Bellarmine Convert: Culture Clash
Sarah Botha
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: Entertainment
By Sarah Botha
Ah, the American house party...Having been here for three months I've attended more than enough of these to last me a life time. What at first seemed so novel and a quintessential experience of the American college student is now tired and tedious. Games of Beer pong, sweating in basements and the ever prompt arrival of the police to break the party up no longer makes for a novel experience.
What this boils down to and, has been my greatest frustration here, is the drinking age in America. For most of the world it's 18 but, as you all know, here it's 21. What I'm about to discuss isn't another rant about lowering the drinking age but rather a look at what this breeds in youth culture and the attitudes regarding alcohol. Having occupied the two cultures I feel that I may have an insight into this particular topic.
When I mention the idea of social drinking here most of my friends look at me with a startled expression. So lets define that quickly: having a drink with dinner or at a bar where the idea isn't to get wasted. I guess this is a foreign concept especially in contrast to the ever popular expression, "Time isn't wasted when you're getting wasted".
I feel that when alcohol access is given at an earlier age there is less of a chance that alcohol becomes mythologized and even more of a temptation. Though there is underage drinking in European countries like Austria, Germany or Scotland, it often occurs at house parties while people are in high school where there is less risk and adults close by to call. I was shocked to hear how a few weeks ago, 7 ambulances were called in a week because of the drinking happening in the freshmen dorms. This is symptomatic of an attitude where alcohol is viewed as sinful and people will over indulge at the first opportunity.
When I look at the alcohol culture here in America I understand the popularity of the house party, it's the easiest way for minors to have access to alcohol. This then changes the framework of the social culture. I've been shocked by the behavior of people at these parties. And it seems like these are the staple characteristics of a good night out, girls too drunk to realize that the guy they've attached themselves to for the night has changed faces at least five times in the past twenty minutes. Or how about the entire team of lacrosse players taking their tops off? Or The house filled to overcapacity with people being trapped on the stairs for twenty minutes. And finally, the part that both amuses me and annoys me is the staple run from the police. The night isn't made without people freaking out and jumping fences to get away. Or even more amusing is how the mob mentality emerges in full force with the entire party moving towards the back of the house in an effort to hide. Yes, they won't notice a hundred and fifty people if you all move to the back of the house.
Ah, the American house party...Having been here for three months I've attended more than enough of these to last me a life time. What at first seemed so novel and a quintessential experience of the American college student is now tired and tedious. Games of Beer pong, sweating in basements and the ever prompt arrival of the police to break the party up no longer makes for a novel experience.
What this boils down to and, has been my greatest frustration here, is the drinking age in America. For most of the world it's 18 but, as you all know, here it's 21. What I'm about to discuss isn't another rant about lowering the drinking age but rather a look at what this breeds in youth culture and the attitudes regarding alcohol. Having occupied the two cultures I feel that I may have an insight into this particular topic.
When I mention the idea of social drinking here most of my friends look at me with a startled expression. So lets define that quickly: having a drink with dinner or at a bar where the idea isn't to get wasted. I guess this is a foreign concept especially in contrast to the ever popular expression, "Time isn't wasted when you're getting wasted".
I feel that when alcohol access is given at an earlier age there is less of a chance that alcohol becomes mythologized and even more of a temptation. Though there is underage drinking in European countries like Austria, Germany or Scotland, it often occurs at house parties while people are in high school where there is less risk and adults close by to call. I was shocked to hear how a few weeks ago, 7 ambulances were called in a week because of the drinking happening in the freshmen dorms. This is symptomatic of an attitude where alcohol is viewed as sinful and people will over indulge at the first opportunity.
When I look at the alcohol culture here in America I understand the popularity of the house party, it's the easiest way for minors to have access to alcohol. This then changes the framework of the social culture. I've been shocked by the behavior of people at these parties. And it seems like these are the staple characteristics of a good night out, girls too drunk to realize that the guy they've attached themselves to for the night has changed faces at least five times in the past twenty minutes. Or how about the entire team of lacrosse players taking their tops off? Or The house filled to overcapacity with people being trapped on the stairs for twenty minutes. And finally, the part that both amuses me and annoys me is the staple run from the police. The night isn't made without people freaking out and jumping fences to get away. Or even more amusing is how the mob mentality emerges in full force with the entire party moving towards the back of the house in an effort to hide. Yes, they won't notice a hundred and fifty people if you all move to the back of the house.
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