Alcohol is a substance that in moderation is okay but drinking too much can result in negative side effects. College is a stressful time but also a fun one but that fun must be balanced. College students have gained a reputation for being heavy drinkers even when not of drinking age in the US. A national survey done shows that almost 60 percent of college students aged 18-22 drank alcohol in the past month and 2 out of 3 of them reported binge drinking in the same time frame(SAMHSA, 2014). Drinking in college seems to be expected and peers can pressure others into drinking more than they really should. Binge drinking more than 5 drinks can lead an impaired person to make decisions they would not normally make while sober. Some of these bad decisions have very real consequences. About 1,825 college students between the age of 18-24 die from alcohol related unintentional injuries which includes motor vehicle crashes(Hingson, 2005). Also, according to this survey 696,000 students between the age of 18-24 have reported being assaulted by another student who has been drinking and another 97,000 have reported being sexually assaulted (NIAA, 2014). This increased binge drinking can lead into developing alcoholism with no self control. In college populations alcohol is not hard to get your hands on even if you are underage.

Why do people drink so much while they are in college? Factors that have been reported to lead to access drinking include: Struggles with family relationships or academics, loneliness or low self-esteem, mental health concerns including anxiety and depression, peer pressure, wishing to change their personal image in a new town, and desire to lose inhibitions and gain confidence (AAC, 2017). These are what young adults reported as the most common reasons for why they drink. Young adults are wanting to be less of themselves while drinking and open up and have a good time. This loss of inhibition is a dangerous though if not kept in moderation.