Everyone has seen movies like Road Trip and Animal House, where college means drinking, drinking, smoking pot and more drinking. But is that really what college life is all about? Hardly.

Binge drinking may sound like fun... until you realize that it can cost you hours of forgetting where you are and what you did. One night of heavy drinking can affect your abstract thought processes for up to 30 days. More frighteningly, 90% of all campus rapes occur when the victim or assailant has consumed alcohol and/or drugs.

Doesn't sound like fun anymore, does it?

Contrary to what Hollywood says, you don't have to be drunk or high to have a good time at college. The links at the right will lead you to the facts about alcohol and drug abuse, and how you can lead a productive and fun college life.

Resources

• Campus Blues A web site devoted to finding solutions to problems that crop up while attending college.
• CollegeDrinkingPrevention.gov Learn about alcohol facts and myths, send Don't Drink and Drive e-cards, get help for a drinking problem, and more.
• DrugStory.org DrugStory.org offers its audience of writers links to Web sites that offer detailed content on specific drugs and drug related issues.
• ECSTASY: Five Ways it Can Make You Less Ecstatic
  There's also a lot of misinformation about ecstasy's effects. It's hyped as the "love drug" because of the feelings of pleasure and energy felt by users.