5 Things You Need to Know about Alcohol Consumption at USC
By (the 21-year-old) Kelly Kinas ‘16
Drinking. It’s a thing. That may surprise some of you but it is. There are some discreet places around USC’s campus where alcohol is consumed. Craziness.
Okay, I feel like this is getting a little too sarcastic so I’m just gonna stop that whole thing now. Alcohol is consumed around USC, whether it’s at a Greek party, a fundrager, or at Study Hall or at the 901. You don’t have to drink at USC but a portion of the population does, even those who are underage. I’m not telling those who are under 21 to go drink alcohol right now because that’s illegal. We all know that. But if you’re going to drink , if you’re over or under 21, there are some things you need to know. Hence this blog.
1. AMNESTY
If one of your friends is drinking and they are under 21 and NOT doing well, CALL FOR HELP. Call DPS because they can help save their lives. Student Affairs implemented an amnesty policy so if a underage person is unconscious or can’t walk due to alcohol, calling them in to DPS and asking for help won’t get the person sanctioned. That’s a lot of words. Pretty much, you and your friends won’t get in trouble for underage drinking if you call DPS to help someone who is incapacitated because of alcohol consumption. Don’t let that stop you or fear that you will get that person in trouble. You are trying to help them or save their life; you both will not get in trouble for underage drinking if that is your concern.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR FELLOW TROJANS, WHETHER YOU KNOW THEM OR NOT.
2. SIGNS OF ALCOHOL POISONING
I didn’t want to put a gif of someone throwing up. So be grateful.
How do you know if someone has alcohol poisoning and to call DPS about it? Great question.
There are a lot: pale skin, really slow breathing, confusion, vomiting, passing out and not being able to be woken up, etc.
If one of your friends is showing any of these symptoms, CALL DPS or 911. Don’t assume this can be slept off. Especially if someone is vomiting, don’t leave them alone because they could choke on the vomit and die, and we don’t want that.
Alcohol poising is more serious than just having a horrible hangover the next day. Brain damage, severe dehydration, and death can all come from alcohol poisoning so it’s important to watch how much you drink, how much your friends drink, and to keep an eye out for people acting really drunk around you because they could be in trouble.
3. DRINKING ALCOHOL
(ps happy halloween)
I’m gonna guess that 90% of the people reading this have tasted alcohol in their lives. I’m also gonna assume that a good amount of people have participated in the binge-drinking culture at USC and have drunk a lot of alcohol in a small period of time, whether it’s at a party or a tailgate or whatever. If you’re gonna drink, go ahead and drink. Just do it safely. I don’t care if you’re over 21 and think you know everything, trust me, you will forget.
I turn 22 in a month and over this past summer, I was so stressed about a party I was throwing and being a hostess that I forgot to eat dinner because I was that worried. It did not end well. Being over 21 does not mean you are immune to making dumb mistake while drinking. You have to consciously take the time to think about what you’re doing and make sure it is within your limits.
Step 1: EAT before you drink (like a full meal. It takes a couple hours for your food to digest)
Step 2: DRINK water (before, during, and after because water is like 70% of our body’s makeup)
Step 3: ALCOHOL consumption should be dependent on your height, weight, muscle mass, alcohol tolerance, % alcohol of the drinks you’re having, and so much more (IE don’t drink as much as everyone else is)
^^ Don’t follow Mrs. Forman. I love her but know how much you’re drinking.
Yeah, I know you guys have all heard this before, Alcohol EDU and whatever else the freshman this year had to take but this information is never a bad thing to hear again.
4. TIPS FOR BEING AROUND DRINKING WHEN YOU DON’T WANT TO DRINK
(just act like you’re taking the shot but don’t)
That’s a long title but here are some things that I have done in practice when being around people who are drinking when I don’t want to drink, whether it’s because I know I’m at a good place or I’m just not drinking that night.
1. Don’t drink (truthfully. like people aren’t gonna get mad at you)
2. Have a red solo cup and fill it with water or sprite and say there’s alcohol in it
3. LITERALLY JUST SAY NO IF THEY ASK IF YOU WANT A DRINK (they won’t be offended or anything. That means there’s more alcohol for them)
4. If someone offers you a shot and you don’t feel comfortable saying no, take the glass, pretend to drink it (the other person will be drinking theirs so they won’t notice), place the glass down and make a funny face. Move on.
5. If people are making you feel uncomfortable for not drinking, LEAVE. THEY SUCK.
5. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO DRINK OR PARTY, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS
PARTYING DOES NOT EQUAL DRINKING.
Just wanted to say that, outright.
You don’t have to drink to enjoy a party. You can literally just talk to people and have a great time. But if that’s not your speed, USC also has you covered. There are Cardinal and Gold events put on by Student Affairs that offer late-night hangout sessions doing fun things that don’t involve alcohol. The next one is through Late Night SC and it’s a hike at Griffith Observatory on Friday, November 11th. (Facebook event here).
TL;DR: Drinking can be nice but do it safely. If someone is underage and possibly has alcohol poisoning, call DPS for help; they won’t get in trouble. Know that if someone is unconscious from drinking alcohol, stay with them and call for help.
If you wanna read more, Matt Lemas wrote a great article in the Daily Trojan about binge-drinking culture at USC. Link is HERE.
Drink responsibly and Fight on!
