Why do highschool and uni students drink excessively?

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I'm curious, why do people who are young drink so excessively. What is the lure of alcohol. Why drink alcohol rather than pop.

Peer pressure + getting drunk?

I dunno, I hate alcohol.

It depends on how the person reacts to alcohol and perhaps their life experiences prior to drinking. In Ireland (where I live) many people seem to treat getting drunk for the first time as a rite of passage, which would indicate a very strong degree of peer and perhaps even family pressure to drink from a young age. Alcohol is also a drug, and so accordingly people can develop an attachment to it.

Stupidity/peer pressure. Drinking yourself silly is bound to cause you mental problems.

Having recently turned 21 along with other ppl I've talked to one big reason they enjoyed drinking b4 they were older was b/c its against the rules same with pot,cigs, and all other illegal things.

You either get it or you don't. People start drinking in their teens ought of boredom. Getting drunk is entertaining. People whom you won't naturally like actually become likeable if not tolerable after a couple of drinks. It is a sense of connection.

I'm pro alcohol, which probably makes me different from most of the other WP members. It's something I can't explain to you if you haven't experienced it. But moderation is important to avoid getting sick. Getting sick is not a necessary part of the experience, contrary to some of the assumptions I know some of you are making. To those who have had trouble with alcohol, was the trouble caused by drinking too much? Why did your parents or other family members give you trouble about it, if they did, and if you are over 21 anyway? Is it any of their business? Was the alcohol itself a problem, or did they just make you feel guilty through their disapproval?

Drinking is something to do. Umm...wait, no...that makes me sound like an alcoholic. I like drinking, but I normally don't drink to get drunk because I'd rather just be tipsy all night. I see nothing wrong with it, and some people like to use it as an excuse to do something they normally woulodn't. Like someone at a party, and are completely clueless if that person likes you? Have a few drinks, and try something. If people say something, just say you were drunk. I myself don't do that, but it's socially acceptable.

Socially acceptable, makes you feel good, everyone does it so you should too, etc. In America it's a forbidden fruit that people get into the habit of drinking insane amounts in HS and continue to do so post. Know an 18 year old with a scarred liver and bad kidneys from drinking.

I myself didn't start drinking until I legally could do so, didn't have much interest and even now I only drink till buzzed or with meals to eliminate the buzz. Friends in HS didn't pressure me into drinking as they didn't do it and thus I have a healthy attitude towards it. Only got so drunk that the world spun once and that was just to see what the big deal was with binge drinking.

Honestly it sucked and was stupid.

To get f@kd up??

On another note some people wait until they're legal and end up getting into it and pulling stupid crap that they are more legally resposible for as adults.
From what I've seen people who have done it underaged both have more self control and less interest in getting drunk than a little buzzed once they hit legal age. But theres always the people who continue down that path into adulthood and become fullblown alcoholics...

Canadian, here. Drinking age is 19 without parents' consent (There's some rules in place about having wine at dinner, etc). A lot of people get drunk for the first time around 14 in my home community. They say there's nothing else to do in the community. I guess they didn't have computers and nintendos . . .


University/college, it's possibly the stress getting to people. One or two I find often relaxes it; though I really don't like it that much for various reasons. Fun drinks taste good, and it's easy to want more.

I'm extrapolating here, but I'm guessing if you go to excess, it would be even more of a stress release. That, and it's a social thing.

Why?

Short answer: Because they can.

Long answer: Because at college age, in most countries people are over or near legal drinking age, are more independent from their parents, so they *can* drink.

What happends after college life is serious adult life. Meaning having to be responsible *sigh*, holding a steady job *sigh* or starting a family *sigh* or other boring things where a lot of drinking isn't very compatible with.

When going to college or university, people have both a lot more freedom to party, and it's probably the only time period where they actualy can party that much.
Couple that with a forbidden fruit alchohol culture, all the "hip cats" doing it, and at college age still being sensitive to peer pressure, ét voila.

Have you noticed how college binge drinking is considered *normal* or even mandatory, while anyone over 30 getting drunk regularly is either called a loser or an alchoholic?

What? I'm in college and I can't drink at all. I carry 15 units and feel like its crushing me. Where do they find all this time to drink?

Because they think it makes them cool. Simple as that.

People drink because it lowers their inhibitions. They feel free to do and say things they can't do when they're sober. Sometimes it's a good thing and you can have a lot of fun doing things you wouldn't have the courage to do otherwise, i.e. flirting, dancing, socializing with strangers, etc (NT's are often phobic about those things, too).

Other times, it's an awful thing, and you end up doing stuff you regret the next day. I've done a lot of drinking in my life, the best advice I would give anyone about drinking is to only do it around people you trust, who can stop you from getting into trouble if you get out of control.