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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Augustana chapter.

Whether it’s Thirsty Thursday,  a pregame or a frat party, every college, even the smallest, has plenty of opportunities to partake in drinking among other activities.   Before I begin I want to emphasize a few things. 

  1.  I am legal!!!
  2. Whether or not you choose to drink is your decision! Make the best choices for your life and well being.
  3.  This article is here to give an alternative perspective on the topic!

Okay, all that aside I want to share some of my college experience. 

As someone in her last few semesters at college, I truthfully have only ever attended a few social events where alcohol has been present. Despite this,  I have been one to occasionally have the rare glass of wine or a margarita while out getting Mexican food.  But I feel there is a difference between a rare few and a night out blackout. 

The social aspect of a party has never been something I’ve actively sought out whether it be due to anxiety or a lack of interest.   I used to think this wasn’t normal and that I wasn’t “fitting” the typical college experience.  I would go out with my friend and partner at the time, but I never stayed long and attended sober.  Making that conscious choice, in some regards, saved me from regretting choices the next day, and avoiding the dreaded hangover and other horrors. 

Plus knowing people in my life who are actively struggling with substance abuse, those environments are full of triggers and just general awkward feelings.  When the people you love have gained such a dependence on substances, and then you’re surrounded by people so casual in their desires to party,  whether it is you in that position of addiction or not, it’s hard. When I also have to put into perspective on alcohol as a depressant and my own mental health struggles, the pros never outweigh the cons for me.

 I never wanted to feel like a buzzkill, I just wasn’t sure how to have fun in that setting. So I just chose not to show up. Then people stopped asking me to go out. Most everyone who would ask me who regularly would go out, while being respectful in my choice, stopped making an effort to ask. While I was still  confident in my choice to not put myself in a weird (for me) situation, it still hurts. Nobody wants to feel unwelcome in a social context.  Which I unfortunately have many times, whether it be due to my abstaining or simply me and my neurodivergent self. 

Before I ever became of age, society and media made it to be that alcohol and partying was a huge part of both high school and college culture. Which it honestly can be,  just not for everyone. I never was the “cool, extrovert “ I hoped to be by this point in my life, but I am still trying to put myself out there.   Unfortunately, a lot of the typical fun for people in our college culture is bars and house parties. There are clubs and extracurricular activities, and I’m involved in a ton of those, but when the weekend comes around its nightlife and darties!   As someone who even tried the greek life experience, I saw this first hand.  I found rather quickly that the “social scene” was way out of element for me.  Which was a hard realization but one I quickly adjusted my attitude towards, when I realized I can share my story and help others make healthier choices through harm reduction.

I think what worries me most as an advocate and supporter of harm reduction  is knowing the dangers of substances and fear of the casualness of use I’ve seen from those I attend school with and balancing that concern with giving people options.  Not everyone has the same path, and I’m not going to preach sobriety when I know that path is not doable for everyone. What I can do however, is suggest ways to reduce harm during drinking and substance use.

  • Hydrate (With WATER, between drinks)
  • Don’t leave drinks unattended!  If you set it down, don’t drink it, get another one
  • Don’t drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • Have a set plan before you go out so you don’t overdrink/ overspend 
  • Never party alone (BUDDY SYSTEM
  • Carry narcan! ( For drug overdoses)
  • It’s okay to say no

I think what was such a pleasant surprise as I’ve met more people, that there are so many people on our campus who don’t drink.  Whether it be for health reasons, trauma, or simply disliking the taste, the truth is that there are so many people who simply choose to abstain from alcohol.  If you’re like me and choose to have calm nights in with a cup of tea or even if you like drinking, it’s important to accommodate and respect people’s choices.   Perhaps providing non-alcoholic mocktails at parties, taking a break from heavy drinking to reassess your health and the effects of alcohol on you and your wellbeing , or even having opportunities to include and encourage sober friends to go out in an environment that is safe and non-triggering for them. Look out for everyone on our campus, and let’s all have some fun together!

Janey Locander is a Senior at Augustana College who is currently studying WGSS, Psychology, and Creative Writing. She has a passion for reading, writing and advocacy. She works for her campuses Office of Sexual Assault Prevention Education (OSAPE) as a peer educator and is currently finishing up her role as a Regional Co-Lead for the Midwest Region with Advocates For Youth. On top of all this she has worked with many publications and programs across the Quad Cities such as the Midwest Writing Center's YEW internship , Love Girls Magazine, and so much more. She hopes you enjoy her words as they are her world.