"Me and my friends were all sitting in a circle playing the drinking game power hour, but instead of drinking a beer every minute for an hour we all took a shot every five minutes. Being the sneaky guy that I am, I took a few extra shots in between. By the end of the two hours we played, I must have at least taken twenty shots. That was the most I have ever drank in one sitting," said Hector M, a student at Penn State Berks.
             Binge drinking, defined as the consumption of five or more drinks in a row on at least one occasion, is a widespread phenomenon on most college campuses. In a survey of students at 140 colleges by researchers from the Harvard University School of Public Health, 44% reported binge drinking (five or more drinks in a row for men, four or more for women during the past two weeks). Half of all males binged, compared with 39% of females. The study classified 19% of all students as "frequent binge drinkers" who binge three or more times in two weeks (23% of men and 17% of women). At almost one-third of the colleges surveyed, more than half of students reported binge drinking. This problem does not only interferes with the mission of a higher education but also carries with it serious risks of disease, injury, and death.
             There are a number of different causes behind the high rate of binge drinking on college campuses. The freedom of being away from home for the first time, the insecurity of a new social setting, and the stress put on students in their classes all play a huge role in out of control, excessive drinking.
             The root of the problem lies in the fact that society and our university accepts binge drinking as common and normal. In fact, many associate binge drinking with a college social life. Students give in to peers because doing so fulfills a psychological social need (Hamilton, 420). Doing what the majority does, in this case binge drink, makes students feel accepted and fulfills their s...