Rice community must embrace a new positive attitude toward alcohol

By Shaan Patel     3/7/13 6:00pm

 

Rice has a drinking problem. It is hard to ignore the constant reminders of vomit puddles littering our hallways and sirens circling the Inner Loop, and it has become quite apparent that alcohol is being increasingly abused and misused. This misuse cannot be solved by limiting the types and venues of alcohol. It can be solved by a fundamental change in the practices and attitudes surrounding alcohol. 

For many new students, Dis-Orientation is the first time they will be presented with the option of drinking. This is a frightening thought because students are exposed to college drinking as solely a bingeing sport, with the main sources being kegs, bottles of Everclear and bags of Franzia. This is where the problems originate. Students are introduced to alcohol as a means to an end (drunkenness) and not as a vehicle of taste and inherent pleasure. Dis-O could be a venue for testing the waters rather than one for jumping into the deep end. We, in a culture of trust and respect, in a community of mentorship and sharing, and at a school of the highest caliber, should accept the challenge to combat this detrimental relationship. We, as Rice students, must position ourselves differently than many other college campuses and learn to drink smarter. 

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There must be a nurtured and newfound preference for tipsiness over drunkenness, cherished memories over forgotten nights, and coherent conversation over incomprehensible babble. This fundamental switch will not solve all problems or prevent all transports, but it will better prepare students for the outside world and help garner a greater student respect for alcohol in lieu of an abusive attitude. 

This nurtured preference is not a lofty ideal, but an achievable notion. Culture begins at the residential colleges, and the events and decisions made here surrounding alcohol are important. In place of kegs in the quad, assorted bottled beers would bring about a culture of quality over quantity. At private parties, the supplement, not the centerpiece, should be alcohol. Time and consideration of theme and decoration, as well as some form of entertainment, will lessen partygoers' perceived need to get drunk. Alcohol is discussed during Orientation Week more as an abusive tool than as a vehicle for enjoyment, and changing this can help alter the initial perceptions of its use. Upperclassmen can play a key role, hosting events such as beer tastings, choosing margaritas instead of punch and serving food at gatherings. We must teach those who are unaware how to prepare enjoyable and tasteful drinks; an organization or student-taught course could help disseminate these recipes throughout campus. Also, public parties can opt for a signature drink over just getting kegs. This simple repurposing of alcohol can achieve lasting effects to the alcohol and partying culture at Rice and will slowly help to mature and develop the social culture. 

This piece is not a case against immaturity. There are times in our lives when immaturity is necessary and crucial to our development. While letting off steam is good, there is a time, a place and a group of people with which students can afford to let off steam. These parameters create safety and respect around a situation and allow for contingency plans. 

Furthermore, hard liquor is not inherently dangerous, but at many universities, it is being used dangerously. The danger is in not using it safely, and when taste over proof is the goal, hard liquor can help students favor tipsiness over drunkenness. Tasting and enjoying hard liquor drinks can prevent students from abusing these drinks when they are confronted with them later in life. These suggestions do not necessarily equate to more expensive drinking. By increasing quality and decreasing quality, the costs can even out. Furthermore, the cost of the alcohol is not the only way to better the quality. Well-thought out recipes can also help to better the quality, and still allow students to enjoy the taste. 

This viewpoint will not stop people from surpassing their limits, but neither will the Alcohol Policy Advisory Committee's recommendations or many other suggested notions. My recommendations will not stop people from feeling sick, blacking out or making poor decisions. However, it will change the way in which the Rice community views these things and hopefully help lessen the number of those who abuse alcohol. These cultural changes will not be apparent immediately, but let us begin the process. Let us begin to break the cycle of abuse, misuse and irresponsible behavior in favor of respectful, responsible and congenial behavior. Let us be better, bolder and wiser than those before us, and let us finally see the importance of tipsiness over drunkenness, cherished memories over forgotten nights, and coherent conversation over incomprehensible babble. 

Shaan Patel is a McMurtry College junior. 

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