Social activities that involve alcohol appeal to students on a cost basis. Alcohol is cheap, plentiful, and easy to get. On all of these campuses, students can find a way to binge drink for less than five dollars. Econometric analyses of alcohol use have shown that price does play a role in binge drinking, particularly among women. A high density of alcohol outlets surrounds most larger campuses.
Establishments cater to college students and compete with each other to draw business.
College communities can examine the distribution of liquor outlets and the pricing practices in the neighborhoods around them. They can then begin a process of dialogue and concerted action with community leaders to solve these problems. Designated Helpers College students are motivated by positive messages that align with their values. They tend to be less responsive to rule-based approaches than to positive visions of their role. One norm among students that can be a very powerful motivator is their desire to see that their friends are safe.