Bringing awareness to the campus, Alcorn State University’s (ASU) Counseling Services hosted the National Alcohol Screening Day on Friday, April 5th. Held in the James L. Bolden Campus Union Ballroom from 11 am – 2 pm, this event gave students the opportunity to learn more about the dangers of inebriation.
Different tables provided students with various information about alcohol, drinking and driving, and also facts on drugs. Some of the information included facts about date rape drugs, synthetic marijuana (also known as Spice), and what physically happens to the body after it has consumed too much alcohol.
Courtney Richardson, a Junior Psychology major, was one of the students who helped host the event. “We want to bring awareness to the campus because a lot of our students seem to drive under the influence. It’s not safe, even though you may feel like you can drive, you can’t,” expressed Richardson.
To keep the event interesting, there were games placed up on the stage and in front of the stage dealing with alcohol consumption. The first game allowed students to experience what a drunk driver’s vision would be like by making the individuals put on goggles that create the illusion of blurry vision. Next, individuals were asked to walk around chairs and avoid obstacles as if they were driving on the road.
In addition, the next game was bowling, but individuals had to use the vision impairing goggles to see if they would still be on track and have the ability to hit any of the pins. Dr. Barbara Warner, a Clinical Psychologist and the Director of Student Counseling Services at ASU, shared some light on what the event teaches about alcohol. She stated, “When misused, alcohol can lead to various negative outcomes, such as impaired judgment, which leads to problems when making decisions, interacting with other people, trying to drive and navigate and also reaching our goals.” This event also provided individuals with a free alcohol screening test at the end.
To receive more information about this event and Alcorn’s counseling services, call (601) 877- 6230, email counselingservices@alcorn.edu, or visit www.alcorn.edu/counselingservices.