Gabriela Krupa
Staff Writer
ASULV alcohol awareness speaker Lori Hart’s talk, “A Few Too Many, Our Campus Culture of Alcohol,” packed Morgan Auditorium March 6.
Since 1999 Hart has spoken for CampusSpeak, an organization that provides educational events to colleges.
Hart broke the ice quickly by addressing common clichés.
“I know what you all are thinking about this alcohol awareness speech, ‘ugh, shut up lady, we hate you,’ ” Hart said.
The space soon bustled with laughter.
Hart said that men and women cannot drink alike. Women break down alcohol slower than men, which causes women to feel the effects sooner.
If a man and woman went on a date and played beer bong, six beers later, the man’s blood alcohol content would be .12 and the woman’s would be at .21. The alcohol effects a women’s body twice as much.
“When women are taking birth control, the alcohol break down is slower,” Hart added.
Hart reminded the crowd that alcohol is not negative when consumed in moderation. Though she added that when under the age of 25, the part of the brain that maintains judgment is not fully developed. When alcohol is introduced, judgment becomes impaired and young people are particularly vulnerable to such effects.
She continued to describe the effects of alcohol with a game that challenged the audience to think about their future.
Hart told the audience to move the right leg clockwise. Moments later, she asked them to point the right index finger and draw a six.
“The pointer finger represents the introduction of alcohol to the body,” Hart said.
The action proved to be challenging: most participants could not accomplish the task.
As students focused on their motions, the right leg would automatically move in the counterclockwise direction.
As the talk continued, Hart told the audience that the liver, and not metabolism, breaks down alcohol.
She asked the audience for positive and negative behaviors associated with drinking alcohol.
They responded with comments like “it gives you courage,” “people can die” and “making memories.”
Hart said that her talk is about the two or three things students will do with the information that was given at the event.
T.J Martinez, senior kinesiology major, said although the speaker was funny, she was very informative.
Rebecca Kennedy, senior psychology major and ASULV senator said that Hart made everything relatable and that is why they chose her.
She added that she was not aware to what extent alcohol affects women more than men.
“She cursed so I felt connected,” said senior business major Walter Harper. “I thought she was funny.”
Hart went to Auburn University, received her master’s degree in education from the University of Montevallo and her doctorate in Higher Education from Georgia State University.
“Harvard taught us the less you drink, the less you have problems,” Hart said.
“Because you are applying yourself, your grades are better.”
She also described the change in the study of alcohol consumption in college students over time.
Students left with a better understanding of the effects of alcohol upon their bodies depending on age and gender.
Lori Hart can be followed on twitter @DrLoriHart.
Gabriela Krupa can be reached at gabriela.krupa@laverne.edu.
