Substance abuse is a much larger problem than it only being around college campuses. It's a social element that has rooted itself into our everyday lives. Our entire social culture has adapted around binge drinking. Isn't that the number one water cooler convo? "O man, I'm so hungover. I drank so much yesterday."

I'm a recent college graduate from Iowa State University. I would say that the opportunity for binge drinking was there, if that was your thing. I found quickly that social drinking was a norm among certain circles. Like many my freshman year was slightly crazy, but as I grew older (and hopefully more mature) I slowed down and enjoyed socializing for what it is, not for the focus on drinking.

The Augsburg Step-Up program is a premiere program for students in recovery right here in Minnesota and draws students from all around the country. It provides their own residence hall which is dry and a community along with weekly support meetings and drug/alcohol counselors. Having this program is accepted by students at the school and offers a place that is 'safe' with other students/friends in the same situation. In the last 3 years the program has experienced a 93% abstinence rate.

What about intentional communities that support a non-drinking lifestyle in the first place? I'm a St. Ben's 2003 grad and was in the "Health and Wellness" community freshman and sophomore year. It gave me a ready-made social network of people my age who were more interested in having fun without drinking.

I wish I saw more prevalence of mixed areas, where those who wish to drink are able but not required or necessarily expected. Drinking can mean access: access to greek life, access to 21+ only venues, access to feeling mature.

I'm currently a 23 year old college grad after 5 years and going to be going back this year for another degree. I think coming to college for me was the first time I had independence and had so many different things offered to me that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to join in on when I was in highschool and living under my parents roof. Drinking was the "thing to do" on campus on the weekends and the one thing so many of my friends and I looked forward to. I felt that there wasn't enough opportunities for other activities on campus. I have clearly grown out of this way of living and look back at how much time I wasted but it was also the way I met so many people that I am still friends with today. Drinking and parties were really the first opportunities for networking that I had. It was a common ground and a way of belonging with those in my classes, those I met at parties, and those that I lived with in the dorms which was important for me since I came from a very small town to a very large school.

I'm a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota Duluth, and I feel that until you turn 21, binge drinking is what you do because it's new and its exciting and a way to meet people. It can be quite dangerous, but I feel it gets better once you're able to legally drink. At the bar, it's more of a social experience, you have to worry about spending more money and the taxi ride home, so you go out and you drink two or three beers instead of 7 or 8. I think that if we were legally able to drink at 18, it wouldn't be such a big deal to go out to a party and drink as much as possible.

From what I saw when going to University one of the problems was the Greek program. Fraternities and Sororities promote drinking and actively shun those who will not drink.

I'm a Michigan Tech alum and I'm in a fraternity, so I like to maintain friendships with current undergrads. When I go back, I often invite folks out to a restaurant and treat my friends to a good meal and a beer. Often, a friend at the table says they don't want to drink that night, and I use this as a teachable moment. I tell everybody at the table that it's fine, no worries at all, and I offer to buy any drink on the menu that does suit their interest. I use these opportunities to teach social drinking in moderation as a life skill.

I'm a current college student at the U, one of the things that I've noticed is that there is this myth among students that alcohol or drug addiction can't exist until you're in your 30s or 40s.

this topic and drinking in college shouldn't be one extreme or another, and many of my friends knew this and were responsible adults. why don't programs and discussions focus on teaching young adults responiblity and moderation!? it divids students, deters a diverse group of people to socialize and creates animosity. if we focused on creating and developing positive responsible habbits it would help many students in their futures.