Lower the drinking age survey

1. Introduction

Do you drink? When did you start to drink? Should people who are under 18 years old drink alcohol? What do you think? Alcohol is not good for our bodies. It can cause some diseases such as liver cancer and gastric cancer. Teenagers know these facts, but they still drink. This problem is very serious in the society because drinking has a bad effect on not only drinkers but on those around them. In "Alcohol use by persons under the legal drinking age of 21" the author states that boys are mostly drinking more than girls, and the 12 to 21 age group had the highest rate of past month alcohol use(2008). Therefore, many teenagers drink a lot of alcohol, and boys generally drink more. For teenaers, drinking is bad for them; also, it is bad for the neighborhood. When their mind is not clear, they cannot control themselves. As a result, they could lose their health, friends, or studies.

2. Purpose

Our group wanted to know how people feel about under-age drinking. I wanted to know when people started drinking. Also, I wanted to know when teenager drink, what would happen, and whether it is dangerous. Moreover, I wanted to know how internationals feel about drinking, but we deuded only to ask Americans.

3. Hypotheses

I had three hypotheses about drinking. First, most males will say they drink more than females. Next, people will say that too much drinking is a problem in Carbondale. Third, many people will say they think that the drinking age should be lowered.

4. Methods and Procedures

Each member in our group was to ask six people who are different genders, and ages in Carbondale to get a different opinion. We asked mostly SIUC students. We got 49 responses, 25 males and 24 females. We wanted to know how they feel about drinking. We had a survey paper. It had 9 questions about drinking. Those questions were yes or no and short answer. It was easy for them to answer the questions.

5. Data

http://eap1.blogspot.com/2008/02/practice-survey-results_27.html

6. Results

Actually, eight out of twelve(67%) started drinking at 18-20 years old, and thirty-two out of thirty-six (88%) started drinking at over 20 years old. Twenty-two out of twenty-five males (88%) drink, and nineteen out of twenty four females (79%) drink. At age 13 to 15, 12% of males started drinking, and 16% of females started drinking. At age 16 to 18, 36% of males started drinkig, and 45% of females started drinking. At age 19 to 20, 44% of men and 25% of women started drinking. As a result, women started earlier than men. Four out of twenty (12%) people who are over 20 said that too much drinking is problem in Carbondale. 33% of 18 to 20 year olds and 30% of people who are over 20 said he drinking age should be lowered.

7. Conclusion and Discussion

I believed that men drank more than women. It is true, because our survey showed that men's number is higher than women's. I was surprised that 16% of females started drinking at age 13 to 15. Also, I was surprised that females begin drinking earlier than males, because I thought boys were more interested in drinking than girls. Many people said too much drinking is not a problem in Carbondale. The sunvey showed 84% of people said too much drinking is not problem. I believed that many people say they think that there should be a lowered age for drinking, but it is not true, because 69% of people said the age should not be lowered.

Drinking is a problem for teenagers. Based on the results, people don't agree with lowering the drinking age. Younger people will do some crazy things. If I do this survey next time, I will ask more teenagers. I want to know how they feel, and how they think about drinking. Some of our survey's results could not be used because some respondents are mot drinkers. So, next time I would like to ask just drinkers.

8. Reference

Alcohol use by Persons under the legal drinking age of 21.(2003, May. 9). The NHSDA Report. Retrieved Feb. 26, 2008, from http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k3/UnderageDrinking/UnderageDrinking.htm


9. Appendix 1

Copy of survey http://eap1.blogspot.com/2008/02/practice-survey-results_27.html

Drinking age

Many people have different opinions about what age is approprate for drinking. Some people say people who are under 21 years old also can drink. Some people say no, it is terrible. As American citizens, they can do everything at age 18, but just cannot drink (Clesen, 2002). When 18-year-olds drink, it might be very dangerous for everybody, because they cannot control themselves (Mulcaney, 2002). At this age, they should study hard. They cannot think clearly when they play.

When people can drink at 21 years old, it is good for everybody. When 18-year-olds drink, it is dangerous to them and we also are in danger. At that age, people often drive after drinking and alcohol is very unhealthy for people under 21 years old.

First, younger people always drive when they are drinking. For example, when a teenager goes to a party, he finishes the party and should go home. He was drinking a lot of alcohol. His head is not clear. So, while he is going home, he might have a traffic accident, because he was drinking, and could feel sleepy. His concentration will go down. He may be sleeping, when he drives. Those are big problems. Drinking can kill him; it also can kill other people. A 19-year-old girl, according to the Daily Herald, drank about 21 beers. She collided with two people (Mulcahey, 2002). After drinking, driving is dangerous for the person himself and others.

Second, alcohol is very unhealthy for people who are under 21 years old. Teenagers have not finished growing. For example, there are teenagers. One is never drinking, and the other is sometimes drunk. Now they may not be different, but they might have some difference in a few years, for example, one is short, and the other is tall. One's memory is bad, another's is good. If you drink early,, it could make your growth late. Alcohol can demolish your growth hormone.

Opponents say that people who are under 21 years old should be able to drink. It is wrong, because teenagers drive after drinking and it is very unhealthy for them. People in this age group think they can decide about their lives. When their mind is clear, they can decide about their lives. If their mind is not clear, they do not know what are they doing. The U.S.A. and my country have some difference. For example, in my country 18-year-old teenagers can drink, because if they are drinking, they can use public transportation. American people mostly drink outside. In my country, they should drink inside. Nobody goes outside, but here it is free. No one cares about it. Why in my country does no one say they should stop selling alcohol to teenagers? The answer is, they do not have their own car. They should use bus or taxi. So, they cannot make accidents. My country is safer than here. If American teenagers want to drink, they can go to China to drink, because they should use public transportation in China.

In conclusion, today we have a dispute about what age is fit to drink. Drinking is not bad, but for teenagers it is not good. They do not know how to control how much they drink, or what quantity is fit. If teenagers drink beer, then they drive. It can take their life. Their growth is not finished. So, if they drink a lot of alcohol, it will make a disease. Not drinking is good for them. We should think about this problem.

Clesen, N. (2002, January 25). 18-year-old Americans can do everything but drink. Western Courier, Western Illinois University. Retrieved February 6, 2008, from http://media.www.westermcpiroer/com/media/storage/paper650/news/2002/01/25/opinion/18yearold.Americans.Can.Do.Everything.But.Drink-443956.shtml

Mulcahey, S. (2002, January 30). Lowering drinking age is not a solution. Western Courier, Western Illinois University. Retrieved February 6, 2008, from http://media.www.westermcpiroer/com/media/storage/paper650/news/2002/01/30/opinion/Lowering.Drinking.Age.is.Not.A.Solution-443723.shtml

Traffic accidents

Many people use a car every day. A car gives us convenience in our lives, but it also makes us dangerous. Traffic accidents make many people die. It is very sad. Just because of accidents, many families lose their loved family members. If they take care a little bit, they maybe can survive. Three causes of accidents are young people want high speed, people drink before driving, and they make a telephone call while driving.

First, young people want high speed. In the United States, 16-year-old teen can get driver's licenses. The young people do not know what is dangerous. They want to do everything at their own pleasure. For example, when a teen drives a car with his friends, another car may go faster than them. They do not want to lose, so they have a car race. It can cause an accident.

Second, people drink before driving. Many people have more stress, so they find a solution to deal with stress. For example, now we have more chances go to parties. Parties are good, but at the party we might drink a lot of alcohol. After the party, people go home driving their cars. Their head is not clear. It could be very dangerous.

Finally, they make telephone calls. Many people think they are skilled in driving, so they make a telephone call when they drive. When they talk with other people on the telephone, it could break up their concentration. If a driver is distracted, and suddenly a deer comes into the road, he might be unable to react.

In conclusion, many accidents are caused by young people who want high speed, and before they drive, they drink alcohol. Also they make a telephone calls when they drive. We should find a solution to this. We should follow traffic morality.

screaming for stress relief

The Associated press (2007, Dec 12) in this article, "College students screaming for stress relief," explains how the university students fight with stress. At Northwestern University they have a tradition about in the cold night wearing jeans and sweats and standing outside. Other school also do this. In Boston they have an annual nude run. At Santa Clara University in California, when students are on break time, they go to a warehouse to jump on trampolines or play dodge ball with kids. Evan Sarkisian said, when she goes back, she should type a paper, but it makes her relax. NYU offers midnight breakfast to students. It is not just a game or fun, it can help students deal with stress. The experts agree that taking a little time to have a fun game is healthy.

Associated Press. (2007, Dec. 12). College students screaming for stress relief. Retrieved on January 23, 2008 from: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22219591

CASH FLOW

In Ed Ewing and Rachel Jasper’s (2005) article, “Cash flow not debt causes student stress, scientists told,” they explain that university students worry about day-to-day money. Dr. Scott presents students' loan, and stress every year. He asked 268 students about how much they borrow. The result is that it is not because of a dull market or their loans. He proposed that students should understand how to control their own money before going to school, and tutors should teach students how to use the university’s money management services. Helen Crevel agreed that university’s money management services is a problem and you spend money every day. Laura Whelan also said it is bad thing and it was a progress from her life.

Ewing, E. & Jasper, R. (2005, April 4). Cash flow not debt causes student stress, scientists told. Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved on January 18, 2008 from:
http://education.guardian.co.uk/students/finance/story/0,12728,1452001,00.html

MY JOB

My future job may be in business management.
I want work in L.A.That is a big city, so it has many people from
all the countries of the world. New York is good too,but LA is more
safe than New York.With this job you can go to many countries.
You might be very tired, because you should take airplanes many times.
On the other side, you can know people from all the countries of the
world. People in business management can earn more money. I think this
job can make me happy. I like that,so I want to do this.

Spring Festival

Spring Festival is very important and big holiday in China.
If Spring Festival come, it means spring will come.
In New Year's Eve we must stay in home with our family.
We are to make dumpling and do some activities,
and after 12 o'clock all the people go outside to fire firecrackers.
In the morning younger people should pay New Year's visit to older people in family,
and eat rice cake and dumplings.
If we do this our parents or grandparents will give our money.
In Spring Festival we can with our family to see Lion Dance or go to temple to pray a wish.