by BRITTANY PENLAND
Associate Editor for Editorial Content

Parties rage throughout the night, loud music shakes the walls and alcohol fills red Solo cups.

College is notorious for outrageous parties, all-nighters and laying claim to newly discovered independence.

While drinking is glorified in pop culture, waking up in a pool of your own vomit is just something that has never appealed to me.

My advice to incoming Appalachian State University freshmen is to take it easy. The glamorized idea of drinking at parties in college is taken too casually. Students fail to remember underage drinking comes with consequences, not to mention it is illegal.

College is a time for rediscovery and coming into your own as an adult, use it to your advantage.  Risking an education and an opportunity to fully experience Appalachian by focusing on where the next party will be is foolish.

According to madd.org, underage drinking accounts for 50 percent of all alcohol consumed by college students.

The university does take note as to which students are caught drinking illegally.  The Student Conduct Code clearly outlines punishments delved out if a student defies the law.

First, a student will receive a Letter of Concern from the Office of Off-Campus Community Relations.  The Office of Student Conduct Web site states “the purpose of the letter is to communicate Appalachian’s care about student and community health and safety, to provide substance abuse prevention resources and to educate about the off-campus jurisdiction policy.” 

Those who go on to violate the law will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for further reprimand.

Drinking is serious and can negatively affect how a student performs in school and in their future job field.

Alcohol consumption causes the death of 1,700 college students between the ages of 18-24 each year, according to madd.org.

While the death toll is staggering, an estimated 599,000 of those students are unintentionally injured while under the influence of alcohol.

Balance truly is the key to surviving college. I am not condemning going to parties because they are a part of your college experience.  Just be smart and don’t let partying become your only college experience.

Get involved in clubs, hike to one of the many breathtaking waterfalls, go snowboarding—just don’t limit your possibilities.

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