Thoughts about Alcohol

Yesterday we had a mandatory meeting in the Union. Dean Dan and Lisa talked to us about our Mauritius visit. As I previously mentioned, it was a mess (the SAS'ers who came back to the ship hammered which was about 95%).  We are reportedly the last voyage to stop in Mauritius and unlike previous voyages where they stayed many more days... we did 1 day and not even a full one at that. The future voyages will not be allowed off the ship, it will refuel and proceed towards the next destination. Walking up the gangway was reportedly disgusting because of the amount of vomit. During the meeting we got the health update of the kid who had to be hospitalized. He is being treated and whether or not he will return is being determined. Dean Lisa will speak with his professors to see if he was an outstanding student, if so, he will return on probation. If he was a mediocre/poor student, he will “join the alumni association early” which were Dean Lisa's exact words. It was a grave moment and it felt like people finally were listening. Very few people seemed to grasp how serious it was because Dean Dan made a statement during his talk that made us gasp... “Shame on those of you who had a camera and took a picture of the student.” Shaking my head... ahhh, people. The kid had to be resuscitated a number of times. The Deans thanked the kid's friends who instead of hiding him and not bringing it to their attention, did so. According to the ship's doctors, he was as close to dying as it gets. Even still, Dean Dan shared some of the comments he overhead. Students angrily whispering that the kid would be in trouble (get dock time etc) because of what his friends decided to do... how he could have slept it off...Man o' man. As Doctors Laura and Bill pointed out (and I don't know how many times they have to repeat themselves), you never really know. This kid couldn't be left by himself without going unconscious so who knows what it would have been. The result of this has also brought up the issue of Alcohol. We ourselves have been able to identify some very consistent and disturbing patterns of some of our peers... and truth is, we have quite a number of Alcoholics onboard.

Some students argue that SAS had it coming and that they should have more access to alcohol on the ship. I have had great difficulty hiding my “WTF” face. Their argument is that the faculty and staff have an equipped bar in the Glazer lounge which closes at 11 pm and we are treated like kids. You would think that given such an opportunity, much of the concern wouldn't rest on whether or not you can get numbed and belligerent, but that's the population we're dealing with. We are on a moving ship and some people can't even handle that much (seasickness). Then you have the multiple malaria and assorted medications we are taking...add alcohol to all of that and you have an even greater recipe for disaster. The age group varies too so that makes a difference. We have some wild 18 and 19 year olds who are away from home for the first time. They are enjoying the fact that you only need to be 18 to drink internationally. But then there are the standard 20-24 year old folks who are accustomed to drinking whatever or as often as they'd like. They are also in the same categories as those who professed to having fake ID's as early as 14 years old... They will also tell you that their parents were aware of their drinking and you get to wondering how many parents enabled these undercover alcoholics. I tell you, you get to know some people really well when they've had too many drinks.

The alcohol ratio has been debated quite a bit and there are designated Pub nights on the ship as are the options to have rationed drinks during dinner. Some of us are wondering if they should just be done away with all together. Seriously. As a responsible drinker, it is a nuisance. There are some students whose entire agenda for each port is to get drunk.They are the ones who get upset when they get dock time. They are the ones who protest how unfair things are. They are the whiny people we would so love to leave behind, because they just don't have a clue. I think it also has to do with how this trip came to be for each of us. Many of us have a story as to how this trip even became possible. I absolutely cannot see myself being sent home because of my inability to control my alcohol. No really. There are some people who are really upset that this is “real” school and not a “party ship/booze cruise.” I think the major component that slips peoples minds is the fact that this expedition will end...and who will you return to in the end? Eh, your parents...your family. Doesn't seem to ring a bell, how quickly we forget about real life. Some people are living this illusion, engrossed in the fantasy element that sailing around on the ship has... yet if something stupid that is done on their part affects whether they are returned to their family in one piece in the end, it is SAS's fault.

Next there were a Women's conference which was beautiful. There was a chilling silent exercise called “Crossing the Lines.” There were a series of questions for which you stood if you identified with. It was somber, it made you think and it also built a sense of community for those who were able to take a look around and see who was standing. There was also the survey results of 250 random SAS'ers included in the program. Women confessed to feeling like they had to dress a little more provocative than normal to attract guys due to the ratio. Guys confessed to feeling like they didn't have to work to get sex. I guess it shouldn't have been that shocking, but it was. 91% of the participants felt like they knew their alcohol limits, ironically, they felt 7 out of 10 people on the ship didn't. Which says a lot about how we feel about the drinking problem...but it also verifies the falsehood that some people have towards their own alcohol assessments. As the Doctors (and LLC's said), it's pitiful to see students in the clinic and regardless of their state, they all say they are “fine.” Shaking my head...

On behalf of the minority of sensible people (when it comes to alcohol) on this ship, I would like to urge anyone reading this post to contact their child. Who knows why people are drinking this much. Maybe it's because they miss you. Maybe it's because they want to fit in. Maybe it's to numb the confusion that erupts from this trip. Maybe they are lonely. Maybe they don't know how to have fun without it. <--That's a very popular reason. Maybe they started a long time ago and can't stop. Maybe they saw you drinking in the same fashion, and resorted to your method. It's beyond having fun, it's now self-medication. What wounds are your children medicating? They have to know that what they are doing affects everyone else around them... The student body is concerned. Maybe it's something to think about when we return in San Diego.