First Year Binging

The thrill of first year can last the entire year, a few weeks and sometimes a couple of weeks. During the first three or four weeks of semester one, the students focus may be on making friends and having a good time. Their people’s skills are tested for the first time. This is the most imperative time of their life; I say this because during this time, it is possible to make subject changes to suite their degree makeup. This time may also set a pattern for behavior throughout the year, a time to build friendships, trying to find friends that best adhere to their character and lastly, a time where prioritizing becomes important.

Many first year students come to university with high expectations, to have freedom with no boundaries, lots of alcohol and sex abuse and encouragement to be irresponsible. These activities allow for endless friendships to be established. Students also begin to ignore their studies, thinking pulling all nighters will earn them straight A's.

When walking into a party, the first thing one does is scan, looking for people they may know and when they find them, they relax and go over and start chatting. Some don't understand that nature is trying to teach them how to handle social scenes by inciting anxiety. This is what leads to 'pre-party' events, trying to withdraw whatever anxiousness may be felt. This undermines their social confidence, because it is now being fabricated. This pre-partying became common to me at Rhodes University.

Rhodes University's poor academic performance has been tied to the undue consumption of alcohol. This was proven by a student who compiled findings on alcohol abuse on campus. This survey focused on students as whole and not just first years. The report titled "Patterns of Alcohol Abuse on a South African University Campus," reported alcohol as harmful and hazardous. I mean there was a "Save Tri-Varsity" campaign a couple of months back due to unruly, drunk Rhodents at last years Tri-Var. The Dean of Students had to intervene with her Alcohol-Abuse Awareness Week. Reasons for such interventions are caused by the skyrocketing numbers of students practicing binging, an act which starts during ones first year.

It is in the interest of higher learning institutions to take note of the levels of alcohol consumption amongst students, especially first year students that are overwhelmed by varsity life. They need to devise strategies and neutralize such trends. It is important that first year students overcome peer pressure and the false sense of security of living in a small town. It is up to these first years to be able to balance the exhilaration with good decisions and help eliminate the bad name on Rhodes for producing alcoholics.
Should you be a student needing help, especially first year, help is available.
Rhodes Counseling CentreAlcoholics Anonymous