Breaking Social Norms Exploring Sobriety in College Essay

One day while hanging out with my sister, she brought up an interesting question; â€Å"why do people always question why you don’t drink, but they never question why you do drink?† I began to contemplate this question. As a sober college student I have constantly been asked, â€Å"why don’t you drink?† and I have always tried to avoid answering it. I wondered why this was. I know I am not the only sober college student, but so few other students know this. I never even realized how many other students were living a sober life style until I came to the University of Nevada Reno and joined an organization dedicated to supporting sober students. So, why is it that the sober community is so unfamiliar to the overall college community? When asked†¦show more content†¦The number of students who are in recovery is growing with a 141.3% increase between 1999-2009 of sober students, ages 18-24, who are being admitted into colleges (Psychologytoday.com). With only a handful of colleges with sober communities, students in recovery, who are looking for a support group, are flocking to these schools that might not have enough room for them. With a growing number of sober college students but a dearth of sober communities (Campus Life 101: Staying Sober), it seems evident that, our college campuses are in need of more sober college communities. If there were more colleges with sober communities, students in recovery would not have to worry as much about getting into a college that supports their needs. Each year it is estimated that 1,825 college students, between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol related incidents (collegedrinkingprevention.gov). With more sober college communities theses types of incidents can help be prevented by providing safe sober alternatives to drinking and partying for college students, whether they be in recovery or not. Sober communities can also help students who are in recovery avoid the temptations of alcohol and other drugs, by allowing them to hang out in a temptation free