The beer bottle flew across the room and right through Erik's hands, shattering on the floor.
"Good hands, Erik," quipped Trevor. "That's the saddest sight I ever did see."
"Oops, sorry about that," apologized Erik. "I'll clean it up."
"Forget it. I'll clean it up later," said Trevor. "Here, have another beer. Keep two hands on it this time," said Trevor as he pulled out another bottle from the fridge."
"Thanks," Erik laughed, popping the top off the bottle.
"What's up with you?" asked Trevor.
"Not much. Hey, nice room," said Erik. "Must be nice. How'd you score this."
"Luck, pure luck. You ready for a big year? This is gonna be awesome."
"Definitely. Where'd you get the beer?"
"I hit the liquor store for a twelve pack soon after my parents left for home."
"How'd you get it? You're now even 19."
"My brother got me a fake I.D. last week from one of his buddies," said Trevor as he pulled out his wallet and showed Erik the I.D. "It only cost fifty bucks and it looks great. You want him to get you one too?"
"That'd be great."
"Works for me," said Trevor as he drained his beer and cracked open a second.
"Wanna head up to CJ's?" Dennis invited.
"Of course," declared Erik. "My composition for English isn't due for a couple days." Fake I.D.'s in hand (courtesy of Trevor's brother), Erik and Dennis started off to make the rounds of the downtown bars, something Erik was doing more of these days.
The one thing Erik couldn't get used to was the hangovers. Sunday mornings he'd find himself with a throbbing head, bloodshot eyes and killer cotton mouth. Brunch at the cafeteria was torture (more so than usual). He'd drink several glasses of orange juice and try to eat anything that wouldn't upset his queasy stomach.
This Sunday he sat across from Jason, his next door neighbor. Jason was one of the few guys on the floor who actually went to church.
"Rough night, huh?" queried Jason.
"You have no idea," mumbled Erik. "Oooh, my head hurts."
"I remember those days," Jason reminisced.
"You? You don't drink."
"Well, you're right. I don't know but I used to drink a lot in high school."
"Why'd you quit?"
"I realized I did it mostly because everyone else did. I wanted to have fun. But I found it empty after a while."
"What do you mean 'empty'?"
"I just knew in my heart there was more to life than drinking. I couldn't put my finger on it. It took a while to figure it out. Then this guy on my soccer team told me how he had become a Christian and it changed his life. I wanted the same thing so I became a Christian."
"Huh," Erik said absently, not really wanting to get into a discussion about religion. "Well, that's good for you. Our family quit going to church when I was in junior high."
"You should come to church with me some time. You might like it."
"Yeah, maybe. We'll see." Erik grabbed his tray and stood up. "I've gotta get going."
"Okay. Hope you feel better."
"Thanks. See ya later."
The first semester went by quickly and before he knew it, Erik was heading home for Christmas break. Erik's grades arrived a week later, a couple days before Christmas.
"What've you been doing at college, Erik?" his dad accused. "We pay all this money to help you with college and you come home with a 2.0 g.p.a.?"
"The work's a lot harder than in high school, Dad," Erik protested. "I'll get my grades up next semester, I swear. I was improving there at the end."
"Well, I hope things improve or you'll be going to a community college around here and living at home. I'm not about to pay your tuition with the grades like this," he barked, hitting the sheet in his hand. "Understand?"
"Yeah, I understand," admitted Erik.
"Wanna study together tonight?" Betsy asked.
"I think I can make it," remarked Erik. "Let's meet downstairs at the Union and a get a table in the snack bar."
"Sounds good," she affirmed. "Let's get a table in the back. I'll see you around 7."
"Okay, see ya then."
Second semester started off well. Erik took easier courses and fewer hours. And he was dating Betsy, also a freshman he met at a dorm party back in November. She made good grades so her influence made him study every night instead of going to the bars with the guys on his floor. He was determined to bring up his grades. But she also liked to party on the weekends, and they ended up sleeping together for the first time early in the second semester.
"What am I to you, Erik?" said Betsy. "We never really do anything together except study, go party or have sex. Is that all I mean to you?"
Betsy and Erik's relationship was cooling off. Betsy was feeling used, and Erik was feeling bored.
"No, it's not like that at all," Erik replied, when in reality, it probably was. Several times he'd wanted to break it off with her but didn't want to give up the sex. "I'm just a little confused."
"I don't want to continue like this, Erik. I think we'd both be happier out of this relationship."
"I don't want that. Let's just give each other a little space. Maybe that's what we need."
"What do you mean, 'a little space'?"
"Well, I'd have to think about it, but maybe we could still go out on Friday nights and then study together one night a week. I've really got to crack the books if I'm going to stay in school."
"I can live with that," Betsy replied. "I want things to be more like when we were just getting to know each other--you know--just having fun and stuffs."
"Me too. Maybe this will help."
The next weekend Betsy went back to her hometown, so Erik went with Trevor to a party at the Kappa Thetas. Erik spent most of the night dancing with Angela, a girl from his English class last semester.
Erik drank like crazy, and Angela stayed with him drink for drink.
"This party's dying. Wanna walk me home?" Angela asked.
"Sure," Erik slurred.
She hooked her arm in his as they staggered toward her dorm. By the time they got to the front door of her dorm he had his arm around her.
"Why don't you come up for a while? My roommate's at her boyfriend's for the night," Angela stated.
"I'm not sure," joked Erik. "I'm kinda busy."
"B.S."
"Oh, all right. If you insist."
Erik woke up the next morning in unfamiliar surroundings. Angela lay next to him in her small bed. What did I do last night? Then he remembered what he did. Oh God ... what if ... Did I remember to wear a condom? Maybe she's on the pill or had a diaphragm or something. I don't remember. Man, ... what about Betsy?
He started getting dressed and the noise woke up Angela.
"Hi," Erik said gruffly. "I've really gotta go."
"Wow, just like that?" she queried. "Well, okay ... thanks for bringing me home. I had fun with you. Will I ever see you again?"
"Sure" Erik promised unconvincingly. "I'll give you a call."
"Yeah ... do. Let me get dressed. I'll sneak you out the side door so the R.A. doesn't see you."
When they got to the door, Erik gave her a kiss and left her with a promise to call her, which he knew he wouldn't do. As he walked across campus he couldn't believe what he'd done. He couldn't help feeling like he'd betrayed Betsy. We said we needed more space but this probably wasn't what Betsy had in mind. Erik didn't either. He didn't go to the party planning on picking up a girl. It just sort of happened.
Even without knowing about Angela, Betsy broke things off with Erik a couple weeks later. Erik was free again. So Erik went on a binge and spent the next nights out drinking. His friends started teasing him about being alcoholic. He'd come back from class to find Bacchus pamphlets and AA meeting times tacked to his door.
I'm not an alcoholic, Erik thought. There are plenty of guys who drink more than I do. Plus, I can stop at two beers. That weekend he tried a little experiment. He was going to hang out with his friends playing cards for the night. I'll buy a six-pack and just have a few beers then switch to Mountain Dew.
He failed the experiment badly. He drank the whole six-pack and even bummed beers off his buddies. Erik was disappointed. Maybe he didn't have the great self-control he thought he had. He'd worry about it later. I can handle it. I'll slow down eventually.
"Time to wake up, Sleeping Beauty," Trevor whispered.
"Okay, okay, just don't wake up my roommate," cautioned Erik. "He's still mad about me messing up his CD player last weekend."
It was 4:30 a.m. and Trevor came to grab Erik for the downtown activities. St. Patrick's Day was a big deal in Erik's college town. The bars opened at 5 a.m. serving green beer for a quarter a glass. The price went up a nickel every half hour. Erik, Trevor and two of their buddies were there when the bars opened and played drinking games for three hours.
The four guys stumbled out of the bar laughing and grabbed breakfast at McDonald's. They laughed at each other's green lips and tongues.
When Erik got back to his room he fell into bed and finally got to sleep after a battle with the spins. He woke up at 2 in the afternoon (missing every one of his classes for the day). And he was feeling very sick. Oh no, I don't feel so hot. He made a dash for the john and spent the next several minutes throwing up green beer. This was the most he'd drank in a long time.
Erik came out of the stall and washed up at the sink. His head was pounding like a bass drum. As Erik viewed himself in the mirror. God, I look like a deranged clown, complete with green lips and bloodshot eyes. Why do I do these things? I'm sick of drinking. I'm sick of spending all my money on beer. Erik continued looking at himself. Something's got to change.
Just then Jason came into the bathroom. He eyed Erik.
"You don't look so good, pal," said Jason. "Are you okay?"
"Uh, I'm fine. Thanks," replied Erik. Maybe I should talk to Jason. "Um, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, anything," replied Jason.
"You said a while back that you used to drink a lot, but you quit because of your religion. I'm not really into the religious part yet, but I am curious about how you stopped drinking."
"It's kind of a long story. Why don't you stop by after dinner tonight and we can talk about it then."
"Sounds good. See ya later."
"See ya."
You're not gonna stop now. Find out what made Jason so content and in control (I promise it won't be an infomercial for the Psychic Hotline). Read what Jason shared with Erik by clicking here. Also, read Judy Clark's article Quench Your Real Thirst. Write me if you have any questions or comments.
Dave Carlson is a writer with the Campus Media Team in Orlando, Fla. He is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a degree in History. He has been writing articles, books and promotional materials for college students for more than nine years.