Tag Archives: drinking

How to Make Sure Your Last Few Months of College are Successful

Posted in college, college students, education, getting better grades, health, school, self-help, study skills by

By Anne Davies

You’re close to graduating college – well done! At this stage, you’ve probably got one eye on the next phase of your life, whatever that may be. However, this is the time when the pressure is really cranked up, when subtle yet insidious dangers can creep their way into your rhythms.

To help you on your way, we’ve put together some of the things you should keep your eye out for – and the things you should ignore – as you near your post-graduation life.

Graduating soon? Don't lose sight of your goal.

Graduating soon? Don’t lose sight of your goal.

1. Get Serious

Chances are, you’ve already put your wild college days to bed by the time you reach your senior year. However, even if that is the case you’re probably used to late nights, casual drinking, limited sense of routine, and so forth. While we’re not saying you’re going to have to live a button-down life once you enter the real world, there are some practical considerations you need to bear in mind if you’re going to be a success, and these will be best achieved if you make them part of your life while you’re still in university.

Limit Your Drinking

Everyone knows that college students drink a lot, but sometimes it’s more than just a bit of fun. The stress of exams, worrying about the future, and just plain old bad habits can cause a student to drink more than they should. If you think your drinking is becoming a problem, take a step back and seek help from your friends or support network at college. Exams are to be taken seriously, but they shouldn’t have a disproportionate effect on your well being. Equally, now is the time to put down the beer bong! You can celebrate when the final exam is handed in; it’s not worth ruining your final degree just for a few more nights of partying.

Keep a Routine

Many students have a laissez-faire attitude to their daily routine, opting to keep irregular work days and inconsistent sleeping hours. However, having a routine might just put you on a path towards greatness, with many great thinkers and businessman choosing to have a solid daily routine. As you enter your final months, try to develop a routine that you’ll be able to stick to once you leave your college – it might just be  a game-changer.

2. Don’t Stress Out About Searching for a Job

Only around 15% of students have a job lined up when they graduate, so don’t despair if you’re in the majority who don’t. While job prospects have been tough over the past few years, that’s beginning to change and there are more and more opportunities each year.

Be Patient

You’ve got many decades of work ahead of you, so don’t stress if you don’t find the perfect job within the first few months of graduation. Pick up casual work to cover your expenses in the meantime and wait for the job to come along – it might take a while, but it’ll come in the end. If you think job searching is interfering with your studies, then put if off until finals are over – you might think you’re losing an edge, but you’ll actually be doing the right thing. If you must do something, consider interning or volunteering; this way you can decide how much of your time you dedicate to work.

3. Maintain Perspective

College is important, but it’s not everything. There’s no reason to worry or stress, especially over things you cannot control. If you work hard and put the hours in, you’ll do just fine. In fact, worrying might even cause you to do worse on your exam! So try to relax, and don’t forget to have some fun along the way. It’s tempting to think your entire universe revolves around your academic performance, but it’s important to spend some time in the gym or hang with friends to remind yourself that there are other parts to your life, too. After a break from studying, you’ll go back to it with a renewed energy that will make the information more likely to stick.

College is scary, fun, and nerve-inducing – often all at the same time. While you know this as well as anyone by now, you’re entering uncharted territory when you discover that it’s soon to be over. Take your time, try to enjoy it, and don’t let niggling problems spoil what could be the adventure of a lifetime.

Looking for more tips on college success?  Check out The Secrets of Top Students.

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Is There a Right Way to Drink? A Healthy Perspective on College Drinking

Posted in college, college students, dorms, education, health, high school, parents, school, self-help, universities by

By Adrienne Erin

Congratulations! You’ve finished high school. Now it’s time to head off to college. Isn’t it great to feel free? No parents and no boring home life. You’ll get to make new friends and have new experiences. And best of all, you’ll get to go to parties. What’s not to love?

It’s a given that you’re probably going to drink at least once in college. Chances are you’ve heard the pep talk about alcohol multiple times already, so you know what’s coming. But the point is: Sure, you can have fun, but it’s important to remember you’re in college to learn. Part of that learning is to gain a healthy perspective on drinking.

There’s a wrong and right way to drink. Which one will you choose?

The Wrong Way to Drink

This shouldn’t really need explanation, but people still abuse alcohol every day. Those who don’t drink responsibly can exhibit reckless behavior such as:

  • pressuring others to drink
  • binge drinking
  • drinking at a very fast pace
  • messing with other people’s drinks
  • driving drunk

If you think you see someone drinking irresponsibly, do your best to stay away from them. Find some new people to hang out with, or leave the party.

The Right Way to Drink

If you’re underage, it’s obviously wrong to drink in the first place. But if you do choose to drink at a party, keep these tips in mind:

Make a plan for how you will get home.

This should be the first thing you think about when preparing for a night out. Know how you’re getting home well before the party.

There are a few ways to go about this. You can have a designated driver within your friend group. If there’s public transportation in your area, like buses or trains, use them. NEVER get into a car with anyone who has had too much to drink, and NEVER drive drunk – even if you’re just tipsy. You’ll pay for the consequences of those poor decisions for the rest of your life.

Pace yourself.

It takes a little while for the effect of alcohol to kick in. You might feel completely fine right after taking a shot, but remember that you’ll start to feel the effect a few minutes after.

Make sure to space out your drinking. Having a non-alcoholic drink in between, such as soda or water, helps keep you from going too fast. Aim to keep a one-to-one ratio with one glass of water for each glass of alcohol. For each alcohol beverage you have, drink a non-alcoholic beverage.

Keep in mind that safe, responsible drinking means no more than one drink in an hour.

For reference, one drink equals one 1.5 oz. shot of 40% alcohol, one 5 oz. glass of wine or one 12 oz. beer per hour.

Drink with people you know.

It’s a wise choice to stick with your friends while drinking. If you go alone, you could get into trouble and have no one to look out for you. Avoid drinking with people you don’t know that well or don’t trust. These people could potentially be dangerous, or they might run off somewhere else without telling you.

It’s also important to stay with friends who drink in moderation. Stay away from people who oppose not drinking as much, or encourage binge drinking.

Keep an eye on your drink too, especially if you’re with people you don’t know well. They might seem friendly, but they could sneak date rape drugs or something else dangerous into your drink.

Eat something before or during drinking.

If you drink on an empty stomach, you’ll feel the effects of alcohol quicker. You might also feel sicker. Eating before you go out will help you stay under your drinking limit.

Be sure to eat a meal rich in proteins and carbs. These help to absorb the alcohol.

Know your limits, and measures.

You are the most important person at the party! Your friends may keep a close watch over you, but you also have to take care of yourself. Part of this is knowing your limits. Listen to your body – it won’t take much to figure out how much is enough.

If it’s your first time out, drink at a steady pace to determine your alcohol tolerance. It also helps to drink with friends or people you know well so that you won’t get socially anxious and drink more than you can handle.

You can quantify your tolerance, as well. For example, it could be “three beers per night,” or “two glasses of wine in four hours.”

If you want a fun, harmless way to help you determine what an effect certain amounts of drinking could have on your body type, try this choose your own adventure game.

Know how to turn down a drink.

Drinking is supposed to be a social activity, not a place to show off how much you can stomach. There’s no need to keep up or even accept a drink in the first place.

When you don’t want to drink, decline with a polite excuse. A simple “No, thank you,” should do the trick, but if needed, you can add more. Try things like “I don’t drink,” “I have to drive home,” “I’m the designated driver,” or “I’m pacing myself.”

Choosing Not to Drink is Totally Okay

If you don’t like drinking to begin with, it doesn’t make you uncool in the slightest. You should applaud yourself for steering clear of a night that could negatively impact your health or your life. In fact, there are tons of other alternatives to a night of partying.

You can always stay in and have a fun-filled night with your friends. Watch movies, play video or board games or see what’s going on around campus. Or, check out this list.

College campuses usually have great alternatives to parties on weekends. These can include things like dances, paint parties, movies, social gatherings, speed dating or athletic intramural events.

Whichever you choose, know that there’s a right and wrong way to drink. When you go out, plan ahead of time and be alert. You’ll thank yourself after a long night of partying – and if you do things right, maybe you won’t feel so groggy the morning after, either.