Spring Break
Students try to downplay glamour associated with binge drinking
Kate Monohan
Issue date: 3/27/09 Section: News
As Spring Weekend approaches, the "Remember Last Night" campaign is in full swing to promote safe alcohol consumption. Remember Last Night's campaign members want to promote no-regrets nights out, where students can have positive memories about their experiences.
"We're just a group of students, basically, that are getting together to promote safe drinking," said Monica Castignoli, an 8th-semester communications major and campaign member.
"It's a funny thing. A lot of people sort of take pride in that fact, that they don't remember last night, so we're trying to say, well, it's not necessarily that cool," said Brianna Diaz, a graduate assistant in marketing communications and campaign organizer.
After their efforts last year, alcohol consumption decreased by a staggering 10.9 percent, according to a survey done after Spring Weekend 2008 by the campaign. The survey had 812 student respondents, who also reported a 48.23 percent reduction in binge drinking during Spring Weekend.
The campaign's efforts have spread this year, as they have created a new comprehensive Web site that gives students tips on how to make smart decisions when choosing to consume alcohol.
"There are three main goals to the campaign," Diaz said. "One is to promote personal responsibility with drinking; the second goal is to encourage students to watch out for friends, especially if they're both drinking and they get in trouble - to not just stand by or say 'oh, we can take care of it' - but to actually seek out the proper authorities.
"The third goal is to promote this as a new social norm, where it's okay to be safe when you drink," Diaz said.
The site contains a blog where students can anonymously share their experiences to raise awareness of the consequences of excessive drinking.
"I blacked out, ran into the street, and was hit by, not one, but two cars," one blogger's entry read.
The site also has a "How Do You Remember Last Night?" contest, where students can submit video and slogan ideas for the campaign to use in the future. Tips for video submissions are available on the Web site.
"We're just a group of students, basically, that are getting together to promote safe drinking," said Monica Castignoli, an 8th-semester communications major and campaign member.
"It's a funny thing. A lot of people sort of take pride in that fact, that they don't remember last night, so we're trying to say, well, it's not necessarily that cool," said Brianna Diaz, a graduate assistant in marketing communications and campaign organizer.
After their efforts last year, alcohol consumption decreased by a staggering 10.9 percent, according to a survey done after Spring Weekend 2008 by the campaign. The survey had 812 student respondents, who also reported a 48.23 percent reduction in binge drinking during Spring Weekend.
The campaign's efforts have spread this year, as they have created a new comprehensive Web site that gives students tips on how to make smart decisions when choosing to consume alcohol.
"There are three main goals to the campaign," Diaz said. "One is to promote personal responsibility with drinking; the second goal is to encourage students to watch out for friends, especially if they're both drinking and they get in trouble - to not just stand by or say 'oh, we can take care of it' - but to actually seek out the proper authorities.
"The third goal is to promote this as a new social norm, where it's okay to be safe when you drink," Diaz said.
The site contains a blog where students can anonymously share their experiences to raise awareness of the consequences of excessive drinking.
"I blacked out, ran into the street, and was hit by, not one, but two cars," one blogger's entry read.
The site also has a "How Do You Remember Last Night?" contest, where students can submit video and slogan ideas for the campaign to use in the future. Tips for video submissions are available on the Web site.
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