THE BOND THAT TIES IRISH STUDENTS TOGETHER: DRINK

It is not shocking news to any person with a pulse that university students enjoy their alcohol. It’s not a difficult observation for anyone with half a brain to make. As a result, we’ve had our fair share of critics for our explicit drunken antics that would typically occur on a weeknight in the city centre. Personally, I’ve been partial to urinating on Dublin City’ more famous landmark’s or going for a nice dip in a city fountain after some of my more extreme drink- fueled nights out. I will admit, these are actions which, well, aren’t exactly justifiable but I’m sure we’ve all been there. Equally, I’m no expert in the biological field but we can safely say heavy drinking ain’t great for your health. However, there is value to such copious amounts of drinking that is often unheralded. There is one universal understanding among most students; the desire to get absolutely hammered or more to the point, being absolutely hammered on any given night out.

Let me give you an example. Generally, when you walk around your respective campus you will notice that most groups are divided by their course. Arts students will befriend other arts students, Business students with other business students etc. These course divisions are unyielding as a general point. Understandable really. You converse with people who possess all of the same interests as you in college. I know I couldn’t walk up to a group of law students and hold my own in their various topics of discussion regarding anything law-orientated. Nor could I hold any sort of compelling conversation with a group of medical students on anything regarding healthcare.

Yet throw a few pints, vodka red bulls and a couple of shots of sambuca into the mix and the chatter would flow. Legal degrees would fly out the window as myself and a couple of law student lads discussed how the Guards were being wankers for telling us off about pissing down a lane. An intelligent attractive female business student who would usually be way out of my league and not a match for any topic of chatter I have in my arsenal, would become significantly more accessible as we drunkenly agree on how good a deal three jagerbombs for ten quid is. Feck it, I could even advise a medical student that the best cure for a hangover is a good old fashioned Irish fry-up and of course, another pint.

Also, what about those first years staying in student accommodation! Being thrown together with people you don’t know at all as roommates. Now there are always those select few who hit it off straight away, but I’m guessing 90% of you who are in student accommodation really only began to like your room mates when you got pissed with them for the first time. It’s the student way ! It’s how we take our social hang-ups or anxieties out of the picture! As long as people don’t take it too far, of course. Nobody likes that scauldy emotional tosser that doesn’t know when they’ve had enough(Although I’m sure a lot of us have been there too.)

I guess my point is that even though students are often lambasted for getting too pissed and too often, the drunken conversation or ‘shite talking’ helps us bond. You may be only eight pints away from creating new friendships and lifelong memories! Alcohol is in fact, something that brings a lot of students together. I know I’m ignoring those who do not drink but they have to be a minority don’t they ?! Gargle unites us and long may it continue, in my opinion. As a matter of fact, as I write this, I’m starting to think I’ve come up with a solution for world peace. Let every world leader get slaughtered together and see what happens.

Well, maybe not such a good idea but I’m sure a bunch of drunken politics students would agree with me right now.