The Dangers of Party Culture

As another college semester continues, so does party culture and the negative impacts it has on college students.

Party culture in America escalates and becomes more chaotic year by year. As the party culture grows, so do the dangers that come along with it. For years, college students have glorified the party life, neglecting the negative effects that it could have on college students.

There should be awareness of these undermining dangers that could have a major impact on one’s life in the future. Peer pressure, for instance, is a start. Young adults who enter college are excited to get the full experience. Therefore, some of these individuals give in to the pressure of partying, thinking that they need to partake in drinking and drugs to have fun.

Some students indulge in excessive drinking and experimenting with drugs while taking precautions; however, others do not. In that sense, students who are more reckless with their partying often do not think about the consequences of their actions. As a result, these individuals are more susceptible to experiencing the effects of alcohol poisoning, driving while under the influence, and succumbing to peer pressure in relation to drug use.

To make matters worse, party culture appears to be at a high around the holidays. Specifically around Halloween.

Statistics show that college students consume more alcohol on Halloween compared to an ordinary night. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, binge drinking for women occurs after four drinks. For men, it occurs after five. On Halloween it is reported that students drink about six alcoholic beverages, which is almost double the amount of what they consume on a regular weekend. Nine percent of men and almost seven percent of women who consume more than their average amount of alcohol on Halloween, experience black outs.

“Halloween parties are supposed to be a time to have fun and get drunk. There is no time to think about consequences as long as you’re living your life,’’ Santa Monica College (SMC) student Chelly Avila said.

Driving on halloween following the amount of alcohol consumed, is even more of a risk. From 2013 to 2017, it was reported by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that 158 people died of fatal car crashes as a result of drunk driving. 42% of the drivers were reported to be under the influence.

“I feel like some people don‘t know their drinking capability and some people can get too drunk and not know where they’re going and wander off. Anything can happen at parties,'’ SMC student, Lakayla Price, said when asked her opinion on partying during the Halloween season.

Having fun in college should not come with life changing consequences and effects. So whether you’re partying on Halloween weekend or a normal weekend, it is important that we make responsible decisions for not only our safety, but everyone else’s around us.

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