moderation

I love college. For all the obvious reasons, and some weird ones. Yesterday, I spent most of the afternoon watching basketball courtside, went to the gym, took my girlfriend to a nice dinner, and spent the rest of the night with her at a mardi gras party. Its not a bad life.
     But at that party, similar to many others, I couldn't help noticing the number of people staggering around, slumped over in corners, and generally acting like idiots. I'm certainly not a saint. My girlfriend was making fun of me this morning for emptying a punchbowl by myself (she's exaggerating. probably). The thing is, I remember everything I did last night, and none of it is particularly embarrassing. Well, my dancing might be, but thats a different problem.
       Part of this is from experience. I'm 22, and I've been to my share of booze parties. Going out just to drink is fun the first few times, but only the first few. The morning after tends to dampen whatever memories you have of the night anyways. Maybe I'm getting old, but staying out dancing with a stunning girl until dawn seems way more fun then passing out in a corner before midnight.
     I don't know if this is just my perception, but it seems like the kids who drink to excess are often the ones who lived at home during highschool. Its not so much the alcohol they're after as the thrill of doing something new and adult. Let's face it, getting seriously smashed isn't actually that much fun. The problem is that sheltered kids sometimes don't know that. They see their parents drinking at dinner and parties, and think that more is always better. I'm not trying to say that parents should let their underage children go wild, but forbidding something completely is the best way to make sure kids will overindulge as soon as they get it.
      I actually met my girlfriend at a party three years ago, right as I was transitioning away from the drink-everything-in-sight phase that ruined so many of my sundays. She was dancing with a couple of friends, when a guy who'd clearly been there for a while came up and tried to join in (can't fault his taste). He was a pretty belligerent drunk, and didn't take it well when they asked him to leave. Guys grinding on girls without an invitation is a serious pet peeve of mine, so I went up and persuaded him to go. Have to admit, I'd also been trying to think of a way to talk to her for the last hour. We did get to talking after that, then exchanging numbers, then leaving to walk along the charles and talk more.... You get the idea. Life lessons, gotta love them.
       Old saying I hear a lot when discussing college life: "Moderation in all things, including moderation." This is wisdom. Its' just a pity people ignore the first clause.