How much are you drinking?
This isn’t a lecture, nor is it me trying to do my bit to make the world a better place, although that would be nice. It is a realisation of truth, a bit of useful advice, or rather a plea, to not let alcohol ruin your life.
Studying for a degree is not only time consuming and tedious, it’s also a lot of hard work, determinism and a heck of a lot of money. So it is painful to go out on an evening into Portsmouth town, to the many bars and clubs available and see students drinking their education and money away, stumbling around the streets not even sure where they are going, half dressed and often unconscious in the ladies toilets, or throwing up down the back streets of Albert road. That’s not a good memory of the university experience for anyone.
There are an estimated 7,000 alcoholics living in Portsmouth alone, and the unfortunate truth is that some of these will be students. Being an alcoholic doesn’t make you a tramp on the street. Nor does it automatically brand you as a violent resident of the local pub. It is purely an inability to refrain from drink. The effects both short and long term are well known to everyone. Throughout schooling we as students have been possibly even brainwashed into knowing how alcohol effects the body, and why it is important to know your limits. The media does their bit to show the tragedy that comes from drinking too much with their horrendous drink driving adverts, and signs are constantly increasing around alcoholic venues trying to teach people that drinking too much will only land you in trouble in the long run. But still we persist to ignore them. Why is the temptation to continue doing what we are told is bad for us so great? Why, although we feel the aftermath of nausea and headaches the day after a heavy binge, vowing to never drink again, do we not stick to this pledge?
Moderation is the key to anything, and this is my short message to all students. Students who are putting hard work and determinism into their degree, students who are spending over £9,000 on an education which could end up poured down the sink. Drink in moderation. I am not calling every student an alcoholic, nor am I saying many students are, but if there is one thing you can take from this very short plea; try something next time you’re on a night out. See if you can go a whole night with no alcoholic drinks. Just one night, just to prove to yourself you could refrain if you wanted to.
If students are concerned about the risks of alcohol, or believe they are drinking too much, please contact Alcoholics Anonymous with confidence at aa-uk.org.uk, or alternatively please see your local doctor for help or advice.
Photo by Brian Rosner.
