Drink UM Smart
College life is often portrayed as raucous, alcohol-drenched behavior. As it turns out, that's not quite true.
It won't surprise you to know that University of Michigan students are quite brainy. Virtually all students know that it's illegal to drink alcohol under the age of 21 (for more on Michigan laws, see Choose to be Safe and Legal).
Twenty-five percent don't drink alcohol. Plenty of others use their brains to choose to be safe. In fact, 71% of UM students have 0, 1, 2, 3 or at the most 4 drinks when they party.
Aside from drinking moderately, here are some other things that UM students do:
- Keep blood alcohol concentration at .06% or below (52%) - see Stay in the Blue
- Avoid drinking games (79%)
- Determine, in advance, not to exceed a set number of drinks (79%)
- Alternate non-alcoholic with alcoholic beverages (84%)
- Keep track of how many drinks they have (93%)
- Eat before/during drinking (99%)
Sources:
Want more tips for getting what you want out of alcohol (and avoiding what you don't want)? Read further:
- Measure your drinks. One drink = 12 oz beer = 1 shot of liquor = 4 oz wine
- Accept only individual drinks. Avoid pitchers and punch that make it hard to know how much you've had or what's in them.
- Sip instead of pound.
- Avoid taking shots and reduce the amount of liquor in a mixed drink.
- Take less cash to the bar (and leave the credit card at home).
- Avoid the pre-party.
- Go out later or leave earlier.
Have other ways to stay safe while drinking? We want to hear from you! Send your suggestions to contactUHS@umich.edu and we'll share them with other UM students.
For more information, contact Marsha Benz, UHS Health Educator at 734-647-4656.
