Student dies from drinking too much at Uni

[Jux]

This is a terribly sad thing, and I do think the suggestion that educating youth on the best way to look after a drunk friend (but they'll be drunk too) would be a good thing.

OTOH, the lad was 20. I can't see it's the Uni's fault.

I take it you mean this very sad story:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-45979243

I think the culture of 'initiation ceremonies' needs to be addressed; or at least separate the idea of an initiation ceremony from excessive alcohol consumption.

It's hard to know where you'd start but the student's father is to be commended for having the strength to release the footage of his son. I hope it might make others think twice.

I went to Newcastle university in 1990. He agricultural society were known then for their drunken exploits. They were banned from most city centre pubs at one stage. I knew before they said on the news what course he was on.

It’s outrageous that they continue to drink to such excess. What a waste of life and potential.

Another Newcastle 1990 student here who remembers the Agrics and their reputation.

Bugger all to do with the University though. Just watched the dad outside court with his son's friends - surely they should have taken some responsibility? I remember walking a very very drunk friend back to Castle Leazes and sitting with him to make sure he was OK because that is what mates do.

Yes, that story, CarryOn.

It says that the father has criticised the Uni over its stance on initiation events; I'm afraid I can't see why. University Students are adults and generally have self-determination. At 20, most people have had 2 years experience of legal public drinking. It is easy to get swept away, yes, but that doesn't make it the Uni's responsibility or fault.

At my University, any initiation events had to be supervised by a member of SU staff. At the time it seemed ridiculous and heavy handed, but in retrospect I can understand.

The problem I think comes from not drinking before you go to uni as well as I remember a few of my friends and also me drinking to oblivion because a) we didn't know about limits b) how mixing drinks makes it a million times worse c) you go from sober to drunk without realising until it hits you.

A lot of my friends were not allowed to drink before and hadn't had more than a glass of wine or beer so this was like time to go crazy drink every weekend.

Bar crawls and pre drinking at a flatmates to not pay at the club was other pressures.

Interesting that the article quotes the uni as saying that lessons had been learned.

I was in Newcastle for business the week after freshers week this year and observed what was very clearly a drunken initiation-pub-crawl for dozens of new recruits to something. No idea if it was this specific society of course. However I don't think their ban is being very effective.

Interesting, Unicorn.

When I was 15 my friends and I would go to the pub after youth club. Both my brothers had been popping in to pus for a swift half since each of them got to about 13/14, so I was a late starter! Everyone knew we were under age, but as long as we behaved the LL didn't mind. We learned how to behave and how not to behave, we learned our limits, we learned how to deal with lairy men. Not just the LL kept an eye out, but the bar staff and many customers did too. Sometimes a customer would leave when one of us did and make sure we got home OK. I know there were unscrupulous men who thought they saw a chance with a drunken girl, but usually she (or we) would be warned, or a kindly avuncular chap would lea and keep her safe. This really wasn't unusual.

That was back in the 70s. Of course it couldn't happen now, and maybe that's not altogether a good thing?

I actually do think universities should intervene and clamp down on initiation ceremonies.

My dd has a really serious sick phobia and as a result was pretty much a non-drinker as a student. (Will have a couple of glasses of wine or a cocktail these days, but has never been drunk.) She joined the hockey society because she loved playing at school, and I remember she rang me on the day of freshers initiation night, with massive anxiety about it. I told her not to go, but the deal is you won't get picked for a team or given a chance to play in any games if you don't do initiation. It seemed incredibly unfair to me - she just wanted to carry on playing the sport she loved, but absolutely didn't want to put herself in the situation of being ill with drink.

In the end she emailed the society president and said she was on medication for a long-term condition and wasn't advised to drink. She still had to take part, but they turned a blind eye when she didn't down shots etc, whereas they hounded other girls to do it. As a consequence dd was OK, but 2 girls were hospitalised that night - not through their own irresponsibility, but what amounts to a sort of bullying. I don't think it should be tolerated.

I have found this incredibly sad-some articles have just horrific details of the hazing.
It hits particularly close to home as DS is currently at Newcastle and does some Agric courses for his degree-although degree not in Agric.
Many Uni's have similar-I know a friend's DS didn't play rugby at his RG Uni because the drink culture/initiation was so awful.
My heart aches for his family.
But I also agree with the OP-at 20 it's difficult to pin fault on the Uni.
I do hope there is more education- think very good idea to educate more on what do to when your friend needs help-what signs to look for etc and to encourage a sober rota-and to stress to never be afraid to call for help-as happened in a similar incident at an American Uni-the boys were afraid they'd get in trouble and their friend died. Had they phoned for help sooner he could have been saved.

Sadly personal responsibility has gone out of fashion.