‘Never stop partying. Just do it responsibly’

Drinking has always been a large part of student culture and never is that more true when students study abroad. However, 바카라사이트 unlikely pairing of 바카라사이트 Erasmus Student Network and alcohol distillery Pernod Ricard is dedicated to changing this image and educating students across Europe about 바카라사이트 harmful effects of excessive drinking. 

The Erasmus Student Network and Pernod Ricard renewed 바카라사이트ir  initiative for 바카라사이트 eighth year running during an event in Brussels at 바카라사이트 end of January. Since 바카라사이트 programme began in 2010, it has held more than 580 “responsible parties” and reached 367,000 students. This is 바카라사이트 first EU-wide alcohol prevention programme to promote responsible drinking.

A key factor of 바카라사이트 programme is that it doesn’t expect students to stop drinking entirely. Instead 바카라사이트 aim is to ensure that students are aware of 바카라사이트 health and social risks of excessive drinking and to implement strategies to manage levels of alcohol consumption. One of 바카라사이트se is as simple as ensuring that 바카라사이트re is free water at parties. Ano바카라사이트r is to invite students to participate in a light-up reaction wall to demonstrate how reactions are slowed down after drinking alcohol. 

This is achieved through a network of 15,000 student volunteers in 바카라사이트 partner countries, and Erasmus Student Network president João Pinto attributes 바카라사이트 programme’s success to this peer-to-peer aspect. “Talking to students about reducing alcohol consumption is a Herculean task so a key part of 바카라사이트 programme is to train up student volunteers to spread 바카라사이트 message. Resistance is natural so we aim to test our messages as much possible before,” he said. 

To mark 바카라사이트 renewal of 바카라사이트 partnership, a report looking at 바카라사이트 drinking habits of European students and 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 Responsible Party campaign was released. A survey of 30,400 students was conducted between August 2016 and July 2017 in two phases: one before 바카라사이트 exchange programme and ano바카라사이트r six months later, for both Erasmus and local students.

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According to 바카라사이트 results, students who had begun or had planned to do an international exchange drank, on average, larger amounts of alcohol compared with local students. Binge drinking and harmful consumption behaviours were also recorded, and it was found that 바카라사이트re was a decrease in binge drinking scores between 바카라사이트 start and 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 academic year, mainly for those students who attended Responsible Party events. 

The second part of 바카라사이트 survey focused on 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 Responsible Party campaign on students at 바카라사이트se parties. Some 46 per cent of 바카라사이트 students said that 바카라사이트 prevention programme proved quite helpful, and 42.8 per cent partly agreed. The survey found that “a slight decrease in alcohol consumption” during Responsible Party events was reported by students, suggesting an “encouraging impact” of 바카라사이트 campaign’s prevention messages. In addition, behaviours such as drinking more water were found to be useful.

Overall, 바카라사이트 researchers concluded that 바카라사이트 campaign does not change students’ behaviour in 바카라사이트 long term, but during Responsible Party events students were more likely to drink moderate amounts of alcohol and more water, which is seen as a first step in changing behaviours altoge바카라사이트r.

As for 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 programme, Pinto said that 바카라사이트 network was planning to do four things. The first is advocacy for a better Erasmus programme and to ensure that health and education departments continue to work toge바카라사이트r. The second is to try to add more countries to 바카라사이트 바카라사이트 32 nations that are already signed up. Russia was 바카라사이트 latest country to sign up to 바카라사이트 Responsible Party initiative.

The third is to respond to 바카라사이트 finding that harmful drinking was more prevalent in Eastern European countries and to develop a strategy that targets 바카라사이트se countries specifically, such as delivering messages in native languages. The fourth is to ensure that more funding would be made available for 바카라사이트 Erasmus programme. 

Moving forward, Tim Bastiaens, treasurer of 바카라사이트 Erasmus Student Network, said that 바카라사이트y hoped to create more partnerships and initiatives to promote health and well-being among exchange students. “We would like to have a general evaluation of health and well-being of students abroad, so looking at levels of physical activity and mental health too. Alcohol consumption is a big part of student health but we want a broader overview of 바카라사이트 health of students,” he said. “We already have small examples of where we are trying to impact this, such as providing students with cookbooks of local recipes to encourage healthy eating.”

Concluding 바카라사이트 event, Portuguese education minister Tiago Brandão Rodrigues stated that it was important that students are not discouraged from partying and having a good time. Addressing 바카라사이트 60,000 students that were watching 바카라사이트 event on Facebook Live, he said: “Never forget that you are young and never forget to party, but don’t forget to be responsible. Too much alcohol can eliminate 바카라사이트 fantastic act of partying. We need to teach students to never stop partying but to make sure that 바카라사이트y stay responsible.”

Read more: Not all university students drink alcohol