Crossing the line

   A lot of people agree — drinking is fun. You like to unwind with your friends, knock back a couple of Heinekens and get goofy. That’s all right. Everyone is allowed to indulge.
   Just because you’re in your 20s doesn’t mean you have to get wasted every night. Despite what you have seen in movies and on television, college isn’t a constant happy hour. Because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
   Young adults overestimate the drinking habits of people around them. You see the cast of Jersey Shore partying it up at the club, plastic cups in hand. You see people on The Real World, constantly drunk and causing a ruckus. Yes, these people are getting drunk every night, starting fights and crying off their mascara, but is that really the life you want for yourself? You may think you’re fine now, but as humans we are creatures of habit. You fall into a rhythm and you’re stuck with it. That’s where addiction sets in. You become addicted to the lifestyle of constant hangovers and liver damage.
   Maybe you feel like you have to keep up with friends who like to drink more than you, or they have a higher tolerance for alcohol. We’ve all been there; people are asking why you aren’t drinking more and encouraging you to drink up. Just because you’re there with them doesn’t make you feel obligated to match your fellow party animals drink for drink.
   Have fun on your own terms.
   Booze is more often a recipe for disaster than it is a recipe for an all-night party. Nobody likes waking up the morning after a bender with only text messages sent in a drunken stupor to remind them of how wild they got the night before.
   Alcohol lowers your inhibitions. This increases your likelihood of going home with some less than savory character or even ending up with a tattoo you swore looked awesome when you were seeing double the night before. You have to explain these things to your kids eventually. Have fun explaining that dragon tattoo on your lower back.
   The fact of the matter is that alcohol abuse destroys lives.  
   Don’t become that old drunk who’s at the bar from 6 a.m. until closing time, knocking back screwdrivers and talking about how he’s been boozing since he was in college. That’s when the problem starts.
   If you think you have a problem, get help. Yes, it really is that simple. We have psychologists on campus that can help you on your own terms or they can help you find other resources. If you’re embarrassed to admit it, you shouldn’t be. You should be proud that you’ve made the adult decision to seek help. The real embarrassment is admitting you’ve thrown your entire life down the drain because of your love of Captain Morgan.