National Alcohol Awareness Week kicks off today

By Brent VonCannon
The Collegian

Prizes, food, and games are all part of the agenda this week as Fresno State students have the opportunity to participate in a nationwide campaign against alcohol abuse. National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week runs from Oct. 16 through Thursday, Oct. 20, with different activities planned for each day.

Eating a plethora of jalapenos may spice up your chances of winning a prize at the ¡OctoberFiesta!, the party highlight of the week which is scheduled for Thursday afternoon in the Free Speech Area. Or for those who live on campus, you can take on an obstacle course late Wednesday evening at Milk and Cookies Night in the University Courtyard Atrium.

“The basic idea is having a good time without involving alcohol,” said Sam Gitchel, Wellness Services Coordinator at the University Health and Psychological Services center. “We’ll have fun, light-hearted stuff going on. There will be music, entertainment and lots of food.”

All activities and information booths will carry the common message of alcohol awareness, with focus on safety as well as dispelling myths about alcohol consumption among college students. That’s where Gitchel’s Social Norms Project — a campus-based student organization with a knack for marketing — comes in.

“We’ve found that year after year, most Fresno State students that drink alcohol do so moderately and safely,” Gitchel said. “Also, many students have a misperception that drinking is much more prevalent than it is. We want to turn up the volume about this misperception.”

That volume is being turned up mainly in the form of posters that the group has set up throughout campus and can readily be seen in classrooms and hallways. These media pitches use slogans such as “Most Fresno State students work hard, play hard, and party safe,” with data to back up the claim.

Since its beginning in 2003, the Social Norms Project has been primarily focused on alcohol, considering it the most prevalent example of misinformation associated with college students. The group has also touched on a few other topics, such as sexual behavior among college students, with the same goal of promoting truth over hype.

“A lot of people see only the negative,” said Sam Frank, a junior psychology major. “The Social Norms Project wants what’s normal and true to get out. We have posters that have been very effective. Our surveys showed that drinking has gone down on campus since 2003.”

Frank also serves as co-chair of the Alcohol Advisory Council’s Student Subcommittee, a group made up of faculty and students. The council is responsible for organizing the week and its activities. Close to two dozen students are involved with the subcommittee.

Various organizations, both on campus and in the community, are contributing to National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week. Frank said most of the funding for the food, prizes and activities comes from University Health and Wellness Services.

Another co-chair of the subcommittee, Diana Traje, a graduate student in the public health program, is also looking forward to the week. She said Milk & Cookies Night in particular has been a hit with students from the residence halls in past years.

“They get to come together and socialize,” Traje said of the student residents on campus. “As co-chair, I help to provide them with an alternative activity to drinking.” Milk & Cookies Night is not open to the public.

“We look on the bright side — most students have zero to three drinks,” Traje said. “That’s something to celebrate.”

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