Janie BoschmaEvery time I sit in the Davies Center to enjoy my lunch, I always seem to hear the same conversations over and over. My guess is a majority of students who sit in Davies Center have heard the conversations too. How can’t they? The people involved in them are talking loud enough for much of the area to hear.
The conversations that bother me the most are the ones in which people discuss their weekends. They usually are about plans for the upcoming weekend, or a recap of what they did the weekend before. I’m not so much bothered by the ones who tell about their trips home or the papers they have to work on, though these conversations can be quite grating when spoken grotesquely loud. I am more concerned with the ones who feel the need to share their drunken stories with the entire room.
The conversation works itself up like this: The students gather in a group around one a large table. Typically, girls are the ones who are most at fault for this obnoxious behavior, and I say girls because the events in the stories they tell do not represent the maturity level of a woman. However, there are the boys who are at fault too.
The group begins the conversation with one person asking the question of death: “What did you do this weekend?” The conversation follows with stories of memory lapses, poor judgment and embarrassing moments.
A particularly vivid conversation I was subject to hear, despite being at least 10 feet away, scared me more than irritated me.
The group of girls discussed their drunken moments from last weekend. One girl said remembered being at a particular bar making out with a guy but not remembering where in the bar she was. The other girl recalled waking up at home “freaking out” because she had no clue where she was, how she got there and who took her there.
The worst part of all of the stories was they told it as if it were a joke. Laughing at not knowing who brought you home, what happened in the process or how they all got separated from each other when they planned to stick together.
I don’t understand how being so drunk to the point that you can’t recognize your own room when you wake up after being passed out is fun. I can’t see the humor in being so inebriated that you lose your friends while out drinking, leaving you alone and incoherent in crowded bars late at night.
Since 2001, there have been 27 cases of sexual assault on our campus, according to University Police records. The Eau Claire Police Department has reported 55 incidents of rape since 2002, according to department records. University Police also states on its Web site that 90 percent of all “acquaintance” and “date” rapes happen with at least one of the parties having alcohol in their system.
Why then do these girls feel that it is funny and entertaining to put themselves at this risk? If you can’t remember getting into your own bed, how do know exactly what else happened to you that night? Why do people, girls and boys alike, feel putting themselves at such a risk is enjoyable?
One of the girls went on to tell of her mother who has a medical alert bracelet that gives contact and pertinent medical information, such as blood type, should something happen to her. The girl, whether genuinely serious or not, did not seem to have a clue of the true purpose of the bracelet. Instead, she coaxed her friends to joke about it claiming they should all have signs on them so people know where to take them when they’re too drunk to fend for themselves. Medical bracelets are for people with medical conditions, not so people can get you home from the bars.
The girls went on and on. One said they got really cold so they decided to drink more to warm themselves up. For those who haven’t figured this out quite yet, alcohol is a poison. When your body ingests poisons your liver goes into action to remove that poison. In doing so, your body must use energy to rid of the toxins, thus making you feel cold. Ergo, drinking more isn’t going to help the situation!
Another statement by one of the girls was regarding a guy who she feels flirts with her on purpose when she’s drunk, so he can take advantage of her. Of course he does. The sole purpose of people going out to the bar is in hopes that you might bring someone home with you. If it wasn’t, why would girls wear skirts in the dead of winter with low-cut tops and heels? It isn’t because you want to impress your best friend. Same goes for guys. Why put on that “night-on-the-town” shirt with designer jeans and Tommy cologne? You’re not trying to impress the guys next to you.
I’ll admit, I’m of age and I enjoy the alcohol, but I hate the effects. That is why you won’t see me pounding back as many Miller Lites as I can in an effort to put myself in an altered state. First off, Miller Lite is not tasty at all; I would rather sip a good smooth porter or stout, or a hoppy IPA. Secondly, I haven’t, and will never, let myself get into a situation where I am not in control of myself. It is dangerous, embarrassing and stupid.
The social acceptability of alcohol abuse on our campus is frightening. When people can classify knowing people on a sober level and knowing others only on a drunken level, there is something wrong.
I’m not saying boycott alcohol, but just enjoy it for its taste in moderation. Why put yourself in a dangerous situation and why embarrass yourself in front of your fellow classmates when you tell of all of your poor judgments from the weekend?
