Students Drink Mocktails and Learn About Hazing Prevention and Alcohol Awareness

WSU Gardian
By Aaron Cline
September 5, 2024

WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY – Some of the most important information college students should know, including alcohol and hazing awareness, was taught at Counseling and Wellness and Title IX’s “Mocktails and Trivia” event on Saturday, Aug. 24.

Mocktail options

Students started the afternoon with a variety of mocktails and flavored drinks- including the most popular drink of the event, the Shirley Temple. After students chose their drinks, they took their seats around the venue’s offered seating.

Once drinks were chosen and students had relaxed as they talked to their fellow attendees, the hosts passed out a sheet of paper. The paper contained spaces for 30 questions to be answered, as well as a blank space for one “tiebreaker.”

While the mocktail reserve began to dry out within an hour, most attendees were able to get themselves a second drink to truly explore the different drinks that Counseling and Wellness and the Title IX office were kind enough to provide.

Isabella Taylor, an economics major and someone passionate for sweet drinks, personally liked the mocktail options that were provided.

“I think it’s amazingly inclusive that [underaged people] can have fun drinks too,” Taylor said.

The trivia

Trivia ranged from a variety of important topics, including underaged drinking, hazing and hazing prevention as well as sexual assault awareness.

Some questions asked for percentages- which students could count as right if they were within a certain percentage amount- as well as true and false questions pertaining to these topics.

The game was separated into three rounds, all consisting of ten questions. Including the final tiebreaker, there were 31 questions for students to answer throughout the event.

To win prizes, students had to have the most amount of questions right. Students used the honor system when announcing how many questions they got right or wrong, and those who got tied for the most got to answer a quick-time question about basic topics, such as the names of certain people from Counseling and Wellness Services.

College drinking awareness

While the topics of the questions varied throughout the event, the main topics were college drinking, hazing and sexual assault. All three of these topics are incredibly important for students to be aware of, especially with the recent influx of freshmen.

With the first week out of the way, and as students begin to become more involved in organizations like sports, Greek Life and on campus clubs, keeping this information in mind is still important.

Many students come to college with the mindset that drinking is an expected and anticipated aspect of their new life. However, underage drinking in college can lead to drastic consequences. The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has conducted and compiled numerous studies about this.

“About [one] in [four] college students report experiencing academic difficulties from drinking, such as missing class or getting behind in schoolwork,” the NIAAA reports.

Many students also quickly become binge drinkers, a habit that can lead to fatal outcomes such as alcohol overdose.

Hazing awareness

Hazing is a problem that affects every organization on campus. Despite popular belief, studies have shown that sports clubs have a higher chance of hazing than Greek Life. More information about this topic can be found at the Hazing Prevention Network.

There are a variety of ways a student can be hazed; these methods include alcohol consumption, isolation or humiliation, sleep deprivation and even sexual acts.

All ages are at risk of being hazed, but, according to the Hazing Prevention Network, “Younger adults (ages 18-34) indicate experiencing more hazing and older adults (ages 55+) less.”

Participating in hazing often involves putting yourself or others at risk by doing illegal activities.

While bonding with new college friends and members of organizations is important, falling into a hazing scheme because you are afraid of being left out or disappointing these organization members is a harmful path that will negatively impact the rest of your college career and beyond.

Sexual assault awareness

Perhaps one of the most crucial trends to be aware of is “The Red Zone.” The Center for Women and Families provides an excellent explanation for what this time period actually is.

According to their website, “The Red Zone is the period of time from the beginning of fall semester to Thanksgiving break when sexual assaults on U.S. college campuses spike.”

While sexual assault is most likely to happen to young female students, it is important to keep in mind that anyone can be assaulted. Being careful and staying safe should be a top priority for all students on campus this Fall semester.

The Mocktail and Trivia event explained these details and more, including information on where to get emergency help if the situation ever calls for it.

Students should keep in mind the blue light poles around campus, where you can quickly get in access with campus
police with the press of a button. Also, the number for public safety is (937) 775-2111.

Staying informed is the most important thing anyone can do. Attending events like Mocktail and Trivia can provide students with a fun way to educate themselves so that their Fall semester goes smoothly.