Under the Influence

“Binge drinking isn’t binge drinking when you are a college student,” said Claire, a senior student. “I think the culture of being a stupid college student goes way beyond Santa Clara, but we eat it up.” 

Society has glamorized college drinking culture and the idea that it’s a time in your life to throw caution to the wind and make bad decisions while you still can. This is compounded by the crazy college stories often told by relatives. Students are also experimenting and getting to know their limits. 

Ngoc Nguyen-Mains, the Assistant Dean for Student Life, believes that these factors play into the heavy drinking associated with college, but that it ultimately comes down to using them as justification. 

“Students want a reason to excuse it,” she said. 

Many students were hesitant to answer questions about their drinking habits. I tried to emphasize the principle of “no judgment,” but soon realized that their hesitance wasn’t about embarrassment. Instead, it seemed that saying out loud that they “get fucked up three times a week” made it all too real to them. 

However, students agreed almost across the board that school comes first. Santa Clara is an academically rigorous university, ranking higher in the nation each year. But when classes get canceled or homework is light, the absence of school is reason enough to get drunk.

“Work hard play hard”: that’s the Santa Clara slogan. 

“For me, it's more sporadic, but it depends on how much work I have,” Connor, a freshman living in Swig said. “If we don't have a lot of work, we are going to drink and smoke a shit ton.” 

For many students, drinking can be a way to blow off steam, let loose and enjoy their time–it’s something to look forward to. Some students drink when the space is available to them. This is not in order to have something to do, instead, it’s due to the lack of something to do. 

Jon, a study-abroad student here for the quarter from San Sebastián, Spain, has noticed the cultural differences between his hometown and Santa Clara.

“Here it is more drinking to get drunk instead of drinking for a reason,” he said. “It’s like drinking because you are supposed to.”

Some students, like Daniela, a senior, believe this attitude is dangerous. 

“It probably means you are cramming all your work into two or three days so you can go blackout two or three times a week,” she said. “The fact that it is a given that Thursday is a ‘throwaway day’ because you are going out and drinking a lot on Wednesday night, the fact we even have a word for it, shows we think our priorities are different than they truly are.”

Most students I spoke to admitted they were drinking about three times a week. My follow-up was, “How many of those times are you getting really drunk or blacking out?” Those answers varied, with roughly a quarter of the students admitting blackouts were regular. 

Across the nation, about 4 out of 5 college students drink frequently. Of these students, it is estimated that 50% participate in binge drinking, which is defined by the CDC as “consuming 5 or more drinks on an occasion for men or 4 or more drinks on an occasion for women.” 

Throughout all of my interviews with students, I asked why they chose to drink. Sophomores Andrea, Jane, and Healy looked at each other and laughed out loud. 

“Well, to get lit,” said Jane.

Really, students drink because they can. 

While many students have the money to drink three times a week, it is an expensive habit. When asked how many students they know struggle economically to drink three times a week, almost every student stuttered. The economic strain of excessive drinking can be ignored when the perception is that this is how most students choose to spend their money.

“People's parents supply them with enough to get drunk and high, so why wouldn’t they?” said Lindsey, a senior. “Getting drunk and high has become very marketable to students. Now there are new cute seltzers and ciders in our liquor store every week and joints and edibles that come in new flavors.”

Students seem to realize that drinking and drugs have always been a part of a wealthy lifestyle, a position that Santa Clara University is not foreign to. 

“My parents buy my alcohol,” said Emma, a freshman in Swig. 

Estimates of how much the average college student spends in the United States per year on booze vary from about $500 to $900 per year, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 

Going out to a local bar, getting dinner and drinks and other alcohol-based activities can cost a pretty penny as well. Some students estimated that nights out at The Hut have cost them up to $70. 

And the spending associated with a culture of excessive drinking extends past the cost of the alcohol itself.

“I also spend a lot of money once I'm drunk,” Abby, a sophomore, concluded shamefully about her late-night Ubers to In-and-Out and her after-hours Postmates from Denny’s. 

Just about everyone I spoke to “wouldn’t go to a frat party sober.” A unanimous opinion rang out across the student body. 

“It's not fun being sober when everyone else is fucked up,” adds Caroline, a junior. 

But students also concurred, when pushed, that drinking wasn’t a necessary part of having fun. 

“We have met a lot of people going out and often spend time with different people when we are out drinking, but our close friends aren’t people we always drink with or bonded through drinking,” Faye said. Her friend Nora also agreed. They are freshmen just finishing their fall quarter.  

“A lot of people come out of their shells when they drink,” Abby said. “A lot of people have social anxiety and drink to feel less anxious. I have made a lot of solid friendships when I was drinking. I think that’s okay.” 

Santa Clara University participated in the The National College Health Assessment of 2018  shows that 60.4% of undergraduate students are drinking, which is classified as any alcohol use within the last 30 days. However, the perceived use on campus is 93.6%. Students at Santa Clara believe many of their peers are drinking more than they are in actuality. 

Unprovoked, younger students were eager to say they did not feel any peer pressure to drink, What they fail to realize is that everyone drinking around you is peer pressure. 

“The perception is if you're not going out at least once a week–” Dilyn, a freshman, hesitates– “well, yeah, you're missing out.” She knows it sounds bad as she says it out loud, but her friend agrees. While students say they don’t feel drinking is a necessary part of their fun in college, there is a general attitude that it helps. 

Students wished to be identified by first name only.