<p>I wish everyone, whether teetotaler or binger, could somehow meet in the middle and learn to enjoy alcohol responsibly. Our culture has polarized this issue so much, and it is too bad. Getting drunk every weekend is not the answer, of course, but perhaps neither is the whole “just say no” mentality. </p>
<p>In our experience, once kids reach 21, the whole thing becomes much more civilized, because they can then go out and have some drinks at a restaurant, club or bar. I think it would help the dorm situation to lower the drinking age to 18!</p>
<p>One of my kids cannot drink at all due to various health problems. She doesn’t tell people that is why she doesn’t drink. She hasn’t run into any problems socially because she can’t partake. Some of her favorite people drink, and she would regret not having gotten to know them on that basis alone.</p>