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Archive for the ‘fraternity and sorority’ Category

College Info on Drunk Driving

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009


Dear Babs,

I am going to University in the fall, and I’m wondering if I should take my car with me? I’ll be living in upstate New York while I attend St. Lawrence college, and getting around to can be a drag. However, I don’t want to get stuck DDing everyone. I know campuses have their own security-if I only have a couple, will I still get in trouble with the real police?

-Dubious Driver

Dear DD,

A thousand times: YES!! You can get in trouble with the “real” police. Campus Security is in charge of monitoring theft and keeping watch over students’ personal safety-they are not an alternative to the law. If you are pulled over by a cop, you will not get a lighter “sentence” with campus security.

It’s important to know that even a few drinks will impair your judgement and your reaction time. Each state has the right to set the legal-limit of blood-alcohol content (BAC) and the mandatory sentence for exceeding said limit while operating a motor vehicle. According to New York DWI, if you are under the age of 21 and caught driving-while-influenced, a blood-alcohol level of just .02% results in an automatic licence suspension of 90 days. If you are a 140 lb female, that means that you would only need ONE beer in two hours to be over the legal limit. Once you hit the legal drinking age of 21, the legally permissible BAC (jumps up to .08%. That is still only four beers in three hours-hardly unheard of for a Friday night on campus.

Driving drunk endangers lives. Over 1,700 student deaths are caused each year by college students driving under the influence, and over 600,000 injuries. If you are lucky and no one is injured, you can still lose your licence, have a criminal record, and expect to pay astronomical insurance fees each month. If you feel that you need a car on campus for convenience sake, by all means, bring it along. But don’t drive drunk thinking you will be treated less harshly for your youth. If you don’t want to be the DD (designated sober driver) at every party, make a no party driving rule for yourself. Explain to your friends that you want to have fun too, and that you’d be happy to split a cab.

Good Luck! (And Stay Safe!!)

-Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Dear Babs, fraternity, fraternity and sorority
02.03.09
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Should I transfer colleges?

Monday, January 19th, 2009


Dear Babs,

I’m a freshman at a large school in the Midwest, a double major in business and international studies with straight A’s my first semester. I write for the school paper, and I’m a part of the Outdoors Club. Even though I’m involved and like my studies, I’m miserable - it’s a party school and I have a hard time meeting people who aren’t completely wasted. I would like to be in a school with like minded people who are there because they want to learn and like to try new things besides go to Frats and keggers. I went here because they offered be a 50% scholarship and I don’t know if I want to go into huge amounts of debt. I don’t want to call it quits, but I feel so lonely and isolated. What should I do?

-Unhappy in Urbana

—

Dear Unhappy in Urbana,

I know right now you feel alone, but you are in good company. Over 2,000,000 students each year transfer because the college they thought was their dream school turned out to be their nightmare. But don’t give up just yet-there may be a way for you to find your niche just yet.

It sounds like you are really involved with your campus-and that’s great. The fact that you have managed to find places on campus where you feel welcome bode well for your chances at making it at your college long-term.  However, that does not mean that you should just “stick it out” and continue to deal with an unacceptable situation. College should fun, exciting, and challenging! If you’re not experiencing all of these things, than you’re missing out on your college education.

Search for college programs that allow you to narrow down the student body to a smaller group of more like-minded students. Does your school have an honors college? It sounds like you are a studious and thoughtful student, you may enjoy the close-knit academic environment of an honors college. Does it have affinity housing? Affinity housing is when dorms are assigned based on common interest. Minority students, Spanish Language speakers, vegetarians, and arts and crafts enthusiasts group together to live in small, tight-knit communities. Often this kind of housing is only available after freshman year-if you can hold out for one more semester, you may just meet the group of friends you’ve been missing.

If those two options aren’t available to you, and the prospect of meeting new people next semester is looking grim, perhaps it is time to transfer colleges. Find colleges with honors programs, affinity housing, or reputations for being scholarly and fostering community through activities, not parties. You might feel more at home at a small college than a large university. Whatever you decide, know that you are not a “quitter.” Even though you have a scholarship, you are still spending thousands of dollars on an education that is leaving you less-than satisfied. Better to find a school that motivates you to take-on more challenges, and spend a bit more money, than waste your money on a college that leaves you feeling cold.

Good Luck!

Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Admissions, Dear Babs, fraternity and sorority
01.19.09
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College Guide for Parents: Fraternity Hazing

Friday, November 14th, 2008

From what I can tell, Greek Life is a huge aspect of the college experience these days. Unfortunately, I feel as though I’ve been seeing more and more stories regarding young students and hazing throughout colleges nationwide. The one common theme surrounding these stories seems to be fraternities and sororities that not only practice this behavior, but encourage it. I trust my son, but I am very fearful of him practicing unsafe drinking habits to impress others or get a bid in a frat. Is there anything I can do or say to prepare him without having him rolling his eyes and shrugging it off?

-Concerned Parent

—

Dear Concerned,

Hazing is forcing someone to do something that makes one uncomfortable or unsafe. That can mean anything from wearing underwear on the outside of one’s clothing to binge drinking. Obviously, one act is much more harmful than the other, but neither is unheard of on college campuses. College fraternities and sororities may often get a bad rap because of hazing on college campuses, but that doesn’t mean that your son will be subject to the same kind of torment that makes the 6 o’clock news.

Binge drinking, unfortunately, is common on campus and can be deadly for those who are not used to drinking alcohol. You mention that you trust your son, and if that is true, then you must also trust that he wouldn’t do anything unsafe or illegal to join a frat, which may include underage drinking.

However, you should be aware of his legal rights, so that if anything does happen, you will know what steps to take.

  • Hazing is illegal
  • Underage drinking is illegal
  • Providing liquor to a minor (in this case under 21) is illegal

Do your homework and check up on the safety report of your son’s college. Colleges are required to report safety statistics by law. Search colleges’ crime statistics, safety precautions, and security patrol online. On CampusCompare, there is a safety and security report for over 3000 colleges.

The best thing for you to do is to be open about your concerns with your son. If you keep the dialogue open, as he is faced with these difficult decisions he will know he has someone to talk to. Talk with him about the dangers of joining fraternities, but be warned that you will get the rolling of the eyes. That doesn’t mean that he’s not listening to you; in fact, he might be worried about the same thing. But before he starts to walk away, remind him that fraternity is about brotherhood, which means supporting each other, not bringing each other down.

Good Luck!

Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Dear Babs, fraternity and sorority
11.14.08
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