Adjusting perceptions of alcohol use - Brittany Gendron

As a junior at Middlebury College — as a sister, daughter, peer and friend — who has seen the negative consequences of alcohol abuse on families and friendships, I have many mixed feelings about drinking. Because this week has raised reaction of all colors to both the Campus’ coverage of the Alcohol Survey and the ‘invitation’ to the Alcohol Forum, I would like to give voice to a position not often voiced (and I unfortunately had class during the Forum).

I would like to address some of the problems I believe this notion of a “dry” campus (which clearly is not the solution) and ensuing reaction to alcohol policy brings up. First, let me be clear, while I rarely if ever drink on campus, it is not a choice that should define someone, on either side of the spectrum. In the same way someone chooses to not drink soda or eat grapefruits, I choose not to put a particular substance in my body. And just like non-grapefruit eaters, I have friends who frankly could care less about that choice because after all, if consumed safely or not at all (as with all substances) it really is not a big deal.

Most people I know do not and would never drink to the point suggested in the Forum ‘invitation’ email, of being disruptive and causing damage, which unfairly stigmatizes a large part of the student body that I feel generally does drink responsibly. However, alcoholic beverages can be dangerous when misused, which is where problems arise.  This potential risk is why I feel the polarizing nature of the advertisements for the alcohol forum is especially dangerous. Calling for a dry campus seems to have elicited student support for the exact opposite, a Middlebury that is entirely lax about the alcohol policy. First, this is not only inappropriate and dangerous, but illegal. The plain fact is that drinking under 21 is against the law (agree or disagree, a matter for another time).

Second, while some think the College just accepting and allowing drinking will improve the ‘dangerous drinking culture’ by bringing it into the open from behind closed doors, I fail to understand how this makes sense. A lax policy would perhaps bring more ‘social drinkers’ out to the open, but there is no evidence that this would stop the dangerous drinking that would still happen behind closed doors (by those who could just as easily choose to consume safely behind closed doors now). Allowing students to drink in the open, without consequence, could very well serve to make gatherings even more disruptive and dangerous because now students would not have to worry about consequences (or have someone there to look out for the health and safety of both themselves and others).

Frankly, the need for change that I see is the need to change the culture that many Middlebury students and the tag-line of this forum invitation continue to propagate: that drinking and extreme drinking are the norm. It is clear from the statistics the Campus published that disruptive drinking is visible and prevalent on campus. But it is also clear that non-drinkers and responsible, safe drinkers are absolutely the majority. Let’s stop acting like drinking to extremes is ‘normal,’ and let’s change the dialogue about alcohol from swinging to these impossible extremes of “dry” versus “Rule-less.”

To those who want more or less regulation: I say let’s start acting like adults who are not in need of regulation. Let’s stop acting like its normal to live every weekend like the MiddKid Rap; like it’s normal to drink to the point of puking and normal to find urine in the elevator. It is unsustainable and unrealistic. Let’s have the courage to give support by just our mere presence (a concept Brad Corrigan ’96 spoke of) for those who feel like they ‘have to drink to excess to have fun’ to not. For those like they feel like they ‘have to binge to be normal’ to stop. Let’s have the courage to treat each other like adults, and stand up with support, compassion, and caring in whatever conviction you may have, which for the most part (even if not the most visible) is drinking safely or not at all.

College is a place to learn, flourish, explore, and go out into the adult world armed and ready to do whatever it is we can dream of. In the adult world, we need to make adult decisions, which include being held responsible and ready for consequences, good or bad of our actions. Public Safety cannot just stand idly by, and neither can the administration.

So as a community, let us have the courage bring our adult voices to the conversation, and try not to go to either extreme, and let’s stop ‘norming’ disruptive drinking. A discussion on alcohol and its impact on college life, both good and bad, is worth having, and I hope you will join me in adding your voice.