In recent weeks, the news has been full of tragic stories involving alcohol-related illnesses and fatalities. The list of tragedies began about a month ago with the death of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon brother from LSU. The list continued when the Phi Gamma Delta freshman from MIT spent three days in a coma prior to his death. The University of Georgia added its name to the list just three weeks ago when a brother of Theta Chi fell victim to alcohol poisoning, although the incident did not result in a fatality.
Unfortunately, Tech followed the trend of tragedy last weekend when a freshman brother of Zeta Beta Tau was taken to the hospital with a blood alcohol content of .301 during a night of off-campus drinking with his brothers. Luckily, the brother survived the incident. Considering the fact that death is likely to occur when a BAC of .4 is reached, I would say that it is a matter of luck that journalists all over the country are not mentioning Tech in the same breath as LSU and MIT at this moment.
Hopefully, this incident will serve as a wake-up call to a large number of students at Tech. Most students identify very little with the things that they see in the news. They are barely phased by stories such as those of LSU and MIT because those stories obey the ultimate theory of college students: bad things only happen to "them." I am not one of "them," so I am, therefore, not subject to all of the bad things that could happen. Last weekend, Tech became one of "them." Even though the case was not as severe as the cases at LSU and MIT, it slaughtered the illusion of immunity that Tech once had.
It is pretty much indisputable that a vast amount of drinking goes on at Tech. The fact that Tech students engage in drinking is not a bad thing; there is a time and a place for everything, and the careful and mature consumption of alcohol can enhance a good time. However, the recent alcohol-poisoning incident should raise some questions about the ways in which the people at Tech perceive and handle alcohol.
First of all, alcohol should be viewed as a privilege. Many college students engage in heavy drinking simply because they are away from their parents for the first time. Most of these students are under the legal drinking age. Therefore, it is logical to assume that, to them, alcohol, rather than a privilege, is a way to defy authority. Perhaps this incident will awaken these people to the fact that alcohol is not just a pack of fun and games; a lot of responsibility goes along with it.
The recent news events should indicate to people that, when dealing with alcohol, they should realize the importance of maintaining high levels of self-respect and respect for others. If self-respect is maintained, people are less likely to give in to pressure from other people to drink. If people maintain respect toward others, it is unlikely that they will apply pressure to other people to drink.
Furthermore, it is of utmost importance that people take care of their friends when drinking is involved. Never leave a drunk friend alone in a situation that is likely to turn sour.
The incident of last weekend should also raise questions about the enforcement of Tech's Alcohol Policy, which states that students of legal drinking age can drink only in their private apartments or dorm rooms. It is pretty evident that most of the rules regarding alcohol on campus are not enforced during the majority of the time. Perhaps the ZBT incident will motivate the Administration to come up with better means of enforcement.
The incident of last weekend was unfortunate, but it should have a positive effect on the student body by increasing awareness about the dangers of alcohol. Following this incident, people should realize that they are not indestructable. Alcohol carries the potential for many dangerous situations, and it is up to students to be responsible individuals when dealing with such issues.
Tech students will continue to "drink their whisky clear," but, hopefully, they have learned to do it in a more responsible manner.
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