Alcohol Program Reflection

Before participating in the Student Success alcohol program, I felt very alone, as I have never drunk alcohol. Most people assume every college student drinks, just as I did previously; the program has taught me valuable information that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise. I learned that I am not alone, that one in four college students have never consumed alcohol and in addition, only six percent of college students drink regularly. I come from a family of non-drinkers (they will have an occasional drink on holiday get-togethers - nothing too serious), which most students cannot say. I believe that is the biggest reason I didn’t know much about alcohol or want to ever have anything to do with alcohol.
This program has really changed my thinking
towards alcohol, people who consume alcohol, and its effects. I will still solidly stick to my beliefs on not consuming alcohol, but I am now much more understanding of those who would like to consume an alcoholic beverage once in a while. The not-so-common side effects of alcohol, such as blacking out, were never really discussed with me, nor was alcohol for that matter. In high school we never focused on alcohol enough and what it can do short-term and long-term; the program did an excellent job of explaining alcohol abuse and informing students on how to handle situations involving alcohol, whether it be themselves, family, friends, colleagues, etc.
The real-life stories incorporated into the program are what really caught my eye and helped me to learn the most.
Before the program I’ve only had an acquaintance with one person who has a serious, long-term alcohol problem. I’ve watched it ruin him in several ways; not only did it ruin him, but it ruined his relationships with his family and his ability to do his job sufficiently and successfully at work. I believe the biggest reason I’ve never been tempted, at all, to consume alcohol (even when peer pressure was heavily present) is that it was the thing that utterly ruined my relationship with my mother before I was three. Alcohol caused her to forget that I should be the most important thing in her life. This program not only taught me the many side effects of alcohol, but it also taught me how addictive it is, which I hadn’t really realized that alcohol can be just as addictive as cocaine for some people, that even though it is advertised as “fun and delicious,” it can be thoroughly misused when in the wrong hands at the wrong time. Without this program I definitely would be going into college without a sufficient knowledge of alcohol and its real effects; it was definitely not what I was expecting when we were first told that we’d be doing this. People had told me it took several hours and was completely idiotic, a waste of their time in other words. However, I totally disagree with those students. The content of this program was excellent and I’m ecstatic Millersville
has chosen to implement it for future use.