Many college students who drink alcohol don't think about the long-term consequences - they're just living for the moment, Mike Green said Wednesday at the Student Center.
"The alcohol wears off, the laughing stops. But the personal injury lasts for a lifetime," Green said. "It never goes away."
Green, the president and founder of the Collegiate Consultants on Drugs and Alcohol, serves as consultant to the student affairs and athletic departments of more than seven universities in the United States.
Green was invited to Ball State by the University Program Board as part of his nationwide effort to raise awareness about the effects of drug and alcohol use on the college campus. He said in each of his presentations, he tries to connect with students on a personal level.
"It's not a formal lecture," Green said. "I speak from the heart. "
Leslie Barker, the ideas and issues director for Ball State's University Program Board, said Green' professional background as well as his firsthand experience as a recovering alcoholic made him an ideal person to speak to Ball State students.
Green, who has been sober for 26 years, said he would often spend his Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays drinking when he was in college. He even remembers doing the "power hour," during which he would drink one shot per minute.
"I was just having a good time," Green said.
He said as many college students similarly try to live for the moment, they need to start thinking about the simple consequences of their actions.
"The little things add up," Green said. "You have no motivation, you won't go to class. And so many students end up spending too much money on drinking."
Green said many college students drink an average of 150 times every year and end up spending $2,700 annually on alcohol. By the time they graduate, many will have spent more than $10,000 on alcohol, he said.
But that isn't the biggest price students pay, he said.
Throughout his travels to campuses nationwide, Green has learned of many students who were date raped after their drinks were spiked at college parties. Other students have even died from alcohol poisoning, he said.
"Any one given night can cost you everything," Green said. "What would your parents feel like to get that phone call at two in the morning that their son or daughter was killed? They'll never get over it."
Green said one of the biggest misconceptions people have is that having an alcohol problem and being an alcoholic are one in the same. But, in reality, people can have an alcohol problem without necessarily being an alcoholic, he said.
"The number one problem is not (recognizing) the alcohol problem," Green said. "This can lead to lifetime consequences."
Green has spoken at more than 2,000 college campuses throughout the past 18 years and has also given presentations to NCAA and professional basketball and football teams. According to his Web site, he has won several awards, including being listed among the "Outstanding Young Men of America."
Junior Jon Downing said he was glad he attended Green's presentation Wednesday and appreciated Green's passion for the safety of all college students.
"He just brought a new perspective," Downing said. "One of the most important lessons I walked away with is that people (who drink) simply need to be more responsible."
Downing said he especially appreciated the lightheartedness Green incorporated into his speech. Adding humor to such a serious topic made Green's presentation more enjoyable for all students, he said.
"He did a really nice job," Downing said. "He made it both fun and interesting."
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