Chapter 14 Cheap Beer: The Oxygen of the Greek System

Everyone knows that college is an environment of drugs and alcohol, where many students are on their own for the first time and want to experiment. But at many big universities, there have been fraternities who transcend the regular party scene. Many frats copy the movie Animal House consisting of drunk, rude womanizing morons in a decrepit, sloppy house on campus. These types of groups cause a lot of harm to the school and the students. Throughout the 1990’s, binge drinking became a national issue and one of the main causes everyone was talking about were the Greek Organizations. It came to the idea that fraternities can’t exist without drinking but it would never happen due to the fact that mayhem would be raised if a ban was put into action. It would be like the 1920s during the prohibition era.

Due to increased binge drinking, many students have died because of excessive drinking at fraternity houses. The death of a Louisiana State University student from alcohol poisoning calls attention to the irresponsible and destructive behavior associated with college fraternities. A 19 year old Indiana University student choked to death on his vomit after drinking alcohol at a party at his fraternity. These are examples from the book showing how fraternities have been responsible for deaths of students because of excessive drinking at the frat houses. But is it all the fraternity’s fault? I know ECSU provides alcohol awareness to the students before they even come to Eastern as freshman and have programs at student orientation, also a strict policy in housing. Students need to understand and learn how to be responsible as well, and help each other in situations like the examples provided.

As a Resident Assistant at the ECSU campus I have been involved in documenting residents in alcohol incidents. It is very serious when student put themselves in vulnerable situations on and off campus. The other week a young girl had to be transported by the ambulance because she was “dumb drunk.” She couldn’t walk, talk, and she hit her head. Watching a girl unable to function being carried off on a stretcher is very serious and eye opening. A person, especially a female, can put themselves in very difficult situations and can be sexually assaulted and ruin a person’s life.

Binge drinking is a very serious issue and it is almost impossible to stop. I feel the only thing a college can do about it is control the problem by intervention of some sort or create awareness on becoming a responsible drinker and keeping everyone as safe as possible. Or maybe a near death experience can do the job as well.