An unfortunate result of our generation's mutual love of electronics and partying seems to be one dreaded form of contact; the drunk dial. And while many a crying drunk girl and blackout bro wake up to some regrettable messages the morning after drinking, one has to ask what drives people to consistently engage in conversations which they know will end with a big "I said what?" the next morning. Why are college student's so willing to turn their iphones into confessionals after knocking back a few, and how are college students taking drunk communication to the next level?
While drunk dialing is nothing new to the world of college life, over the years multiple forms on intoxicated communication have emerged, one seeming to be more embarrassing than the next. Perhaps a breakdown of the different forms of hammered communication and their respective implications will prove helpful.
The drunk Text : "I've beenn in luv with youu for five yearszss."
As eloquent as we may feel when we're drunk and speaking to people, apparently this feeling becomes ten fold when it comes to writing. And while texting does prove to be a more nonchalant form of communication if you happen to be in a crowded bar or party, it also provides you with double the chances of sounding like an idiot. It's time to face facts: if your former significant other doesn't want to get back together sober, the chances of convincing him or her through poetic drunken text messages are slim to none. If it's a reccurring problem with a specific contact, try changing their name in your phone to something to the tune of "don't do it" or "you'll regret this." That should do the trick.
The Drunk Phone Call: "You'll never find anyone better than me Carey!!! Your name is Carey right?"
Notorious for a reason, nothing beats a conversation with someone who is barely coherent and on a mission to tell you have they feel. However, if you're typically the initiator of this drunken banter, and if it's making you progressively more concerned, try putting your phone in a friends purse or putting it on silent so you'll (theoretically) forget it even exists. Nights out are to be enjoyed, not on the phone with someone who more than likely has nothing new to say.
The Drunken Social Network Post: "This Bar is studpid I hate everyrone"
The latest and greatest way to embarrass yourself without remembering it in the morning: using your social networking site as a drunken soundboard for all friends and followers to hear. Considering that in this day and age many college students are facebook friends with their extended relatives, co-workers and high school teachers, it may be best to keep the intoxicated posting to a minimum for everyone's sake, as it tends to be the most damaging form of communication.
While its clear drunk dialing is becoming a significant issue, it's curious WHY we feel the need to drunk text/call/post/converse. Mara Nash, a senior at Shippensburg University, says "people become more depressed and self conscious sometimes when drinking's involved, they call former lovers and other people to give them the attention they think they need." That being said, the college veteran adds a bit of advice on the topic as well: "Instead of calling exes or randoms you should call your best friends, they'll have more positive things to say and make the conversation happy instead of regrettable." While Nash could be onto something, the important thing to remember is that while the drunk feeling only lasts a night, the messages last forever, whether college students are willing to accept it or not.
