The Greek Community and Its Use of Alcohol

The Greek community and its use of alcohol

It is no mystery that college students drink alcohol. There is also no surprise that Greek sororities and fraternities partake in the drinking pass time. When there are stories of students on the news who have died of alcohol poising from binge drinking and hazing rituals, the question arises on how much alcohol use and abuse is related to Greek life. Bars in college towns advertise “Greek night’s” with discounted admission and/or drinks reflecting the generalization that Greeks drink more than their non-Greek peers. I have personally experienced a tendency partake in activities with my sorority sisters where there will be alcohol, but I don’t believe it is the Greek community that influences us. Going to parties and the bar is just something a few of us enjoy and have in common. In any group a few of its members will have other common interests regardless of any other influences. In the article “Examining the complex relationship between Greek life and alcohol: A literature review” from NASPA Journal, volume 38, no.4, summer 2001, the authors discuss whether Greeks drink more frequently, if the Greek system attracts heavy drinkers out of high school, or changes the drinking habits of its members.

Greeks do drink more frequently. The article states “Fraternity members drink more frequently and more heavily than their non-fraternity peers”(screen 3). This finding is based on multiple studies, but all these studies have shown the same trend. “Compared to nonmembers, fraternity members not only drink more alcohol per occasion but also are three times more likely to change from a low to a high frequency of drinking from high school to college. Sorority members are five times more likely than are non members to exhibit this change”(screen3). This is interesting to me because I did not go to college directly out of high school but I did myself start drinking more. I am not sure Greek life is that influential, other factors like being out on your own and starting a whole new life with new friend in a new place would seem to me to have a greater effect, as would just growing up.

There is more to just how much students drink in relation to the Greek community, including why students choose to drink. The article states “Male Greek members who are residents of fraternity houses cited the most reasons to drink and are the only group who cite negative or disintegrative reasons for drinking” (screen 5). The article also states “In the student population at large, common reasons cited to drink were peer pressure and what we derive to be a sort of “social courage”, whereby alcohol is used to ease dating tension and social shyness” (screen 5). To me peer pressure would be considered a negative reason