Drinking Games: Attractions or Distractions?

Feb 152013

By Quinn Scahill
February 15, 2013 | Updated on: February 14, 2013

Whether it’s the butt-chugging frat boys of Pi Kappa Alpha at the University of Tennessee, or random women who resort to vodka-soaked tampons, college students are continuously developing better and faster techniques in order to reach the ultimate goal of every weekend: inebriation.

While there are a variety of substances that one can choose from to reach this goal, it seems that alcohol is the most appropriate.

That being said, no college party is truly complete without some sort of competitive game centered on the consumption of alcohol. These intoxicating sporting events are more commonly referred to as drinking games, and their number hovers right around infinity. Pretty much any activity that we perform can be rigged into a drinking game of sorts.

While I enjoy drinking and going to parties, I’m not particularly fond of playing drinking games. This isn’t to say I dislike them entirely. I simply think that moderation is best, as it is in most aspects of life.

The biggest beef I have with any drinking game is that of Beer Pong. It’s a staple at any mediocre party, but I have learned to dislike it throughout my numerous encounters.

First off, only two to four people can play at once, and the average time per game can vary wildly depending on skill level and alcohol tolerance. Besides, having random people all drinking out of the same set of cups is just about the best way I’ve ever seen to spread nasty germs and bodily fluids.

However, my biggest qualm with pong (and most drinking games for that matter) is that it totally isolates you from the party. Rather than mingling with people, it forces you to a table that is probably filled with the most over-competitive dudes at the party. It might just be me, but I don’t go to a party for the sole purpose of dominating the beer pong table.

Rather, I set out to reminisce with old friends and to attempt to acquaint myself with new ones. Getting boozed up and enjoying yourself is important, but meaningful interaction with other human beings is the most significant thing that happens at parties.

This is not to say that all drinking games are bad. There are far more democratic games than pong that can involve much more people, like flip cup, for example. This game is quick and doesn’t take much commitment; if you want to quit you can just walk away from the table.

I do believe drinking games come with good intentions –– they energize a party and help to get us juiced up –– but they also run the risk of being extremely isolating and distracting.

If somebody asks you about a party and your response is, “Dude, I dominated the beer pong table,” then you definitely missed out on the party.

You can play drinking games whenever, but you don’t always get to partake in a champagne-soaked dance party. Step away from the pong table and do something memorable, like setting off a fire extinguisher in the middle of a wall-to-wall shindig.

Drinking Games: Attractions or Distractions?

About Quinn Scahill

Quinn Scahill is a senior Creative writing major at Colorado State University. His columns appear on Fridays.

Chance Johnson

As cliche as it is that a college paper publishes a column about drinking, I prefer this to the usual smug Collegian columnist. Entitled college kids with zero life experience have no business having a soapbox concerning social issues/current events.
- http://twitter.com/RichardorRes Res Stecker
  
  Someone is stereotyping a little bit.
  - Chance Johnson
    
    Stereotypes do not come without reason. Is it not sterotypical that a student columnist would right an article like this thinking he was being witty and original? Is it also not stereotypical that a student columnist would write about serious social issues as if he/she is some sort of authority, likely only being out of mom and dad’s house for two years at the most? And living in the dorms doesn’t count.
    - Alan Leger
      
      Not to sound like a *stereotypical* grammar/spelling Nazi, but you need to *write* better… Anyhow, who are you to judge who’s authority is in the *right*? Do you have any accreditation that qualifies you to make such outlandish comments concerning a student operated paper? This may not be the New York Times, but this is the news by students, for students. If you want to be thoroughly entertained and informed by the news professionals, then pay your $1.50 every week just like everyone else, you pretentious prick!
      - Chance Johnson
        
        Do I have accreditation? Yes, I have actual life experience. The standard for this “news” paper needs to be raised slightly higher than talking about vodka-soaked tampons.
      - Alan Leger
        
        Please, go on. Tell us all about this “life experience” that apparently you have more than I. I am currently almost 2 years out of college, am working in a full-time career related to my major, currently have a committed relationship, and live entirely independent from my parents. However, I have several friends who are still in college and trying to scrape by with a 4-year degree. I do not fault them for not yet attaining all of the things that I currently have, because I realize that they are younger and have had less time to achieve similar goals.
        
        Because frankly and honestly, life experience is gained by living. Time passes by for everyone at the same rate. Do I fault a 5 year old for not having gone on a date yet? Do I point my finger and laugh when an infant can’t solve a calculus problem? On the other hand, does the 15 year old scientist who discovers a newer and easier way to detect pancreatic cancer any less qualified for his position due to his age? You argument is extremely off base and I pity anyone who calls you an acquaintance.
      - The Doctor
        
        Apply cold water to burned area.
      - Chance Johnson
        
        Don’t remember claiming to have more life experience than you, I was referring to the editorial staff of the Collegian. I think you are misunderstanding, I will answer your argument this way: I would not laugh at an infant for not being able to solve a calculus problem. I would laugh at an infant for trying to tell me how to solve a calculus problem. Especially if they did it in the pompous way that these kids do.
        
        Life experience is gained by living, you’re right, but not by sitting in a classroom absorbing what some blowhard sociology 101 prof. is feeding you. I’ve gained knowledge from school, don’t get me wrong, but there is a huge difference between knowledge and wisdom. I’ve gained more wisdom from seven weeks of boot camp than I have from four years of college. I gained more wisdom from three years of working as a laborer, outside in harsh temps, shoulder-to-should with ex-cons and illegal immigrants, than I have from four years of college. I did that to pay the bills while getting through college. I’ve gained more wisdom from meeting and marrying the love of my life than I have from four years of college. Hopefully you can comprehend now.
      - The Doctor
        
        I would like to point out that you specifically stated earlier that you approved this article over other articles previously posted that were about slightly more important topics and then reversed and said in another comment that you thought the standard of the paper needs to be above the topic above. I think you are being a bit flip-floppity. So which do you want. A paper that talks about college life or a paper that talks about big issues and ideas? Or perhaps you just want them to write what you want them to write.
      - Chance Johnson
        
        No, I think its all crap, but I can tolerate this more than the rest of the stuff the Collegian prints. As annoying as it is, college kids are qualified to write about drinking games, not so much about important social issues.
      - Anna Mitchell
        
        I must ask, Mr. Johnson, why it is that you feel so strongly that college kids are not qualified to discuss important social issues? I feel college students are just as much members of society as anyone else – we have jobs, we pay bills, we vote, we pay taxes, many of us enlist in ROTC programs and serve our country or have finished serving and on GI programs, many of us have fiances, spouses, and children (I know of at least one parent on the opinion staff at the Collegian), many of us have chronic and even life threatening health issues. We are affected by what politicians are doing. We are affected by bills like HB 13-1226, or immigration policies, or laws dictating who can and can’t marry who. We are affected by the choices politicians make regarding foreign policy and the economy. We are affected now, and we will be affected for the rest of our lives, so we should be encouraging students to start caring ASAP about what happens in the world around them.
        I’m also curious as to what point do we suddenly become qualified to go from “no-you-aren’t-allowed-to-have-any-opinions-on-this-you-insolent-children” to “you-are-now-totally-qualified-to-care-about-what-happens-in-the-world-around-you-and-express-it”? I don’t mean to put words in your mouth, of course, but that’s how I feel you are treating us. Some college-aged students ARE insolent, as are some “real” adults. But these guidelines are so arbitrary… you yourself were a non-traditional student, surely you understand the difficulty of setting such sweeping standards when describing the profile of college students as 100% being foolish children who know nothing?
      - http://twitter.com/APieceofRes Res Stecker
        
        Absolutely brilliant.
broccoli bandit

Hey Chance, you mad bro?