice. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean you have to. A strong woman can say no and mean it. Strive to be that woman, even if it's not drinking you are saying no to.

stay strong, ck