More Games, fun.

Decided to do another post on games. What’s more fun than a game? As a kid we play candyland… now, since candyland is a tad boring, we play pass out. Now ive never played, so I don’t know the rules or anything, but pretty much we play candyland while drinking alcohol and its more fun. A fake way to play kiddy games yet feel older all at the same time.  But really, 51 drinking games? I mean flip cup is fun for a little while, beer pong can be fun and it has a tournament in Las Vegas where you can win money, ring of fire is interesting, but 51 games. Most drinking games are just as much fun without alcohol, but it’s advertised that those games are more fun. They are more adult. Alcohol makes them the best game ever. Then, since you’re playing a game, you don’t even realize you are incredibly drunk. The one thing I still don’t understand is the beer bong. I just don’t get it. What point is trying to be proven? It doesn’t look like fun, and you are bound to forget the rest of the night. Is life really that depressing? Idk. Can anyone explain?

prohibition

Now for the other side of prohibition. Alcohol is not good for the human body in excessive amounts. Although it is not considered an addictive drug, it is addicting to some people and can be harmful. It can also be very dangerous, make people mean, or lazy. In this cartoon prohibition picture, which is obviously for prohibition, the alcohol barrels and bottles are carrying signs of all the bad thing things they do. The waste grain, they fill the asylums, they make people poor, they cause crime. And this is all true, which is why prohibition passed for awhile. Even now days though, alcohol still makes people poor, especially alcoholics. In an economy like today, why are people wasting their money on alcohol, especially when they drink in excess and don’t even remember what happened. Why waste money to not remember the night?  Anyway, the other side of prohibition, alcohol is a waste of everything so why not just get rid of it?

Prohibition

effects of prohibition

Conversely, by the end of the 1920s there were more alcoholics and illegal drinking establishments than before Prohibition

How many of you were not allowed to drink when living with your parents? If they were home you followed their rules. You only drank if your parents didn’t know,  Or if they weren’t home. Now you’re in college and since you’re still technically underage you’re risking a lot just by having a few beers. That’s what makes it appealing though. It’s breaking the rules. This is kind of like how prohibition was. Prohibition was pointless because all it led to was more people breaking the rules, and the government lost money because of it. The black market on the other hand was making a profit. It also led to more people becoming alcoholics and overdoing it. Obviously prohibition didn’t work out, so why is there basically still a ban on alcohol on people under 21. In other countries that ban doesn’t exist, so why is it mandatory here. I think that if the ban wasn’t in place, more teens would have their chances to experiment with alcohol before college and it wouldn’t seem so cool because no rules are being broken. Then for the most part excessive drinking would be reduced in the college age category. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t exist but I think it would help. What do you think?

HEY MONDAY

This band is pretty awesome, definitly on my top 5, so check them out sometime :]

So this song is about a girl who knows she doesn’t know how to keep control of herself when drinking. She thinks she knows when to stop, but as she drinks she just keeps going. In this song, the lyrics say that “its just a phase your going though someday you’ll know just what to do.” and for most college kids/ adults, whatever the heck you wanna call us, it is just a phase that we go though. We’re truely independent for the first time in our lives, for the past 18 years most of us have been carefully watched so that we don’t drink, or if we do it has to be done while sneaking around. And its going to hapen just as a challenge, and out of curiousity. But who is going to tell you when to stop. Is it all just a phase that we go through as college students? I am adding to my list of why I think people binge drink, now we are up to

1. Peer Pressure
2. Walking advertisements
3. curiousity/independence
4. prohibition for under 21  

I think this song (which was written by a 18 year old graduating from high school) shows that there is a problem with people knowing there limits, and this could potentially be a problem. Some people think that they will be okay, but it will take something major to wake them up.  they start the night thinking one will be okay, then that turns into more and more and by the end of the night they are completely messed up. But its just a phase, well hopefully.

Apparel

Once again I am going to post about the Keg Stand. This shirt is a walking advertisement of what should be done if you need to get “f***” up. By turning to alcohol in times of need, alcoholism is developed. But people wear this shirt, which tells other people that this is the thing to do. People may not say it, but by wearing a shirt like this they are promoting excessive drinking. Kids, teens and adults like, when they see other adults wearing a shirt like this they assume this is the acceptable thing to do, I mean its on a tee shirt. This pattern is only one of the many different shirt patterns that were found. They can be found at many different stores too. Stores like Urban Outfitters, Spencers and HotTopic all sell similar apparel. The scary fact is that teens still shop at these stores, so younger children are being exposed to this advertisement, allowing excessive drinking to start earlyer. This could potientially become an even larger problem, just because of a shirt.

1…2…3… How long can you take it?

How do to a keg stand. A college olympic sport. Could games like this be the reason for excessive drinking? I would have to say yea. This isnt the only well known college game that encourages getting excessively drunk, there are also beer bongs, beer pong, flip cup, and a variety of other “fun” games, that lead to an extreme intoxication before you even know it. Where is the fun in a keg stand, i mean really, you are risking drowning to start with, and who says your spotters are going to put you down when you want to stop,who says they arent going to drop you on your head because they are to intoxicated to be your spotter. But it is a game. and people like challenge, so lets see how long you can make it.

Another possible reason for people doing keg stands goes back to my other suggestion of why people drink excessively, peer pressure. even though Hazing is illegal it doesnt mean it isnt done. I have seen people do keg stands because they were told they had to. Its hard to watch , having people force that much alcohol into thier body at that speed. ugh its just gross, especially watching girls do it. have you done a keg stand? was it worth it?

Food for thought….

This is a hard topic for many to talk about. Alcoholic parents. I think this point had to be brought up, even if it is just as a side note. For those who have lived in stable homes, even those of you who didn’t, I want you to think real hard.

Imagine having parents that pretty much party every night. Its not fun to party with your parents. And really the party is just with the parent alone. They sit around and do nothing but drink. Sometimes they are nice, sometimes annoying, sometimes aggressive. everynight is drawn at random. Think about the effects that has on the child. They develop guilt, embarrassment, anxiety, inability to have closed relationships, confusion, anger, and depression. All of this then puts that child at a 4 times greater risk for developing into an alcoholic.

Lets change persepctives now. You are the parent. You started drinking and going to parties when you were 17. You get accepted into a hard college with a lot of pressure. you really dont have an outlet. You want to fit in. You want to feel older. You start to party more. To you everything seems innocent. This is fun, its what people do. Then you accidently get pregnant. The guy asks you(guys flip te situation around) to marry him.(luckily) You drop out of school and forget the dreams you had of being a doctor. Your husband has to quit school to get a job. You slowly start drinking again as the baby continues to cry. Then he’s five and going to school, and you are jelious( i cant spell). He has a fresh start. That night you get drunk again for the first time in a while. It drowns out the pain. When he gets home your mad. He RUINED your life. Its his fault. you know deep down its yours, but the alcohol allows you to blame him. You scream at him for asking whats for dinner. Tell him to go to his room and dont come out. This is only the first night of many to come, but its okay. With the alcohol none of it is your fault. What once was harmless, has now just ruined a family.

My last blog made me think. As college students we dont see the harm that alcohol can do. (unless you grew up in a alcoholic family… which happens way more than people think it does) There are many college students out there that have already become alcohol dependent. Its one reason they drink so much to the point of being sick. They are addicted, and in college who is going to help them. What happens when its too late and they cant get help. When their liver is already destroyed before they even live. when they start a family and beat their wife. Who is going to help then? I understnad people jsut pass their limit sometimes, and its still just fun. But how do you know that girl your standing next to isnt already addicted. She may just hide it well. Her parents were alcoholics, her dad raped her. BUt she wont tell. shes already drowning it out, and you never know.

So think about… I already know a few people who admit tobeing alcoholics in college. Just think about their future. They think they can change, but who is going to help them when its time.

 

I got this crazy tanget from a website called american academy of child and adolesant psychiatry. It gives the effects of children growing up with alcoholics. For many this is list. Things that could happen. For teens who grew up with this problem, it is the emotions they have always felt, its the problems they have and will continue to have, its the truth, not just a list. This is predomiantly logos, as none of the statements are backed with sited sources, and again for many this has no pathos appeal. Its just a boring list. To others the pathos appeal may be huge. Really nothing super interesting is in it except the fact that the child does become 4 times more likely to follow in the parents footsteps. That fact really stands out to me.

 

Have a good weekend!

Treatment Plan:

Alcohol

This site is interesting. It  sums up what I have gotten out of this blog. It is a defination of alcohol and what it does to your health. This health site was created for parents, teen and kids. I liked the way this information was presented. It is mostly educational, with statistics, pictures, definations, and explainations.

The first part I would like to touch on is how they present the issue to teens. They explain the fact that it is illegal but still 80% of high schoolers have tried alcohol. They they leave the choice up to you by saying its “YOUR” decision, but here are the facts. They then use a little but of a scare tatic by explaining the fact that the brain is still developing as your a teen and by drinking alcohol, the brain is not fully developing. Also that while intoxicated you may pee or throw up in front of people. The future risks of drinking as  teen include high blood pressure, cholestrol, alcoholism, liver damage and kidney.  It is also illegal, which should play a major part in a teenagers decision. This is a use of pathos and logos combine.Through logic a teenager may see tht by drinking now, many future consequence may come.

The next part that really caught my attention was the  answer to the subheader “Why do teens drink?” and, well  we are on the right track.  

“Experimentation with alcohol during the teen years is common. Some reasons that teens use alcohol and other drugs are:

• curiosity
• to feel good, reduce stress, and relax
• to fit in
• to feel older

From a very young age, kids see advertising messages showing beautiful people enjoying life — and alcohol. And because many parents and other adults use alcohol socially — having beer or wine with dinner, for example — alcohol seems harmless to many teens.”

I never thought about how kids subconsiously relate being older with the use of alcohol. Thats make me think twice about alcohol advertisements on t.v. It also brings parents into the equation.

Lastly this piece gives information on how to keep teens from being addicted, and gives them places to go get help. This is the ethos. Other ethos used was when they were giving stats, and taking about research done at diffrent universities.

Party in the stomach

Parties are fun. I think you guys dont get where exactly im coming from. I’m at one angle bashing partys in hopes that I will fusturate someone enough to explain why people drink past their limits. I know once again everyhting is good in moderation. Thats why I chose this video. Its funny, comedy acts are suppose to be. It’s explaining that in the right amount you can have a good time with alcohol. But when you start mixing things up thats when things go wrong. Thats when the guns come out. So why do people contiune to mix this stuff at parties? WHy do people drink to the point of getting sick. I dont understand it. Your only having fun up to a certain point.  I just figured that you guys would like this video. btw. beer always comes first.

TFLN

YAY texts from last night. I actually think this website, along with my life is average, is dumb. But thats not the point. You can find the most random stuff on there. The funny thing is, a lot of it actually happens to people. I have a friend who will find MLIA and TFLN that correlate to the funny parts of our evening, with slight changes. I bring this up on my blog because many of these are texts from people who don’t remeber last night. Mostly you don’t remeber because you partied to hard… hummm? here are some of the ones I found that correlate with my blog.

(970): If im going to fail a midterm I might as well be drunk while I do it

(301): Went to mcdonalds… Wishing I could throw up the last 20 hours of my life.

(916): Guess who’s still drunk but on time to court to represent a DUI?
(760): You are my hero

(613): So. Camera broke because I tried to wash it under the sink, kristi had to take me home and I woke up to my computer showing me that I googled how t take more than one shot at a time. I’d say the night was a success.

(240): captain morgan taught me last night that resee’s puffs are way better when eaten straight out of the sink.

( the above will link you to TFLN)

Okay,  so as in the previous post, fuuny stuff is done when people are drunk. But seriously, the mind set of went to mcdonolds so i could puke up the last 20 hours, and failing midterms drunk, and washing your camera in the sink. I just don’t get how alcohol is fun. I don’t see how not remebering last night is fun. Maybe instead of partying that person should be going to class and studying. Maybe they would pass the midterm. But no. College is the time to party. First time being independent, lets go! If you are ever bored go on this site just to read and you will get where I am coming from. The going to court drunk for a dui is aother one where I ask… where is the common sense.

I’m going to make a leap and say that people get this drunk because of peer pressure. Its not because they really want to deep down. They want to make people laugh. They want to do the stupid stuff and not remember it. These people are new to a society they are lost in and the only way to satisify the need to fit in is to follow the crowd. When everyone is following the leader is sitting back laughing at their stupidity. They just don’t know they are being used.