Alcohol and College

Jerry Phelps, PhD
Alcohol and College

Is alcohol a big part of college life?

Well, it may surprise you to know that most UCSD students don’t drink alcohol to excess. In fact, 72% of UCSD students report that they drink 0, 1, 2 or 3 drinks when they are at party.

When I was a college student at UC Berkeley, there was a lot more drinking. Now, alcohol use has decreased. Don’t get me wrong, many students do drink, but if they do, most do it responsibly. Those who don’t moderate have a lower GPA and are less likely to graduate.

So, if you think that you have to drink alcohol to fit in, remember this – Most UCSD students don’t abuse alcohol.

So, what do you do for healthy fun?

Well, I enjoy surfing, listening to music and making or eating food with friends. At UCSD there are lots of intramural sports, a wide variety of clubs and student organizations and many, really cool and interesting people.

So, hang with the winners and have fun without drinking. If you want to check out how your alcohol use compares to other UCSD students, take the online test called UCSD e-Chug. If you have a problem with alcohol or want to talk to someone about it, visit the CAPS website.