Ark Behavioral Health Fall 2024 Scholarship Winners

We asked students to answer the question “How does the ‘Sober Curious’ Movement Challenge Traditional Ideas of the College Experience?” After reviewing hundreds of submissions, we are proud to announce our two winners.

First-Place Winner: Matthew Fleming

Matthew Fleming is the first-place winner of our Fall 2024 scholarship essay contest. Matthew is 20 years old and is pursuing an undergraduate degree from Hampton University.

Challenging Traditional Ideas of the College Experience through the ‘Sober Curious’ Movement

The concept of being ‘Sober Curious’ gained prominence through the work of author Ruby Warrington in her book, “Sober Curious: The Blissful Sleep, Greater Focus, Limitless Presence, and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol.” Since its release in 2018, the Sober Curious movement has gained popularity nationwide, particularly among younger demographics and college students. This movement questions the conventional belief that college life is always associated with excessive drinking and provides an alternate approach to having a satisfying and unforgettable college experience.

Many students commonly equate the college experience with engaging in parties and excessive alcohol consumption. According to national polls, approximately 33% of full-time college students acknowledge engaging in binge drinking within the previous month. The prevalence of excessive alcohol consumption in this society is deeply rooted, presenting drinking as a ceremonial tradition and an essential element of social interactions. Nevertheless, the Sober Curious movement challenges this perspective by urging individuals to reevaluate their connection with alcohol and examine the advantages of practicing mindful consumption or complete abstinence.

The Sober Curious movement enables students to make deliberate decisions on alcohol usage, unaffected by societal influences. By adopting a lifestyle of sobriety and curiosity, students can give priority to their physical and mental health, academic achievements, and entire state of being. The movement advocates for the notion that it is feasible to derive pleasure from social interactions, establish significant relationships, and experience enjoyment without depending on alcohol. Adopting this change in viewpoint can result in a campus atmosphere that is more comprehensive and encouraging, enabling students to feel empowered in making decisions that are in line with their principles and aspirations.

The Sober Curious movement opposes typical college norms by emphasizing the adverse effects of heavy drinking. Engaging in excessive alcohol consumption, commonly known as binge drinking, can result in a variety of adverse effects on both physical and mental well-being. These include alcohol poisoning, accidents, and the development of long-term reliance on alcohol. Furthermore, it diminishes cognitive abilities and academic achievements, obstructing pupils’ progress towards their educational objectives. In contrast, adopting a Sober Curious approach encourages the development of healthier habits, enhanced sleep quality, heightened concentration, and improved cognitive clarity. These advantages enhance a college experience that is both well-rounded and satisfying.

Moreover, the Sober Curious movement promotes the cultivation of conscious drinking habits among students. This entails recognizing the underlying motivations for consuming alcohol and consciously deciding when and in what quantities to consume it. Practicing mindful drinking cultivates a heightened sense of autonomy and self-consciousness, enabling students to drink alcohol in moderation without succumbing to societal expectations of excessive drinking. Additionally, it creates possibilities for other social engagements not centered around drinking, such as outdoor expeditions, artistic endeavors, and health-focused initiatives.

The emergence of the Sober Curious movement indicates more considerable societal changes towards prioritizing well-being and personal maintenance. Younger cohorts progressively prioritize their physical and mental well-being, actively pursuing comprehensive methods to achieve a harmonious and healthy lifestyle. The movement promotes these principles by urging students to challenge societal norms and make decisions that foster their well-being and achievement. Additionally, it cultivates a feeling of camaraderie among individuals who opt to explore sobriety, establishing environments where students can form relationships and provide mutual assistance throughout their personal growth.

Furthermore, the movement’s focus on inclusivity and diversity confronts the tendency for typical college drinking culture to be exclusive. It acknowledges that some students abstain from drinking for various reasons, such as personal choice, health concerns, or cultural and religious convictions. By promoting the normalization of abstaining from alcohol, the movement fosters an inclusive atmosphere that embraces and appreciates all students, irrespective of their alcohol consumption patterns.

Ultimately, the Sober Curious movement disrupts conventional notions of the college experience by advocating for a culture centered around the intentional consumption of alcohol and thoughtful decision-making. It enables students to prioritize their health and well-being, promotes inclusivity, and promotes alternate methods of socializing that do not depend on alcohol. As an increasing number of students adopt the values of the Sober Curious movement, the college experience has the potential to transform into a more helpful, balanced, and satisfying one for everyone. The Sober Curious movement provides a new and revolutionary viewpoint on enjoying college life, benefiting individuals and school communities by reframing the concept.

Runner-Up: Anacia Macon

Anacia Macon is the runner-up for our scholarship essay contest. Anacia is an honor student at Temple University and is pursuing a degree in psychology.

For many college students, university showcases the opportunity for students to engage in a social scene that is focused on drinking alcohol and partying. The two often present themselves as a package deal causing students to succumb to the pressures of alcohol consumption in order to prove to themselves that they are having a good time and living the ideal “college experience”. This narrative is pushed heavily by media that focuses on a teenager/young adult lifestyle. More times than not, alcohol shows its face as the focal point of social gatherings in television, movies, and even books. Alcohol is glamorized and shapes the expectations college students have about their college years. There is also an influx in peer pressure where students feel less “cool” or “lame” for not participating in these drinking escapades.

The “Sober Curious” Movement challenges traditional ideas of the college experience because it causes individuals to question their alcohol use and why they actually engage in this activity. It sparks the question of, “Am I drinking because I need it to have fun?” or “Am I drinking because I think I need it to have fun?”. Embracing being soberly curious helps individuals, or college students in this instance, find other ways to enjoy themselves and engage in social interactions without the presence of alcohol. Stepping away from the fun aspect, sober curiosity also forces that internal reflection to figure out why a college student is drinking for other reasons. The pressures and difficulties that arise during a student’s college years may cause them to turn towards alcohol consumption as a way to cope and temporarily block out hardships. Depression and stress go hand-and-hand and often, college students resort to drinking rather than other measures that can contribute to a better mental health.

Being “sober curious” means redefining what alcohol means to the individual. This means moving away from alcohol-centric activities to a more inclusive lifestyle. There’s a sense of mental clarity that comes with investing in more authentic interactions, a healthier coping method, and discovering who you are outside of the stereotypical college sphere. Redirecting the time and energy that was previously used on drinking to personal development is an advantage that sober curiosity offers. With this in mind, “sober curious” does not necessarily mean cutting out alcohol completely or labeling it as a negative entity to you or people around you. The focus is not on being anti-alcohol, the important thing is realizing where your priorities are when indulging in this substance.

After self-reflection and some mind-mapping, a college student is able to learn how to practice mindful drinking. In this regard, mindful drinking is all about drinking intentionally and with the awareness of why you are drinking to begin with. Drinking healthily means you are drinking because you genuinely want to rather than drinking because of habit or peer pressure. Motivations for drinking are unique to the individual and should be paired with personal boundaries. For a college student, when they drink and how they drink is solely based on their own volition. These conscious choices should be with their well-being in mind. When making the informed decision to drink, the college student understands how drinking affects their body and their mind. In addition to mindful drinking, students can benefit from alternatives that do not involve alcohol to compare how they feel in both instances. Through these methods, college students have the power to indulge in a more meaningful college experience because it is uniquely theirs and not a byproduct of what others think it should be.

In closing, “sober curious” is a driving force in pushing individuals to evaluate why they drink alcohol and better understand themselves in association to the substance. The “Sober Curious” Movement is the transformative method that empowers students to choose their relationship with alcohol. As a result, college students are able to have a deeper understanding of themselves.