Social Norms Around Alcohol

Generally alcohol is used at parties and social gatherings. As I've gotten older it has drawn away from parties to quiet social gatherings with friends. When talked about it is usually brought up as a celebration to the end of the week, celebrate and get drunk after a challenging week, being able to let loose."

I see alcohol use online and at social gatherings. Alcohol use is very normalized and I often hear women joke about how "it's wine o'clock." They imply that alcohol use is a good way to cope but then pass judgements on others who suffer with addiction. It's an uncomfortable dichotomy that creates narratives of us vs them. Everywhere you look alcohol is present. On campus, there's advertisements for various alcoholic beverages. Week of Welcome is characterized by a beer garden. Drinking games are played to the point of black out.

In my environments, alcohol is seen with widely different lenses.

Within my highly religious circle, it's seen as extremely taboo, like it's practically heroine. If someone drinks it's the most horrible thing in the world; they're probably a very problematic person, and probably a drunken, violent, addicted mess. Within this circle, there is no alcohol anywhere. We don't go to restaurants with bars and every social gathering only serves pop. Having it in your house would be akin to having a cocaine stash.

Of course, amongst friends it is totally different, as it is seen as something nice and harmless to have once in a while. One of my friends drinks so much that his pancreas is failing out on him. They're all very sweet and harmless people though, and nothing like how my religious community views people who drink. They have alcohol in their homes and have no problem ordering alcohol at restaurants or going to the bar once in a while.

I see it at dinners and at social events, as a mature student there is generally alcohol involved in most of the interactions I have after school with my friends and family. I find it is generally talked about in a "oh you shouldnt be doing it" but low key everyone is ok with it.

It's in my daily life, as I have much at home. I go out to drink during a school day as well, sometimes. We even have some at my workplace. It's talked about through every lens when it is needed.

I see alcohol being used by family members and clients to cope with stressors. I do not personally know anyone who only drinks socially/for fun. Most people I know drink because they have experienced trauma and they are dealing with addiction. Most of my family members have a very negative view of alcohol and talk negatively about our other family members dealing with alcohol addictions. On the other hand, most of my clients understand the roots of alcohol use in coping with the harsh realities of being unhoused etc.

Bars/restaurants, and social gatherings. It's expected that everyone will drink, but not drinking is fine. People often give a reason they aren't drinking.

I think alcohol is in all of my environments. At home it is on the TV via commercials, when I am out running errands there are always liquor stores, when out shopping there are restaurants and bars that offer alcoholic beverages. On social media there are videos of people under the influence either doing funny or dangerous things that are provided as a source of entertainment. Additionally with social media alcohol is marketed to young people with incentives and things that appeal to them such as challenges or contests (Pilsner Pay for your Tuition). I don't think the presence of alcohol in everyday life is talked about enough, and neither is the common struggle that people face when it comes to alcohol.

My mother drinks. A little too much. Everyone is critical of it, but she’s functional so she hasn’t stopped.

Social Groups - majority of groups participate in binging behaviour as well as having 1-3 drinks out at a casual dinner; Family - raised with wine drunk at Sunday dinners, very rarely observed in binge behaviour together; Work - many admissions to being hungover at work or plans to binge drink being discussed commonly.

My first experience with alcohol was a hockey rookie party where I was fed a lot of booze from my teammates, I got pretty drunk but I enjoyed myself as much as I remember. Overall the first time didn't feel like it impacted the rest of my relationship with alcohol.

My first experience with alcohol was in a situation where I was upset. I was sad and angry and so I drank. I felt better and liked who I was when I was tipsy. People thought I was bubbly and interesting. This experience was a pretty slippery slope as I know that I'm likely to reach for alcohol when the going gets tough.

I have never drank. My parents would kill me. Even if I were in a situation they would never know, I wouldn't be inclined to to try. I really don't like the idea of "loosening up" nor taking the risk of getting dependent. I like feeling in complete control of myself.

I tried alcohol for the first time when I was around 14 years old at summer camp and we had alot of fun doing it so initially it did not have a negative light on it. I think my perception of alcohol has morphed immensely over the years so its not fair to use my first experience as a marker for my current perception on it

I think it was when my father would drink it when I was young. I didn't care: I thought it smelt awful. I look back fondly; it's ironic how one of my favourite beverages was once so hated by myself.

I have never drank alcohol.

It was a positive experience! The summer I turned 18 (legal drinking age, just graduated high school) my friend was housessitting for his friends family. He advised me what alcohol to get and I bought it since he was a minor, and he drove since he had his license. We watched horror movies and drank, then slept in separate bedrooms. I didn't know what being drunk was supposed to feel like, so I couldn't tell except when I looked in the mirror in the bathroom. In the morning I had a weird headache (first hangover!). My friend went to the bathroom in the night then accidentally came into the room I was in and slept the rest of the night in bed with me lol. I thought he was making a move, he didn't realize we were sharing a bed until morning LOL. I think I drank about 7 coolers (Mike's hard, smirnoff ice) and I didn't realize that's A LOT of alcohol because I didn't really feel it. It was a good safe experience.

I kind of have two first experience with alcohol, one where I was about 10 or 11 and was at a family friends lake house. I was asked to get someone a drink from the cooler, nothing out of the ordinary at the time. I was reading the bottle as any curious kid does and it sounded really good, I can't remember what it was but I was offered to have a sip, and so I did and that was it. My second first experience with alcohol would have to be my high school graduation, I was 17 and my friends older sister (30), was pouring some alcohol into a cup and then would give it to us to drink (the event was a dry event as not everyone was 18 at the time, my self included) I did not know what the liquid was but took a sip anyways and came to learn that it was tequila. Later that night that same sister would put some rum into our pop we would get from the 'bar'. At the end of the event I was asked if I wanted to go to my friends house and so I did where I was being offered alcohol and that was the first time I had ever gotten drunk before, it was a special occasion, a reason for celebration and everyone else was drinking too so it only seemed appropriate to also take part.

Alcohol has never been hidden from me. My parents have always believed that taking the mystery away from alcohol would help me develop a better relationship with it. I’ve always been allowed sips of my dads beer and stuff like that. I knew from a very young age how bad alcohol tasted. As a result, my first time “drinking” I had one glass and thought it tasted terrible. I don’t tend to drink.

I was 16 with a group of close friends, we binge drank and I remember thinking "this feels exactly how I thought it would". I generally continue to feel unimpressed with feeling drunk, but I don't feel that the first experience has a lasting impression on my current perception of alcohol.

No generally my friend group is understanding if I decide to drink or not drink, as long as it's reasonable (both ways)

My choice of not drinking hasn't impacted me much asides from ordering root beer instead of real alcohol when I'm out with friends. Most of them aren't heavy drinkers anyway. I still get to participate in my own way!

Choosing to drink and then eventually using it as an escape eventually led me to other substance abuse problems a well as eventually rehab, but the decision to go to rehab and quit drinking has changed my life for the better.

It's been great! It helps me as something I can always resort too, whenever I'm down. It forms my experiences and contributes to my quality of life. It maintains my control as well.

I’m sure it has, but because I have nothing to compare it to (I have never drank alcohol), I can’t pinpoint how.

I made and maintained a lot of friendships through drinking-based activities, but I've also done similar activities sober while friends drank and had a good time. I have more stamina for dancing and socializing when I've been drinking, I think, or maybe just worse judgment to stay out for longer hours.

I don't want to say I feel obligated to drink when I go out and other people are drinking because there are times when I choose not to, but most of the time I do have one drink as when I go out I like to try new things. When I choose to drink or not the people that I surround myself with are often not bothered and go about their business. However, at my house during special occasions like holidays when I choose to have a glass of wine or of the like I often get looks from my family of their disapproval. During these times I do not intend to drink to get drunk or anything I am simply having a social drink that I sometimes don't even finish. However, apparently my grandfather was an alcoholic so I understand their resentment towards alcohol, but they should realize that I am not my grandfather nor do I exhibit behaviours like him and I know my limits.

Physically, drinking alcohol always made me feel like shit. So choosing to not drink anymore has made me feel much better. Other than that, I think it has opened me up to do more with my time.

I usually reserve drinking for the weekends or for an event, and have lessened the total amount I drink based on the impacts of hangovers I experience.

I have a family history of alcohol abuse so I have always tried to be conscious to not become dependent or abuse alcohol. In uni this has been helpful as I've been able to remain productive while enjoying the social aspect of drinking. I have definitely has way too much thats caused me to black out or throw up but because of that I know my limits and when I start to lose control.

I really don't know what to think of it myself, having been surrounded by starkly different views on it. I guess I naturally gravitate to the middle ground? Drinking really isn't such a big deal, it's a personal choice and shouldn't be stigmatized. That being said, I would be lying if I didn't say I think it's more problematic to society as a whole and that we'd be better off being a bit less partial to alcohol. A lot of problems seem to arise from substance abuse...

I used alcohol as an escape and never drank because I enjoyed the taste, I drank to get wasted and escape my inner thoughts. My father is an alcoholic as well so it always seemed pretty normal to drink often, it wasnt until I was older that I realized the harm in that.

Having it in the house constantly consumed by my father, mother, and their friends has made it commonplace and normal. SO I grew up not thinking it was taboo in any way. My family was very transparent with alcohol and their effects, talking earnestly about their own experiences.

Growing up with people in my family who deal with alcohol addictions has made me very cautious about drinking. I can see myself following in the footsteps of loved ones who depend on alcohol and I don’t want that to happen to me. I’m not religious and neither is any of my family, so that doesn’t play much of a role for me. I have never experienced peer pressure to drink, but I have also never really had friends in the first place. My knowledge and perception of alcohol use is mainly guided by my experience with loved ones using it, my education on alcohol use and addiction, and my work with clients facing addictions or generally unhealthy alcohol use.

I made it a personal rule to never drink alone before I even started drinking, and that has served me well. I also learned from one silly experience that drinking does NOT improve my mood, though it can extend/enhance an already good mood. Growing up, I was not aware of my parents drinking alcohol although I sure they did! I remember my mom saying "hey *name*! I'm drunk!" when I was around 16 and I thought it was the funniest thing, and the first time I was aware of my parents getting drunk (I knew they drank beer or wine, I just didn't know they got drunk). I asked her what it felt like, and I remember asking my mom what kind of drunks she thought me and my siblings would be haha! She guessed I'd be an "I love you" drunk, and she was right haha

My father liked to drink Corona beers as his yard always had the bottle caps everywhere but I don't remember ever seeing him actually drink one and it must have been when I was asleep or not there. I suffer from anxiety and find that having a drink or two can really help with my social anxiety but I am able to function just as well without it and know when the situation is appropriate or not to be having multiple drinks. Most people understand these struggles and know that there are limits in place to ensure that things do not get out of hand.

It has been a mostly positive experience, with only a couple of experiences where I drank too much or got sick. I feel that having mostly positive experiences relates to a mostly positive experience when I chose to drink alcohol.

Yea that probably makes sense

I'd agree that my perceptions align with the statistics. It feels like everyone drinks in some capacity. I can't go out with friends without at least one or two people ordering a beer. Further, it feels like whenever I talk about drinking with others, they are quick to agree and share their positive feelings. It may be to fit in but I'm not sure.

This statistic aligns with my own perceptions. This is a very multicultural university, and lots of people already come from several cultures and religions that do not assign any value alcohol socially and would prefer to avoid it. Even within Canadian culture, I don't think it's universal. A lot of my friends who are Canadian born have their own reasons for not drinking either.

Yes, I think alcohol is just so socially acceptable as a substance that most people assume the majority of people, especially students and people in that age range, must drink copious amounts. I definitely fit into that category of being a young adult and spending most of my free time getting drunk or partying.

No, this makes sense. We have such a wide array of cultures and beliefs and morals. 95% is was too much.

68% sounds about right to me. None of my siblings or their friends drink, so I have never really been around it. I honestly do not hold strong feelings about how many people drink, though.

When my friend groups were mainly alcohol based, it really felt like everyone drank. As time passed I met more and more people who don't drink, whether they used to or never drank. I also effectively stopped drinking during covid (I never drink alone and I didn't feel safe socializing, plus I started new meds). Since quitting my job I'm more focused on academics and don't feel the need for stress relief through alcohol, so for all those reasons I can definitely see a lower percentage of students using alcohol.

I think this aligns with my perspective as I myself have stopped drinking as much since I have gotten into the later years of my degree. I find that there are a lot more consequences that follow with excessive drinking, before I used to not get hangovers and I was ready to go the next day as if I had not just been completely incapacitated less than 8 hours prior, and now I find that the hangover starts to set in while I am still drinking. It is obvious that my body is starting to recognize the amount of work that it takes to consume and manage the amount of alcohol that I choose to consume.

Yeah, I think the media and all that really paints like uni life as just one big party where everyone is drunk. Most people I know steer clear of alcohol.

My university friends are my only social group that do not drink alcohol.

Social bonding

Alcohol and university are bedfellows. Campus events ALWAYS have alcohol. You can even drink at restaurants on campus. People look forward to week of welcome so they can go to the beer garden and get drunk. Even faculty mixer events have drinking or they're at bars where you can drink. There really isn't a place for people who choose not to drink and those who do choose not to are forced to be in situations where everyone else is drinking and they just have to deal with it. It's not fair and it's not okay.

I'm honestly not sure. I know there are the stereotypes of college parties where people get wasted, full of excitement and drama... But I was never involved in that scene and I don't even know if they're as frequent or common as media portrays it. I don't feel too comfortable making a solid claim about a topic I'm ignorant in.

I think its definitely a strong force in the University experience, Id be surprised to find a uni party that didnt have alcohol involved in some capacity.

Helps cope with hard workloads and stressful events lol

For me, none. For others, perhaps an escape from daily stress? Maybe just a fun activity? Maybe a result of trauma, abuse or mental health challenges? I think it’s so unique for everyone and it’s hard to narrow down.

It's a big one. Even if a student doesn't drink, most social groups expect alcohol based events so students are expected to be comfortable in those environments. If someone doesn't make many friends in university they can easily avoid these particular alcohol pressures, but I'd rather have friends on campus even if that means feeling pressured to drink sometimes. School is so stressful and alcohol is one of the easiest ways to stop thinking about it for a little while. I think non-social drinking would be reduced if school (and other life factors) were less stressful.

Alcohol is perpetuated as a large part of the university life in movies and TV that there are constantly parties and drinking on and off campus for university students, and while this is true to some extent it is not as prominent as it is portrayed to be.

An overstated one.

In undergrad it helped build comradery and memories of partying together. Binging was very common (weekly) in undergrad. While in grad school, people are coming at various stages of life when partying is less important. Being online, I regretted the loss of the opportunity to go for a beer after class with Profs and classmates.

Yes

I don't know. Again I'm unsure if it's bias, but just knowing stuff like substance abuse and date rape exists makes me sad. Is alcohol worth exposing yourself to those kinds of risks? I guess I just hope we can have a culture where people can drink safely and socially without having to ever go through something like that.

I think ultimately falls on the individual, if you choose to let alcohol control and or ruin your experience then it is up to that individual to decide to change and or get help. There are people who can control their consumption and not let it negatively affect them, im not saying it is easy because then there would never be anyone with drinking problems, but I dont think blaming the culture leads to constructive ways of dealing with problematic drinking.

Yup! Thank god for booze

I think it certainly can. However, I do worry a lot about alcohol use and violence, particularly sexual violence. Sexual assaults are very common on campus and many of them involve alcohol use. Obviously, the cause of these assaults is perpetrators, not the alcohol. But that is something I always think about given the stats on campus rapes

I think alcohol is neutral and can be used in positive and negative ways. Alcohol can help create new connections and strengthen existing connections, but it can also cause problems as it is a drug and can become a social crutch rather than an occasional activity. I think resetting our cultural goals around alcohol would help, like aiming to feel tipsy/buzzed rather than DRUNK. It would be good to stop glorifying puking, blacking out, memory loss, being unable to walk, due to drinking as much as possible. A happy healthy campus includes doing silly things and making mistakes, but we don't have to do it while blackout drunk.

I honestly don’t see alcohol effecting it too much. Most people I know are just focused on their schooling right now.

I think there is balance to allow people to drink while still giving space to those who do not want to for instance- Week of Welcome had events outdoors at RATT Patio, where although drinks were served, you could sit and did not have to drink alcohol.

Alcohol is and will be a part of the university culture, from my own experience I think individuals need to try and be as honest with themselves as possible and really ask why they are drinking. For me it was an escape and it helped numb my feelings which led to further drug abuse problems. In the end I had to realize for myself that what i was doing was an issue and that I needed help. I feel very strongly that individuals who struggle with alcohol or any substance abuse issues will not change unless the change starts from within them, forcing someone to change, in my experiences, has never led to success. Unfortunately for alot of individuals that means hitting rock bottom.

Always eat before or while drinking!!!! You will puke otherwise and it will just feel bad!!! Also, you don't have to finish your drink. It's okay to waste money, it's okay to waste the drink, you don't have to finish it. And, you can have fun sober while everyone is drinking :) pretend to be tipsy if you want! One more thing: if you don't want to do something sober, you won't want to do it when you're drunk. So being drunk is not an excuse for doing shitty things. Your judgment is impaired, not your morals.

As someone on birth control, antidepressants, and adhd meds, all alcohol ever did was make me dizzy and nauseous. I drank because it was so glorified by the media and my friends. Once I realized how it wasn’t all the great, I didn’t see any reason to continue. Weed, on the other hand— amazing in moderation.