 "Photo: Caleb Miller/The Daily Texan")
In the tradition of college binge drinking, students across the nation are finding out their “Thirsty Thursday” routines are not without consequences. Two recent studies have shown that binge-drinking rates are increasing at the college level and affecting students’ overall academic performance.
“If I go out on Thursdays, most likely I just won’t go to class on Friday at all,” said Bo Yu, an electrical engineering senior.
College students drink and drive under the influence more than any other age group, according to a study conducted by researchers from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The study reported that the number of alcohol-related deaths and injuries among college students rose from 1,440 in 1998 to 1,825 in 2005.
According to a related study released Monday by the Association for Institutional Research, binge drinking among college students has also increased 3 percent in the previous year. The study, which examined on Loyola College students in Maryland in fall 2008, also shows that students who do not have classes on Fridays see Thursdays as the beginnings of their weekends and will consume four times as many drinks than students who have class before 10 a.m. on Fridays.
In Austin, the lure of 6th Street has affected the student population.
“Everyone that works downtown knows that college students like to go out on Thursdays. That’s why drinks are so cheap,” said Luke Burch, general manager at SoHo Lounge. “We make more money on Thursdays than on the weekends sometimes.”
Despite the popularity of “Thirsty Thursdays,” universities are hoping to curb pre-weekend drinking by implementing alcohol-education programs.
The study by the institute on alcohol abuse indicated there has been an overall lack of progress despite years of campaigning by colleges.
UT received the grand prize for its “Longhorns Against Drunk Driving” campaign from the AAA Texas College and University Drinking and Driving Prevention Awards Program.
The University campaign includes alcohol education during student orientation sessions, online surveys and an extensive media campaign comprised of stickers, posters and radio messages.
The campaign succeeded in changing the way some students view drinking.
“I know my GPA went up as soon as I stopped going out on the weekdays,” said mechanical engineering senior Kyle Jesse.
Many students believe the only way to encourage going out less is by holding more classes before 10:00 a.m. or by having more tests on Fridays so they will be forced to stay in and study. Thirsty Thursdays can be fun for those students who don’t have classes on Fridays, but many students’ grades can suffer when they don’t attend class.
“It is really no secret that class attendance and making good grades have a direct correlation,” said geography and environment professor Chris Davies.
