No Alcohol for lent?
 

Hey everybody, I have come to the realization that you guys give great advice. Even if its not what I want to hear, you really help so here is my latest problem and this is more of a post your own experience if you have one type thing. I have given up any alcohol for lent, yes 40 days & nights, I have come to the realization that I don't need it and it just wastes my money. In the greek system drinking goes on and is somewhat an entrenched practice, when Lent is over I feel very strongly that I will continue to not drink....Has anybody had any problems in their GLO with not drinking? One last part this week is Paddy Murphy for SAE, a 5 day party where everyone gets pretty messed up, and I just wonder how the guys will take my lack of participation?

Honestly, the guys in your chapter should be cool with it. We have a few brothers in my chapter who don't drink at all, be it for health reasons or for personal/familly reasons. They still come to all social events, and go out with us when we go out on the weekends. It really shouldn't be a problem for you or for your brothers. Good luck.

Collin

We had quite a few sisters who didn't drink for a variety of reasons. Just make sure that at any social events that your fraternities provide ample non-alcoholic beverages. I always thought that one of the reasons so many college students drank was due to a lack of alternatives. Good luck! :)

Sure, we have lots of guys that don't drink (well I've had one beer in the last 2 months after our FINAL colony meeting so I think I count). We still get plenty crazy at parties -- bonging Dr Pepper is a favorite practice :D

Re: No Alcohol for lent?
 

They will probably kiss the ground you walk on because ...
A. You will be a terrific designated driver
B. Around 2 a.m.- you can help the brothers who have a bad
case of beer goggles
C. If someone of high authority comes around- you can be the smart dependable spokesperson for SAE!

Trust me- you'll get "active of the week" award!

Sue

I think thats pretty cool and they will respect you if they know you are serious. However, there will be some who will take it as a challenge to tempt and taunt you into breaking. If you prevail I believe you will feel better about yourself, which is really what's important. Good luck. In any case, I support you. :)

Yeah, I actually don't drink either and have never had any sorts of problems. As xo_sue said, there are definitely some benefits for you to be sober! I was studying for Sociology, and my book said that 4 out of 5 (80%) of people in fraternities and sororities are binge drinkers. What a number!! I was rather shocked. The number for college students as a whole, according to my Intro Soc book, is 2 out of 5. Eek.

Can you let us know where they got those stats? I don't know what campus they studied by it seems the data might be somewhat off. Maybe not, but it seems anyway, because many of my brothers including myself still drink, but not hardly as much as we did before we were greek. It's usually maybe one or two nights a week, not everynight when we were first semester freshman...

SAEguy,

First of all, giving up alcohol for Lent is pretty impressive and I would think that all of your brothers would be very supportive. One of the Irish guys on my boyfriend's soccer team did the same thing this year. I just gave up Coca-Cola! :)

At any rate, I wouldn't worry about your brothers' reactions. There are plenty of Greeks who don't drink, who are very active in their organizations, are well-respected by their brothers and sisters, and have a good time at events where alcohol is served. I seriously doubt that your brothers will give you a hard time. :D

My guess is that the stats read "80% of fraternity and sorority members living in their chaper house binge-drink." That's the stat that I've seen over and over in countless news articles. :rolleyes:

Sure, Damasa...let's see, it's in my Sociology: Seventh Edition by Richard T. Schafer. The study on college binge drinking is in chapter 7: Deviance and Social Control. There's an entire page devoted to this, and it has big quotes like "most fraternity and sorority members are binge drinkers" (ugh) along with a chart of who among college students are binge drinkers. The chart shows that 51% of men are, 40% of women, 45% of people living in residency halls, 79% of people living in fraternities and sororities, 47% under age 24, and 28% over age 24. There is a small note that this was based on a national survey of more than 14,000 college students in 1999. "Binge drinking is defined as one drinking session of at least five drinks for men or four drinks for women during the two weeks prior to the self-administered questionnaire." The source: Wechsler et. al. 2000:23.

Oh yeah, it also goes on to say that "some colleges and universities are taking steps to make binge drinking a bit less 'normal' by means of social control-closing fraternities and sororities" :o

What irritates me is that there are so many more people living in residence halls than there are people living in Greek houses (on many campuses, anyway) -- so the numbers are skewed. However, not one of those books or articles ever brings that little point up. :rolleyes:

Also, 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men is the basis for binge drinking??? Please. So I guess the four glasses of wine I had on Valentine's Day was a sign that I need to get myself to AA??? Even though I drank the wine over the course of a 4 hour period?

I don't think binge drinking should be based on the number of drinks in one "drinking session" -- it should depend on the number of drinks and the LENGTH of the drinking session. It's not like I sit down at the neighborhood bar every night and slam four shots in 10 minutes. :p

Whoa!!! Someone at KU is giving up alcohol :eek:? Does this mean that Jayhawk Blvd will crumble or something??? I'm just kidding 'bout that.

I definetly think it's impressive that youre giving it up particularly at a school that so often prides itself on partying (that's all I hear from my friends down there). I wish you the best of luck, I don't think it shoudl be any big deal.

good for you and good luck... it will take will power but you have all of us rooting you on.... :)

SAEGuy-good luck! I gave up cigarettes for Lent, and it has been so hard! Especially when I go out and alot of my friends smoke. I thought I'd be all healthy and stuff by not smoking, but I think with all the second hand smoke I'm inhaling it's not making any difference :rolleyes:

Anyhoo-most of your brothers should be supportive. my friends tease me about it, but they also refuse to give me cigarettes, no matter how hard I beg. And being sober at a big party isn't so bad-you'll be able to prevent disasters before they happen.

Thanx for all the support, yes a KU partyboy is giving up alcohol lol, well I ca ntell this is going to be hard Paddy Murphy has now started our week long drinking party. I got home from class and the Jolly Roger and SAE flags were alread flying, the couch was on our front steps and all the actives were throwing the baseball around and drinking....oh well I will get through it!

SAEGuy,

As long as you don't lecture about the virtues of temperance and stay festive as festive can be, your bros will probably be totally supportive!! They will most likely be of the "whatever dude, more for me" mindset. ;)

SAEGuy--

I think it's great--actually, it's what I gave up too. My sisters have all been supportive--from Mardi Gras on :)---but one point one of my sister's boyfriends poured me a glass of sangria at a birthday celebration--and just as the words "I could really use this" rolled off my tongue(not an alcoholic, just an unbelievably long day), I remembered it was lent. My sisters tried to cheer me up by telling me how bad it was. Really, the only teasing I've gotten was from outside the sorority. Who better to encourage you along your lenten promises than your brothers or sisters, which ever it may be.