Drinking is a word synonymous with college. Ask people the first thing that comes to mind when they think of a college student and many will describe a rowdy, heavily intoxicated guy.

However, for most, college not a drunken blur. There are plenty of college students who are not heavy drinkers. Sacramento State’s student body is an excellent example of this.

The fact is a sizable amount of Sac State students are light drinkers and believe it or not there are more than a few of us students, like myself, who don’t drink at all.

The 2010 National College Health Assessment Survey showed 25.8 percent of students at Sac State have never consumed alcohol. The survey did show 57.1 percent said they had alcohol in the past 30 days.

The stereotype of the college party animal hurts students who do not consume alcohol and makes them feel like drinking is something they have to do.

Lindsay Wetzel, program coordinator of the Alcohol Advisory Council, said immediate social circles and media affect students’ perceptions of alcohol. They also influence their decisions regarding alcohol consumption.

“Media portrayal (of college life) is very different from reality,” Wetzel said. This makes it hard to find a balance.”

Films, advertisements and music videos often portray campus life as a big party where drinking is the norm.

As a dry student, I often find myself apologizing to others for not drinking. Even though the average student is not a drunk, there is still the idea someone is strange for choosing not to drink.

This could not be further from the truth.

It would be a stretch to say that alcohol is not a part of college culture though.

Junior finance major Enrique Oropeza said he drinks on his own as a way of relaxing and be more outgoing in public.

“A lot of people feel pressured to drink, but if they have their head on straight, it should not be a problem,” Oropeza said.

However, the notion that drinking is essential to the college experience is a problem. This is a dangerous idea that misleads some college students into thinking getting drunk is expected.

Yet, many Sac State students stand strong in their choice not to drink.

Freshman pre-nursing major Justin Feliciano said not drinking hasn’t hurt his social life and is something he “makes his own decisions on.”

While alcohol is still a part of college life, it is not a central part. Thankfully, students here dispel this dangerous myth by creating a campus where alcohol is consumed in healthy manner.

Being informed about alcohol and healthy ways of consuming it is great way to do so.