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.