"What Role Does Alcohol Play In Your Life?"
You decide how alcohol will play into your personal and social life-day to day and weekend to weekend. It can affect your academics, your health, your relationships, your ability to pursue goals, and even the opportunities you are given or that are taken from you. It is important to evaluate your choices, the risks associated with them, and how your choices are affecting your life. It may appear that things are fine, until you take a closer look . . .

What situations are most likely to influence your decision to drink?

• Special Events

• Social Behavior (it's Friday and you want to have fun?)

• Traditions (Big Game Tailgate)

• Peers

• Pressure (drinking game begins and you are expected to join in)

• Stress

• Boredom

What behaviors are you likely to exhibit when you choose to drink?

• Talkative? Loud - Inappropriate

• Reckless (driving impaired, stunts)

• Sexually daring or promiscuous

• Angry or violent behavior

• Lying

• Uncontrollable emotional outbursts

Have you ever experienced these signs of unhealthy drinking?

• Physical illness (hang-overs, vomiting, in bed all day, etc.)

• Damaged relationships (friend, roommate, or boy/girlfriend upset with you)

• Legal problems (DUI, disciplinary record on campus, arrested for underage drinking, etc.)

• Unable to remember things that happened while drinking

• Violence (vandalism, physical fighting, bad arguments, etc.)

• Unwanted sexual situations (date rape, in bed with a stranger or someone you wish you had not been with)

• Academic or work problems (missed class/work, not prepared for a test, etc.)

• Low self-esteem (embarrassed or ashamed of your behavior)

• Spending a lot of money on alcohol

• Needing to drink more to get the same effect

Adopted from the BACCHUS & GAMMA "The Choice Is Yours" Publication

If you drink for the wrong reasons, or if you experience unhealthy consequences because of your drinking, you need to make new decisions that will keep you safe, healthy, and out of trouble.