Mainstream Culture Drinking

Whether it be your friends, family, or peers, social influences often affect the lifestyles one chooses to pursue. Discussed in this paper is the impact of a social network on lifestyle choices, and more specifically the concept of Drinking with Others. Drinking with Others explains that drinking is influenced by others in our life who drink, which in turn creates a social atmosphere. Whenever there is an advertisement for drinking, rarely do we see people drinking alone. In mainstream culture drinking is represented as a social norm in which one needs in order to have fun at parties. This is especially apparent on college campuses, as drinking is a considerable part of college culture. For individuals new to college, parties are viewed as a way to be social and meet new people. And because a majority of people at these parties are drinking, people who may not necessarily drink partake anyway in response to the surrounding environment; they may feel

This was customary with most freshman, as people met one another for the first time. Later that day at a freshman social called the “Bloc Party”, I met some other freshman who suggested we meet up at night, and experience the Bryant nightlife. We ended up meeting at an upperclassman’s suite, which I assumed a person in my aforementioned group knew. They proceeded to pass around one of the foulest handles’ of liquor I was “fortunate” to have tasted. No one hesitated to take a shot with the exception of one freshman who refused. He said “I don’t really drink”. Following, were stereotypical phrases by the other students such as “Come on, we are all drinking”, and “You won’t have fun if you’re sober.” Within a few minutes he took a shot. Shortly after, we played alcoholic games like flip-cup, pong, etc… The freshman who did not want to drink initially sat on the couch alone. Again, a couple minutes passed by and he decided to join