Many Colorado college students have begun their second semesters and are continuing to work toward their ultimate goals for earning degrees in their chosen fields of study. If you’re one of them, you may already be longing for spring break, which isn’t too far off. Perhaps you have plans to hit the beach or to go home and enjoy some recreation time with family and friends. On or off-campus, as a college student, you’re always at risk for health or legal problems associated with alcohol consumption.
It’s no secret that spring break is a party season. Even when classes are in session, your friends might invite you out for some drinks or you might frequent local nightclubs or pubs in your free time. There are many reasons people your age cite for why they drink; perhaps you relate to one or more mentioned in this post. No matter what your personal reasons are, if college drinking lands you in a heap of legal trouble, you’ll want to know where to seek support.
College kids often say this is why they drink
Being away from home, balancing rigorous curriculum with rest and relaxation, and trying to navigate a highly diverse community makes college life stressful. The following list includes some of the most common issues involved when college kids engage in activities that include alcohol:
- If you tend to suffer anxiety in social situations, you might be one of many college students who say a few drinks help them feel more relaxed in social settings.
- Peer pressure doesn’t end with high school graduation. College students often say they drink because they feel their friends expect it of them.
- Some students don’t feel comfortable joining sports teams or other groups on campus, so they drink just to have something to do in their free time.
- Do you feel less stressed when you drink? Many people say that drinking alcohol is a form of stress relief.
- If you make responsible choices and you are age 21 or beyond, there’s not necessarily anything inherently or legally wrong with drinking; in fact, many college students say it adds an element of fun to social festivities and celebrations.
A key factor is your age. If you get caught drinking underage, it is likely to have a serious, negative impact on your entire college career. Even if you are legally old enough to drink, you’re at risk for certain problems when you consume alcohol, such as DUI charges if a Colorado patrol officer pulls you over in traffic. You may also be at increased risk for assault, as studies how your personal defense instincts diminish when you are acting under the influence of alcohol.
If legal problems arise
If your school’s administrators cite you for breaking campus rules regarding alcohol or local police arrest you on an alcohol-related charge like DUI, which is a criminal charge, not a traffic violation, you’ll want to make sure you know what your defense options are to try to mitigate your circumstances and to keep your college career on track.