Miami student drinking habits exceed national average

By Mary Schrott, For The Miami Student

After just a month on campus, 10 percent of Miami first-years are classified as "high-risk drinkers," according to results of an alcohol education program.

AlcoholEdu, an online course, tests students prior to their arrival on campus and then follows up 30 to 45 days into their first semester.

Of the 2,907 Miami students who participated in this year's AlcoholEdu program, a larger percentage of Miami students claim to have become high-risk and light/moderate drinkers at college when compared to the national data from over 500 universities.

Director of Student Wellness Rebecca Baudry Young has been working with the AlcoholEdu program since 2007, and said this year's results were consistent with past trends.

While Baudry Young hopes Miami's future results will suggest decreased drinking, closer to the national average, she believes change is ultimately dictated by student-culture.

"Other students are really setting the example for the freshmen of what is acceptable and what is going to be tolerated," Baudry Young said. "We have the opportunity for students to decide what environment they want to live in."

Baudry Young said the majority of students at Miami are making good decisions around alcohol, but those who are making high-risk decisions are most visible.

"People are assuming that everyone at Miami are like the high-risk students," Baudry Young said. "This skews what students see as 'normal.'"

Baudry Young mentioned several factors unique to Miami and Oxford that may influence Miami students' distinct trends in alcohol consumption.

"Not all states allow 18 and over bars, and not all schools have student-housing so close to campus, you can walk anywhere here," Baudry Young said. "A lot of schools also monitor their house parties differently, they are not all 'open parties.'"

Baudry Young explained many of the house parties in Oxford don't necessarily have guest lists, which grants first-years more opportunities to access alcohol, as well as inhibits organization, making them higher-risk events.

Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter

In addition to the open parties, many students spend their nights out Uptown. Uptown Oxford has over a dozen bars, and of those, more than half are 18 and over.

First-year Lauren Kay said she believes underage students' access to the bars encourages dangerous drinking behavior.

"The fact that there are bars just creates another place where you keep drinking," Kay said. "You don't stop - you keep going for the rest of the night."

Though Kay understands the risks involved with drinking at Miami, she said it provides first-years with the opportunity to meet new people.

"When you come here freshman year and are trying to make friends, you don't walk up to

Sophomore Hailey Stafford also thinks parties help new students meet other students, though her personal perspective differs.

"For me, I moved around a lot growing up, so meeting new people isn't a scary thing. But for all the kids who come to college and never had to do that, it's stressful," Stafford said. "Alcohol is a coping mechanism, and it's so abundant here."

Both Baudry Young and Stafford agree an additional factor in student drinking behavior is a result of high school and family alcohol education.

"Everyone is getting different high school educations," Baudry Young said. "Some high schools they only say you can't drink and that's what is taught for all four years."

For Stafford, however, her alcohol education in high school began at home.

"My parents were always casual about [me] drinking with them," Stafford said. "It was never super taboo with us. Kids who have really intense parents have all this freedom when they come to college and want to do everything their parents never let them do."

While alcohol education differs among individuals, both Kay and Stafford saw AlchoholEdu as an important step in transitioning into college.

Though AlcoholEdu will continue to be used as a way to educate first-years, Baudry Young feels it's only one step in an overall process.

"I don't think there is any one way that is effective in educating students on responsible drinking," Baudry Young said. "I think you have to have a bunch of different strategies, but it's the most effective way to educate the entire freshman class."