College students weigh in on why they drink
If you are winding down another year at a South Carolina college, you may be looking forward to some free time, away from the books and rigors of academic life. However, if your social activity at college has landed you in trouble with the law, your summer vacation may not go exactly as you had planned. When police make arrest incidents on or off campus, circumstances are often alcohol-related. If you’re age 21 or over, you are not necessarily breaking the law if you drink.
You’re not necessarily breaking the law by having a drink before driving. You might be, but it depends on the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream at the time, which is why most people wishing to avoid DUI abstain from alcohol altogether if they plan to drive. If you’re facing DUI or other alcohol-related charges, your summer vacation may include having to take time off work for court hearings and other inconveniences. It’s good to know there’s support available to help you try to avoid conviction.
Why college students drink
Alcohol can affect your mood, cognitive ability and other bodily functions, which may be why problems often flare up at college parties or in conjunction with alcohol consumption. Maybe another person flirting with your date wouldn’t have bothered you so much if you hadn’t had two or three drinks beforehand. It’s no secret that many fights, motor vehicle collisions and other problems often arise when college parties include alcohol. The following list shows reasons many college students give when asked why they drink:
- Some say they tend to be shy or introverted and drinking at a party helps them loosen up and mingle more easily.
- There’s no shortage of college students who say they drink to de-stress. Having a few drinks with friends apparently helps them unwind after extended periods of study and schoolwork.
- If you’re facing some serious personal problems while you’re away from home, you might be using alcohol as a distraction or to try to escape your problems. This is another common reason many college students drink.
Regardless of why you drink, if an alcohol-related situation leads to your arrest, you’ll likely have your work cut out for you to try to mitigate your circumstances. A drunk driving conviction or a similar judgment related to assault or some other criminal offense can cause serious obstacles in your road to success at college.
Not every arrest leads to conviction. No matter what events led to your arrest, the court presumes your innocence unless prosecutors prove otherwise and you are guarantee the right to present as strong a defense as possible to protect your rights and freedom.