End-of-term parties leave students worse for wear

• Source: Global Times
• [10:15 June 25 2010]
• Comments

By Ni Dandan

As college life draws to an end for this year's clutch of new graduates, hospitals near universities have started receiving the annual stream of students who have over-indulged in alcohol at their farewell gatherings.

"We've treated around 20 students in the past week for alcohol detoxification," a doctor surnamed Huang, who works with the outpatient department of Xinhua Hospital, told the Global Times Thursday.

The hospital in Yangpu district is close to several universities, including Fudan and Tongji. "It's a routine phenomenon that happens every year around this time," added Huang.

The motives for student drinking around this time vary, with some trying to fortify themselves for the farewell speeches, some looking to combat the depression of saying goodbye to their friends, and some just wanting to have fun.

"When you're sober, you feel too embarrassed to express your love for your classmates, teachers and the group as a whole," said Shen Dongmei, a graduate from Shanghai Normal University, who attended the graduation ceremony and then a farewell party Thursday.

But with some male students reportedly drinking more than 10 bottles of beer each in a single night, doctors have warned that they could be putting excessive pressure on their livers, despite their youth.

While many students indulge in at least a drink or two, one stunt from last year has yet to be repeated, although pictures of the event have being doing the rounds again on the Internet.

The pictures show two male students of Fudan University baring all as they streak across the campus, holding a banner that reads "the ultimate honesty."

Many Internet forum users Thursday were criticizing the students, not realizing that the pictures were from a year ago.

Some students from Fudan University who recognized the photos then pointed out they had been taken in 2009.