IMC Hawks Blog

Tag: Alcohol

  • Keep Calm and Party On?

    When I tell most people what my plans are for my 21st birthday, the first thing out of their mouth is: “are you serious?” I don’t plan to be with my friends getting wasted, I plan to be with my family. For any other birthday, this wouldn’t be odd. The 21st birthday, however, no longer belongs to the family. It belongs to friends, alcohol, and the bathroom floor.  21andover

    Movies like The Hangover, Project X, and Superbad have become household names… especially in a college town on a Friday or Saturday night. The newest contender trying to add its name to the list is “21 and Over.” While I was watching the trailer, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes a little bit. Albeit the movie looks hilarious, the cultural stereotypes it perpetuates are getting a little old.

    The three main characters are a set of best friends. One happens to be turning 21 and has been forbidden to party by his father. The other two boys convince him to disobey his father and celebrate in true, over-exaggerated, Hollywood fashion. During the trailer one of the boys exclaims “As his best friends on Earth, we have a moral obligation to get him drunk as f***.” That statement sums up what upsets me the most about this particular genre of movies. The message these movies are sending is that the most important thing in life is getting wasted, partying, and dodging responsibilities. Rather than creating a culture centered on harvesting the potential within an indalcoholividual, Hollywood is creating a culture centered on the effect drugs can have. These movies add to the multitude of pressure young adults are already facing in regards to alcohol, drug use, and partying.

    As educated consumers and college students, these movies present a difficult challenge. It is one thing to watch the movie, it is another to allow the cultural expectations it perpetuates to dictate how you spend your free time. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with letting loose every once in a while but we don’t have to prioritize partying over everything.

    – Alexandra Huss

  • Today, we are all Irish

    That’s right laddies and lassies, it’s Saint Patrick’s Day, celebrated internationally on March 17 every year. The holiday is basically an excuse to hit the bars and grab yourself a Guinness or two…or ten (if you’re 21, of course). I myself don’t have a shred of Irish blood in me but I would be lying if I said that I never participated in one of the main activities that goes hand in hand with celebrating the holiday. Saint Patrick’s Day started in fact as a very real holiday named after Saint Patrick who is regarded as one of the most commonly recognized patron saints of Ireland. However, while it certainly did originate as a Catholic holiday, it has gradually become more and more of a celebration of Irish culture in general. This means that there are plenty of brands associated with the holiday and Irish culture as a whole, whether positive or more negative. It could arguably be one of the most branded holidays in the world as there are several things that always come to mind when you think of the holiday. These include the leprechaun, the shamrock, all things green, and alcohol.

    Today it is celebrated by Irish and non-Irish alike and, as we all know, it is one of the leading days for consumption of alcohol in the United States. It is a holiday that businesses, bars and restaurants all pour loads of money into every year as they each compete and advertise themselves as “the hottest St. Patty’s party in town”. Even Wilmington is no stranger to capitalizing on the event and promoting the downtown or beach nightlife.

    Also, green is the color and order of the day, especially in terms of clothing. I specifically remember being pinched, (affectionately, of course), for not wearing green one year in elementary school. It is a holiday that many of us learned about years and years ago when we were just little kids and are now at the point where we can fully enjoy it (if you’re 21, of course). All over the U.S. numerous cities throw Saint Patrick’s Day parades and even up the ante in some cases as with the Chicago river being dyed green for the day each year for the celebration.

    Thus, this unique holiday has become not only a staple of Irish-American heritage but also a staple of American heritage as a whole. It is a holiday that basically anyone can celebrate in one way or another. From green alcohol to tacky green t-shirts to those giant leprechaun hats, Saint Patrick’s Day definitely ranks up there with Christmas, Easter, and Halloween as one of  the most branded, and most fun holidays in my book. So all that being said, throw on some green, get a little loud, grab a pint or two (if you’re 21, of course), dance a jig, and kiss someone Irish!

    Eric Holtzman, Maxann Keller, Ryan Kelley, Chad Graves, Katelyn Truss

  • True Life: I’m on Spring Break

    With college students across the country and world closing their textbooks, embracing a week of freedom, and embarking on wild adventures, we see it fitting to pay homage to the originator of the modern definition of spring break, MTV.

    In 1986, MTV filmed its first season of Spring Break, and has done so every year since then. Usually it popularizes fun beach cities in the south such as Daytona Beach, Panama City, Fort Lauderdale, and of course, Cancun. It is a week-long affair full of concerts, parties, and outrageous contests. MTV has branded spring break as a time for young people to let loose. This year, they are breaking away from the traditional East Coast/Caribbean locations and heading out west to Sin City itself, fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada!

    How has spring break, a time when students everywhere have a week of nothing to do, become a billion dollar industry that fosters the growth of social capital among college students? The answer is branding. When you hear the names Panama City, Cancun, and South Padre Island, the image of beautiful beaches do come to mind, but the majority of the time people envision huge, day long parties on the beach, crazy clubs, and excessive amounts of alcohol. What most people do not realize is that Spring Break is a major component of the economies of these cities. Each year, over 250,000 students descend upon Panama City alone over a period of four weeks. Local officials and residents actually embrace the students because they understand the amount of money being spent by spring breakers.

    Nonetheless, no matter the location, Spring Break is still branded the same way – as a time for students to let loose. So now we’ll ask the question: what are your plans for Spring Break, and do they fit into the brand image created by MTV? Our very own Scott Burgess and Megan Canny will be tackling this issue head on as they venture to Panama City, Florida. Wish them luck on their endeavors!

    -Allison Day, Jessica Berinson, Megan Canny, Melissa Gagliardi, Scott Burgess