The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

Having fun without the buzz

“Underage and binge drinking have always been a controversial yet often accepted way of life for college students. Although drinking in moderation and in safe places can be fun and relaxing, many people drink to excess and do it in unfamiliar or busy places.”

Underage and binge drinking have always been a controversial yet often accepted way of life for college students.

Although drinking in moderation and in safe places can be fun and relaxing, many people drink to excess and do it in unfamiliar or busy places.

National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week is a time set aside each year for over 1,000 campus communities to educate themselves on the dangers of alcohol.

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Promoted by the Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse Issues, NCAAW is always observed during the third full week in October.

This year, it falls on the week of Oct. 18 through Oct. 24. The University of Akron will hold a number of events Monday through Friday of that week.

The department of student life organizes the campus for Alcohol Awareness week each year. Lorri March, assistant director for campus programs, has been in charge of it for the past eight years.

There will be different organizations hosting and sponsoring events. Some of these include the UA counseling center, the residence hall council, MAC Pride Alcohol Coalition, ZPN, ASG and a variety of fraternities and sororities.

There are many different problems surrounding irresponsible drinking.

Drinking and driving is a huge problem I’ve noticed, March’s intern Jamie Straight said.

One of Monday’s events, tricycle beer goggles, will give students the opportunity to simulate drunk driving and better understand the risks associated with driving under the influence of alcohol.

There will also be a DUI simulator and walk the line activity on Tuesday.

Binge drinking is another common problem on college campuses.

Lambda Chi Alpha will pass out candy and fliers with information on binge drinking to students all over campus Monday.

On Tuesday, students will have the opportunity to learn about the dangers of alcohol poisoning and how to prevent it from Phi Gamma Delta’s national education chair Rob Caudill.

There will also be surveys and a variety of question and answer sessions throughout the week.

MADD and SADD will visit campus on Wednesday to share safety tips and answer questions about drinking.

Straight explained that many students don’t think about the dangers of consuming large amounts of alcohol at parties with strangers.

We sometimes want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but that’s not the safe thing to do in certain situations, Straight said, referring to college students.

A full-time student herself, Straight explained that she, personally, never felt the need to drink to have fun.

I can have fun anytime when I’m with my friends. If you have a good group of friends, you can usually find something to do without drinking, she said.

Although the week will be full of useful information, there will also be some events that will be held simply for fun, such as mocktails.

It will be held Wednesday evening in the Student Union ballroom and is a chance for students to socialize and dance while drinking a variety of mocktails.

On Friday, there will be a root beer kegger. It will give students a chance to relax at the end of the week while playing games such as root beer pong and billiards.

You can definitely find something on campus to do. There are a lot of programs, especially during alcohol awareness week! Straight explained.

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