Most colleges have started the 2013-2014 session or are about to in the next couple of weeks. Parents across the country have spent the past 18 years doing everything possible to help their kids succeed, and now these teenagers are out the door and on to independence. If you haven’t already, this is a good time to have the alcohol and drug conversation with your young adult. Even if he or she doesn’t drink, there is no question that they will be exposed to the college drinking environment during their first semester away. In fact, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about 4 out of 5 college students drink alcohol and about ½ that drink, end up binge drinking. The statistics get even more frightening with about 1,825 deaths in the 18 – 24 age range due to alcohol-related unintentional injuries. These are the ones we read about in the paper like alcohol poisoning due to hazing, falls from balconies, car accidents, etc. It’s definitely worth relaying these numbers to your child to get their attention.
So they’ve worked really, really hard to get into a good university and it’s the first time that they are spreading their wings out from under mom and dad’s watchful eye. It looks like everyone is having so much fun at these parties, but the reality is that alcohol consumption will have a negative affect on their grades, something to seriously keep in mind. Numerous studies show that binge drinkers are more likely to miss class and that the number of drinks they consume correlates to the number of classes missed! Also, there is a direct correlation to GPA and the amount a student drinks. The more alcohol the student consumes, the lower the GPA.
With these results, the question remains what is the attraction? Just like some parents, some students think that drug or alcohol use will help them relax and escape their worries. For others, it’s a way to gain confidence and overcome their shyness. And then there are always the ones that do it just because everyone else is doing it. Nothing new here. Alcohol has actually played a central role as a social activity in many cultures for centuries. In America today, a large majority of people believe that it’s a normal and acceptable part of life. Our children see adults drinking at parties all the time, and then often driving home later that night. It’s up to us as parents, however, to arm our kids with the information they need to understand the risks and repercussions of this behavior so he or she can make an educated decision.
Alcoholdrugclass.com is an online educational resource to help our high school and college-aged kids learn about alcohol and drug awareness. It is also available to fulfill court or school mandates for those who have been cited with MIP, MIC, or possession of drugs or paraphernalia. Students can enroll and take the class on any computer device and from any WIFI hotspot. This means that you can sit through and take the program alongside your child at your home, or they can take it from a dorm room, library, coffee shop, etc. It’s meant to be convenient, easy to use, engaging and highly informative. There is no question that putting the time in now can help your child more confidently navigate through the next four years!