Analyze the student population from colleges anywhere-Simpson College, University of Iowa, Florida State University, wherever-there will almost always be alcohol users and alcohol abusers.

Unfortunately or otherwise, alcohol consumption has been stereotypically linked to the college lifestyle. Everyone is aware of this stereotype, though individual students’ choices vary in the partaking. Drinking is part of the college student’s environment. It’s part of the paradigm.

Yes-this can mean that problems will arise. Recent alcohol-related arrests incidents at Simpson continue illustrating that. But what to do?

The options seem to be punish alcohol users, educate people to make wise decisions or ignore the problem. Prohibition is has never been a reasonable alternative.

Punishment provides just enough motivation for a user to not get caught. When a person goes too far, citations and arrests are made, fines are issued, community services hours fulfilled, his or her name gets printed in the paper and their friends have a good laugh. It may be embarrassing and inconvenient, but it hasn’t stopped most people from drinking who have decided that they want to do it.

So we must provide a different motivation. Educate people on why alcohol leads to poor consequences. And please do not do it in a condescending way. Most students went through D.A.R.E. Provide real-life statistics and relate it to this audience as a real issue, not a hypothetical “this could be you” situation. People will simply roll their eyes, say they heard it all before and continue with the same choices.

It’s those “big-deal” life-changing situations that only happen to a select few that really make people stop and think. Most people have seen it happen-to someone else.

Some people will find a way to drink regardless of the laws of age, appropriate places for consumption and appropriate manner in which to act. The wrong thing to do is ignore this.