College. Oh, college…
Four years of your life where you can sleep until noon during the week, drink like a fish, dabble in experimental drugs on a semi-regular basis, and still be called a functioning member of society. In real life, were you to do all of the above and not be a student, I am pretty sure that the descriptive terminology used to depict you would be "bum."
Alas, for four years, we are allowed this indulgent lifestyle with nary a derisive glace from people who are not a part of it.
What about college grants permission to this sort of lifestyle? A lifestyle under any other circumstances might be thought of as substance abuse.
And yet, the majority of us embrace it, jumping in head first the moment we step foot on campus as college freshmen. The intoxicating taste of new found freedom, usually, if you are a new frosh, in some form of cheap Natty Ice.
After being indoctrinated into the generally accepted lifestyle of drinking yourself stupid and incoherent on a regular basis, for the first two years of my college life, this became my recreation of choice on weekends. I have a feeling that I am not alone in this experience. In fact, given that I was usually surrounded by many people during this time, I know that this experience is not unique to me, and is in fact shared by many people.
Drinking is fun. Hell, it's a total blast to get crunk and be ridiculous. We’ve all been there.
The thing is, I don’t think I have ever woken up the morning (or really, afternoon) after a night of alcohol competing for room with blood in my veins and thought, “Well gee whiz, everything I did last night was completely socially appropriate. And boy, do I ever feel refreshed and ready to take on the world!”
No, usually it’s more like “*insert 4 letter word of choice here*” Alliot brunch is sure as hell going to be awkward today…if I can even manage to leave my bed in the next 24 hours anyway.”
Come on, you’ve been there too.
And I am always “that girl.” You know the one I’m talking about. The one who can’t just have a couple drinks and be fine. The one who gets way too drunk too fast, and insists she’s sober even as she’s trying to flash you. And then says/does something inappropriate and/or something nonsensical.
Yup. That's me.
If college partying has taught me one thing, it's how to drink to get drunk ASAP. The consequences are usually unpleasant (I once had a fun encounter with the Colchester police whilst I was going through alcohol poisoning--thank God the blackout spared me the actual memory of that night), and yet we see everyone doing it over and over.
I don’t drink much anymore. I just don’t have it in me. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, and the thought of drinking just isn’t as appealing as it was freshmen/sophomore year.
Whatever it is, it’s ultimately ironic, because I turn 21 May 2, and after my celebratory last hurrah, I might just give up drinking for good.
Regardless of my decision of how I interact with alcohol and other substances, the fact is that the culture of binge-drinking as a socially accepted form of partying in college will go on with or without me. So, really, my absence won’t be felt. There will always be “that girl” around somewhere…
|
