Students Demand Alcohol-Free Entertainment Options As Pandemic Continues

Published on 27th April 2021

ou’re walking down the street with your friends with a warm cup of locally brewed coffee in one hand and a fresh bagel in the other. A band plays on the street corner. Your friends talk about how ”wasted” they got the night before. You think to yourself, “why does almost everything fun around here involve drinking?” Every event you have been to in the past year has been centered around drinking. Nothing has been alcohol-free.

University of Georgia student Aspen Countryman wishes there were more alternatives to bars in downtown Athens.

“I feel like there could be more venues that are not circulated around also having alcohol, but that’s very difficult in general,” said Countryman. “I think there could be more wholesome environments for people to gather in a safe way. . . painting, and art, and music.”

Since the start of the pandemic, students’ stress levels have increased by 80%. Students are seeking ways to relieve that stress.

Psychologist Holly Turton says she’s worried about college students’ mental health given the lack of alcohol-free entertainment options during the pandemic.

“I am concerned about the lack of options, I guess, for entertainment, that it is kind of falling back to the bars. That’s it for students,” said Turton “I’m curious how it will play out in the next 5–10 years, how these students won’t have these sorts of fond memories of larger events, or just even different things that they can do downtown.”

So what types of entertainment would be beneficial to students’ mental health?

“Activities that are not centered around drinking, such as AthFest and Twilight help people to connect with one another in a way that is mentally nourishing,” said Julia Van Horn-Jones, a Mental Health Counselor in Athens. “Getting out and walking around the farmers market means that students are learning about local agriculture and purchasing foods that are good for their bodies; etc. At the very least, having events that aren’t centered around drinking at least give students the option to not drink.”

Countryman explains why the 21-and-up venues are problematic in a college town.

“I feel like all of it in Athens is pretty tied into alcohol and it could be cool, especially since most people that are students aren’t 21 and shouldn’t have to have a fake ID to go listen to their favorite band,” said Countryman.

Students agree that they want more events and venues downtown with diverse entertainment options.

“I think it would be really cool if there were events that had local shops and restaurants, local artists, and local Athens community members,” said University of Georgia student Bayleigh Hataway.

In a typical year, Athens hosts AthFest and Twilight, giving students the opportunity to experience downtown Athens in a new light. More alcohol-free spaces in downtown Athens might create a more healthy environment for college students. The limited entertainment options shouldn’t bar students from having pure fun.