Information for Parents

Tips for To Talking with Your Student about Drinking at College

Create shared expectations for life at OSU.

• Talk about alcohol and other drug use as part of a larger discussion about everyday college life (classes, friendships, stresses, pleasures, etc.).
• Set goals for academic achievement and extracurricular activities together.
• Help your student reflect on how drinking might interfere with her or his enjoyment of some aspects of college life or the achievement of her or his goals.
• Encourage him or her to think about ways he or she can experience success, meet people, have fun, and relieve stress while at OSU.

Make sure students know the law.

In Ohio, it is illegal . . .

• for persons under age 21 to drink or possess alcoholic beverages.

• The maximum penalty for underage drinking is $1000 and 6 months in jail.

• for any person to possess, create, sell or distribute a fake ID. This is a fourth degree felony.
• for persons under 21 with a BAC ≥.02 to operate a motor vehicle.
• for any person to possess an open container of alcohol in a public place or motor vehicle.

OSU Policy on Alcohol

Focus on true norms regarding alcohol use among college students.

• Extensive research has found that most college students overestimate the amount that their peers are drinking. For example, 68% of OSU students believe that the average student on campus uses alcohol three times a week or more. In reality, only 28% of OSU students use alcohol this frequently.
• Because individuals’ behavior is, in part, formed by what they perceive to be normative behavior in their community, such misperceptions may be one factor contributing to high-risk drinking on college campuses.
• Providing college students with accurate information regarding their peers’ alcohol use can help decrease pressure they may feel to drink heavily to "fit in."

The majority (71%) of OSU students drink once a week or less often.

The majority (70%) of first-year OSU students are non-drinkers or low-risk, responsible drinkers who have between 0 and 4 drinks per week.

Most OSU students have NOT driven a car under the influence of alcohol in the past year.

Share the facts about alcohol.

• The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines at-risk drinking levels as more than 3 drinks a day or more than 7 drinks a week for women and more than 4 drinks a day or more than 14 drinks a week for men.2 Individuals who engage in at-risk drinking are more likely to experience both short-term and long-term alcohol-related problems, including dependence.
• High-risk drinking is usually defined as 4 or more drinks in a sitting for a woman or 5 or more drinks in a sitting for a man. Students who engage in high-risk drinking are more likely to experience negative consequences such as getting nauseous or vomiting, doing something they later regret, missing a class, performing poorly on an important exam or paper, getting into an argument or fight, being hurt or injured, being taken advantage of sexually, driving under the influence, and getting in trouble with the authorities.
• Each year, 1,400 college students die from unintentional alcohol-related injuries, including motor vehicle accidents. Hundreds of individuals die each year from alcohol poisoning.

Encourage your student to utilize campus programs and resources.

Some key resources include:

e-CHUG- The e-CHUG (electronic Check-Up to Go) is an interactive web survey that allows college and university students to enter information about their drinking patterns and receive feedback about their use of alcohol. The assessment takes about 6-7 minutes to complete, is self-guided, and requires no face-to-face contact time with a counselor or administrator.

First Year Success Series - Many of the sessions offered through this Series focus on alcohol and other drug issues.

Moonlight Madness Late Night Programming -This initiative provides vibrant and fun, alcohol-free late night programs, which create a sense of community for a diverse group of students.

BASICS - This one-on-one program provides an assessment and personalized feedback about drinking behaviors.

Counseling and Consultation Services - Licensed counselors can provide individual and group counseling to students with concerns related to alcohol and other drugs.