On Tuesday, I opened my three-part series on campus health with a look at smoking. Now, it’s time to shift to what I believe is the biggest culprit behind TCU’s substandard rating for consumption of unhealthy substances: alcohol.This simple, ethanol-based drink is a mainstay at college campuses nationwide. However, the consumption of alcohol is often taken to irresponsible and dangerous levels. TCU drinking is no exception.

There is rarely a Monday morning walk to class when I don’t hear at least three conversations beginning with the words “I was so wasted on Saturday …” On a couple of separate occasions this year, some of my friends have had trouble remembering what happened to them at the previous night’s party.

The culture of heavy drinking here at TCU has to stop. As much fun as it might seem to get completely plastered at a party, no good ever comes from those situations. It’s time for everyone to begin taking responsibility for his or her behavior.

Look, before you start typing an angry e-mail, I’m not favoring a campus prohibition of alcohol by any means. Drinking, when performed in a safe manner, is something that perfectly utilizes the mood-altering power of alcohol. To borrow a line from the founding father and face of the $100 bill Benjamin Franklin, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”

Yes, God does want us to be happy. However, I don’t think God is too keen on your being so drunk you try and proposition a potted plant for sex. OK, maybe that example was a little extreme, but I’ve seen some pretty embarrassing drunk behavior, both in person and on various Web sites.

Beyond the point of merely embarrassing oneself, excessive consumption of alcohol also puts people at a higher risk for dangerous behavior. According to the Alcohol Policies Project conducted by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, binge drinkers are 21 times (yes, 21 times) more likely than nonbinge drinkers to do one or more of the following: engage in unplanned sexual activity, not use protection during sex, drive a car after drinking or become hurt or injured.

In addition to harming themselves, heavy drinkers also have a profound impact on the lives of their fellow students. According to the Alcohol Policies Project, 57 percent of students have taken care of an intoxicated peer. Thirty-six percent have been insulted or humiliated by a heavily intoxicated student, and 11 percent have been pushed, hit or assaulted.

Heavy drinking is also dangerous to one’s health. Besides the immediate dangers such as alcohol poisoning, a host of long-term problems are also beginning to be realized. A Vanderbilt University study showed simulated binge drinking in rats made them unable to store new information as easily as before.

It is important to realize many people make the conscious decision to consume large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time without any prodding from others. In the end, avoiding excessive consumption is a decision that rests with the individual. While binge drinking may be just for kicks and giggles, it is a dangerous practice that threatens the well-being of the student body.

David Hall is a freshman news-editorial journalism major from Kingwood. His column appears every Tuesday and Friday.