Drinking games gain in popularity

A new method has gained prominence for one of the world's oldest vices. The sport called Beer Pong, among other names, has emerged as the new "cool" way for people to get drunk.

"Drinking games are a social thing. It helps to get people to interact with each other and meet people," said fifth year marketing major Greg Schotte. "But it's an age thing. Once you are old enough to go to the bars, you kinda quit playing drinking games."

Riddle Road Market and Urban Outfitters sell Beer Pong sets, and Stop-N-Go on W. Mcmillan Street and The Party Source in Newport, KY., sell the pieces individually.

The game is played using ten cups on each side of a ping-pong table, or just a long table, set in a triangle and filled with beer, which contestants at the opposite end try to lob a ping-pong ball into.

If the opposing team succeeds in landing one or both white globes in the cups, the losing team has to remove the ball from the respective cups and chug the beer.

Beer pong has become so widespread among college campuses that different schools and areas have implemented different rules.

Beer pong joins a host of other drinking games like flip cup, three kings, mushroom, screw the dealer and the ever popular quarters.

However, surveys and studies have been conducted for years on the college drinking phenomenon.

According to national findings of the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the percentage of binge drinkers goes from 26.6 percent at the age of 17 and peaks at 48.2 percent for 21-year-olds.

The survey goes on to say that drinking in general garners 69.8 percent of those young adults at the age of 21, and steadily declines after that.

Another finding reported that 62.4 percent of full-time college students ages 18-22 said they drink alcohol, while only 55.7 percent of those not enrolled in college or part-time students said they drink alcohol.

"Drinking games can be a lot of fun," said second-year communication major Evan Krekeler. "But people get way too trashed because once they are done playing the games, the alcohol hits them hard and the puking or blacking out begins. Those are the nights when I pass out early if I don't watch myself."

The percentages of binge drinking and heavy alcohol usage fell, according to the survey, as full-time college students reported 43.4 and 18.6 percent, respectively, while other people of the same age but not enrolled full time tuned in to 39.4 and 13.5 percent, respectively.

"Fraternity-wide policy is that we do not condone drinking games," said Adam Curley, President of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. "It is not allowed at the house for we feel it is not appropriate for social situations, but some members that live outside the house do play it there [at their homes]."

Another executive fraternity member agreed that members can't play drinking games during social events, but often play at other members houses around campus.

"It's definitely a freshmen/frat thing. It helps to break the ice when you go to a party," said fourth-year history student Gary McKiddy. "When you get older it is a waste of time, but it's something to do when you are broke."

Some beer companies, like Miller Brewing Co. and others, promote drinking games for young adults through advertising.

"The beer companies marketing drinking games is a good business move, but in terms of social effects, it could quickly become a huge issue with college binge drinking already such a widespread problem," said Krekeler.

According to the survey, college students ages 18-24 contributed to almost 1,700 student deaths, almost 600,000 injuries and 700,000 assaults.

Almost 90,000 of those assaults were sexual in nature, according to the survey.

In 2001, the survey reported that 2.8 million college students drove a car after drinking.

Driving under the influence is an estimated 10.2 percent of those age 16-17, jumping to 20.2 percent of 18-20 year olds, and 28.2 percent of those 21 to 25 reported driving under the influence of alcohol, the survey said.

College drinking, and binge drinking in general, has had such a widespread growth that numerous studies have been conducted and action taken, some campuses such as Bucknell and Kenyon College in Ohio have banned drinking games.

The Medical Sciences Building will be hosting the "Save A Life" tour drunk driving simulator Nov, 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the E-level near the Dean's Office at the medical college.

Beer pong has gained enough popularity that a World Series of Beer Pong has been organized in January at The Oasis Resort and Casino outside of Las Vegas.