To Drink or Not to Drink
To Drink or Not To Drink
In the current situation, many young people are frequently involved in violence and crimes. One of the risk factors related to violent behaviors among young people is alcohol consumption. “Numerous studies have shown that alcohol and violent behavior are associated” which means “the risk of being involved in violence increases with alcohol intake” (Bye and Rossow 131). In addition, data indicated that young individuals enrolled in colleges or universities were more likely consume alcohol more frequently compared to those who were not currently enrolled (NSDUH Report 744). Hence, it was inferred that the influence of peers plays an important role in alcohol consumption among college students as part of their social life style. One of the important aspects in college life that needs to be carefully studied is how college students select the crowd they want to be identified with. “College peer affiliations can be classified by a consistent pattern of traits yielding distinct peer crowd groupings” (Sessa 301). Being new in the university environment, it is important that freshmen college students find their way to develop their sense of belongingness. It is a very critical aspect because their selection of the crowd they want to mingle with can either help or destroy them in the future. University students are usually classified depending on their “unique peer crowds” (Sessa 301). It would be ideal that parents provide proper guidance to their children when selecting their fraternity or sorority in colleges. It is not taking away their freedom, but rather it is providing guidance in order them to make the right decisions. The frequent use of alcohol among college students is impacted by various mechanisms. Peer pressure is a very common to college students. A lot of college students who drink alcohol reported that they consumed alcohol to feel more accepted by their peers. Students reported that they consume alcohol to “facilitate
In the current situation, many young people are frequently involved in violence and crimes. One of the risk factors related to violent behaviors among young people is alcohol consumption. “Numerous studies have shown that alcohol and violent behavior are associated” which means “the risk of being involved in violence increases with alcohol intake” (Bye and Rossow 131). In addition, data indicated that young individuals enrolled in colleges or universities were more likely consume alcohol more frequently compared to those who were not currently enrolled (NSDUH Report 744). Hence, it was inferred that the influence of peers plays an important role in alcohol consumption among college students as part of their social life style. One of the important aspects in college life that needs to be carefully studied is how college students select the crowd they want to be identified with. “College peer affiliations can be classified by a consistent pattern of traits yielding distinct peer crowd groupings” (Sessa 301). Being new in the university environment, it is important that freshmen college students find their way to develop their sense of belongingness. It is a very critical aspect because their selection of the crowd they want to mingle with can either help or destroy them in the future. University students are usually classified depending on their “unique peer crowds” (Sessa 301). It would be ideal that parents provide proper guidance to their children when selecting their fraternity or sorority in colleges. It is not taking away their freedom, but rather it is providing guidance in order them to make the right decisions. The frequent use of alcohol among college students is impacted by various mechanisms. Peer pressure is a very common to college students. A lot of college students who drink alcohol reported that they consumed alcohol to feel more accepted by their peers. Students reported that they consume alcohol to “facilitate
Cited: Bye, Elin K. and Ingeborg Rossow. “The Impact of Drinking Patter on Alcohol-Related Violence among Adolescents: An International Comparative Analysis.” Drug and Alcohol Review 29.1 (2010): 131-37. Print. DeJong, William, Laura Gomberg-Towvim, And Shari Kessel Schneider. “Support for Alcohol-Control Policies and Enforcement Strategies Among US College Students at 4-Year Institutions.” Journal of American College Health 56.3:231-36. Print. Durrant, Russil. “Anxiety, Alcohol Use, and Aggression: Untangling the Casual Pathways.” Legal and Criminological Psychology 16.1 (2011): 372-78. Print. O’Grady, Megan A., Jerry Cullum, Stephen Armeli, and Howard Tennen. “Putting the Relationship between Social Anxiety and Alcohol Use Into Context: A Daily Diary Investigation of Drinking in Response to Embarrassing Events.” Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 30.6 (2011): 599-615. Print. Office of Applied Studies. “Underage Alcohol Use among Full-time College Students.” National Survey on Drug Use and Health 31 (2006): 743-745. Print. Sessa, Frances M. “Peer Crowd in a Commuter College Sample: The Relation between Self-Reported Alcohol Use and Perceived Peer Crowd Norms.” The Journal of Psychology 14.3 (2007): 293-305. Print.