The Collegian

Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: Features

Dressed in a blue Chargers T-shirt, a student enters his friends' house bearing the essentials -a large stack of red plastic cups, a 30-pack of Natural Light and a big grin, subtly telling his friends what time it is.

It's Flip Cup time.

Games like Flip Cup, Beer Die, Ride the Bus and Beirut - a variation of Beer Pong - are campus favorites, students say.

Some students, like junior Mike Chalberg, say drinking games chase away boredom.
"[Drinking games] are fun things to do with friends," Chalberg said. "Especially in Hillsdale, where there aren't that many options."

Chalberg said he and his roommates often enjoy Beer Pong and other traditions. They said games bring them together and relax the atmosphere when they hang out with friends.

Senior Tyler Walton, Chalberg's roommate, said drinking games serve as a great excuse to hang out and listen to their favorite bands, like Incubus.

A group of students swarms around their friend in the Chargers shirt, dividing into two teams and taking their positions on either side of a long, rectangular slab of wood propped on four chairs - the ideal table. Someone yells, "Match up," and each student anxiously taps cups with the person across from him, awaiting the start of the game.

The fun spirit of the games offers a comfortable atmosphere in which anyone can participate, students say.

Senior Tracy Gura said drinking games like Never Have I Ever and Kings reveal interesting things about the participants and help build friendships.

"It's something that everyone can do to relax and get to know each other," Gura said. "Even girls who don't drink can play and have fun with those who are."

Senior Carol Matthews agreed. She said she enjoys playing drinking games like Beer Pong with water instead of alcohol.

"Not everyone necessarily drinks when they play drinking games," Matthews said. "Some just have fun playing the game and listening to good music."

She also said people bond over the competitive spirit of drinking games similar to the way they bond over sporting events.

After a moment's hesitation, the two people at one end of the table tap their cups and begin drinking. Teammates' cheering motivates each player's effort to finish his beer and flip his empty cup upside down off the table's edge before his opponent, triggering a relay effect.

Some students say it's possible to maintain control while playing drinking games and believe it is a safe way to socialize.

"I don't buy the worry that you get uncontrollably drunk off drinking games," senior Steve Lundberg said. "If you're smart about it you can easily monitor the number of drinks you have while you're playing."

Senior Megan Mahan also said she enjoys drinking games and she thinks they are a harmless social mechanism when used correctly.

"Drinking games are a fun way to enjoy each other's company," Mahan said. "When you're doing something that silly, you just have to laugh and have a good time."

The student in Charger blue, the final member of his team, watches his opponent down his beer just a moment before he gets the chance to touch his cup. But as his opponent struggles with his flipping skills, the student's turn arrives.

In one fluid chug and a quick tap, he successfully overturns his cup, victoriously throwing his hands in the air as screams erupt from his team.


Hillsdale College Collegian 2008

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