In conjunction with Alcohol Awareness Day, University of Memphisstudents will be able to experience the effects of alcohol withoutgetting a hangover.
Students will have the opportunity to experience the effects ofalcohol on the body in the fatal vision obstacle course and makealcohol-related decisions in the virtual bar Thursday at DrunkGoggles and Screening Day.
"Most students are surprised with the visual changes that takeplace and how they feel when wearing the goggles," said JacquelineDe Fouw, health educator at The U of M Health Center. "They thinkthey will be able to maneuver easily through the obstacle course,but they find that it is actually very difficult without hand-eyecoordination."
Participants will also have the opportunity to check theirknowledge of blood alcohol levels and alcohol effects.
The event is designed to educate students of the dangersinvolved with alcohol abuse and drunk driving, said JessicaCiavarella, Psychological Counseling Unit psychologist.
"We try to make it fun for students," Ciavarella said. "In thepast, it has really been a success."
Screenings will also be offered at Drunk Goggles and ScreeningDay for individuals who may have problems with alcohol abuse.
"Through the event, we hope to spread awareness to students whomay potentially suffer from alcohol-related problems," Ciavarellasaid. "It is always best if we intervene early."
According to Core Institute, an organization that surveyscollege-drinking practices, 300,000 of today's college studentswill eventually die of alcohol-related causes, such as cirrhosis ofthe liver, heart disease and drunk-driving accidents.
However, Major Ray Craft of U of M Campus Police Services saidthere is no growing trend of alcohol abuse at The U of M.
"Every now and then, we have random alcohol-related incidents,but other than that, there are not many problems," he said.
Other U of M students say that in comparison with other schools,The U of M has fewer alcohol-related problems.
"By reputation, alcohol abuse is somewhat worse on other collegecampuses, like Ole Miss, than at the U of M," said Mark Grizzard,sophomore mechanical engineering major.
Some U of M students who have participated in events like DrunkGoggles and Screening Day say that they believe it is beneficial ineducating students of the dangers of alcohol abuse.
"It makes people aware of the dangers of driving impaired andthe importance of using designated drivers," Grizzard said.
