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Vander Ven getting wasted- Chapter 2

Introduction to Getting Wasted

  • Title: Getting Wasted: Why College Students Drink Too Much and Party So Hard

  • Author: Thomas Vander Ven

  • Publisher: NYU Press, 2011

  • Access: Project MUSE

The Intoxication Process

  • Personal Experience: First-hand accounts illustrate a variety of drinking experiences among college students.

  • Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC): BAC is a scientific measure but does not encompass the entire intoxication experience.

  • Dynamic Nature of Drunkenness: Intoxication is described as a process, beginning from the contemplation to the effects after drinking, showing the evolution of drinking episodes.

Example of Tara's Night Out

  • Initial Intentions: Tara plans for a light evening with friends before an early morning class.

    • They intended to drink lightly but were soon influenced by the environment.

    • Experience escalated with free shots from friendly bartenders leading to uncontrolled drinking.

  • Consequences: Resulted in vomiting, amnesia of walking home, and feelings of regret the following morning.

Theoretical Framework

Symbolic Interactionism

  • Definition: Society is created through interactions and symbols, shaping behaviors in various contexts.

  • **Core Ideas of Interactionism:

    1. Humans are social beings, engaging in interactive behavior.

    2. Individuals think and interpret experiences.

    3. Situations are defined collaboratively by individuals.

    4. Human behavior is context-driven, not pre-scripted.

    5. People are active agents in shaping their realities.

Decision-Making to Drink

  • Social Context: Decisions to drink are collaboratively made within peer groups or reference groups.

  • Examples of Decisions:

    • Tara and her roommates collectively decide to go out for a 'few' drinks.

    • External social factors influence their initial intentions.

Drinking Norms in College

Cultural Associations with Drinking

  • Focus on Drinking: Many students equate college life with regular drinking which creates expectations.

  • Common Statements:

    • "I drink every weekend; it’s part of being a college student."

    • Events such as holidays and weekends naturally become occasions to drink.

Calendar-Driven Drinking

  • Students establish drinking nights based on their class schedules, notably Thursdays to Saturdays.

  • Occasions for Drinking: Students relate drinking to academic cycles, from celebrating the end of exams to social events.

Key Occasions for Drinking

Sporting Events

  • Role of Sports in Drinking Culture: College athletics have become essential to social life and often coincide with heavy drinking patterns.

  • Tailgating Tradition: Parties before games emphasize drinking prior to sporting events.

Drinking Methods

Consumption Strategies

  • Pregaming: A common pre-drinking ritual to help prepare for a night out and manage expectations of consumption.

  • Drinking Games: Serve as both a social activity and method for inducing intoxication rapidly.

Intoxication Management

Self-Monitoring Techniques

  • Buzz Checks: Regular self-assessments to gauge levels of intoxication and make decisions to continue or stop drinking.

  • Influence of Food: Consuming food while drinking is seen as a strategy to mitigate excessive intoxication.

  • Group Dynamic: Codrinkers support each other through collective monitoring and reminders to avoid extreme drunkenness.

Conclusion

  • Complexity of the Drinking Process: The dynamics of college drinking are multi-layered, describing not only casual patterns but also profound social rituals that influence behavior.

  • Struggle for Control: Experiences like Tara's illustrate both the enjoyment of drinking and the challenges of maintaining self-control in social drinking scenarios.