In a venue known to hemorrhage thousands of dollars when it brings in guests, a crowd packed in to listen to those on stage Wednesday evening.
OK, an audience of 343 in Emens Auditorium, which can house about 10 times as many people, is hardly about ready to burst; however, how many lectures can attract that much attention?
About a year ago, Sue Errington - our senator and one of our primary voices in Indiana government - came to Ball State University to speak about "brain drain," an issue that concerns Indiana college students. Twenty-three students attended.
The key ingredient for Wednesday's event - alcohol.
The College of Communications, Information and Media, along with a handful of other Ball State and student groups, organized the forum "Responsible Drinking Redefined." The forum addressed the issue of whether the legal drinking age should be lowered.
The solution to this debate is so far off that we won't even begin to imbibe it.
The drinking age issue is intoxicating, but why does this matter so much?
Our economy has tanked. On Sunday, Loyola University had a forum to help dozens of its students figure out how the stock market dive will affect them and what they need to do to withstand it. We cared about a younger drinking age.
We're amidst election season. On Tuesday, Penn State University had a forum to discuss GLBT rights and how the issue will play into the election. We cared about a younger drinking age.
It's easy for us to get wrapped up in debate about whether 18-year-olds should be allowed to purchase and possess alcohol without the worry of an excise officer busting them.
Out of the seven arrests Ball State Police made this week, two included alcohol-related charges.
More significantly, two students have had alcohol-related deaths at Wabash University so far this school year.
The substance is affecting students' lives.
But it shouldn't be our biggest concern.
It's good to take an active interest in an issue that's not only landed students in jail, but contributed to two students' deaths this fall. However, we can't ignore the other problems we're facing.
Our bank accounts are at risk of vanishing as quickly as our job opportunities, and we need guidance and intellectual stimulation to help us figure out solutions.
While focusing on whether 18-year-olds are capable of acting responsibly in a bar, those who are here to educate us also need to focus on getting us to the polls Nov. 4 or helping alleviate our ignorance about the economic situation.
As hard as it may be to ingest as a college student, there are more important issues than alcohol.
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