Bucknell University held a Community Conversation in the Terrace Room on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 8pm. The purpose of the conversation was for students and the administration to come together and discuss issues regarding the campus party culture. Some topics explored included typical college drinking habits, reasons people drink too much, and steps toward social change.
In the last month alone, Bucknell has had a sizable number of students hospitalized for overconsumption of alcohol. Some students are under the impression that going to the hospital is a badge of victory, when in reality that is not the case. There is nothing “cool” or “admirable” about waking up on a stretcher covered in your own vomit. If such careless, dangerous drinking behaviors continue on this campus, we will eventually lose someone we care about.
As a student body, we need to be there for each other. Greek organizations are supposed to be centered on love and friendship— not alcohol consumption and partying. Being a loving Greek member is telling friends when they have had enough alcohol, not encouraging them to keep drinking. Developing real friendships and being comfortable with people sober is the first step toward being secure with drinking less.
A lot of students on this campus drink out of a need to fit a certain image. They want to prove that they are fun and interesting, when in reality, this is just a reflection of our generation’s poor social skills. If students can be comfortable flirting, dancing, and meeting people in sober settings, they will feel the need to drink less. Several Greek presidents acknowledged that will host more sober activities for members to bond in order to foster a healthier atmosphere and challenge students to interact with one another in a more valuable way.
Overall, the conversation was a huge step forward in the right direction. It was great to see that so many students are worried about the campus party culture, and that they are willing to take steps toward reshaping it.