San Diego and its booze blues

USD students discuss the impact of San Diego being ranked no. 1 in money spent on alcohol

Tori Thomas / Assistant Opinion Editor / The USD Vista

Every city has its own culture surrounding alcohol, whether it is sold at corner stores or hardly at all. For Senior Rebecca Chavez, partying and alcohol wasn’t something she grew up surrounded by.

“I am from an hour north (of USD) and there are not many bars around there,” Chavez said. “So the go-to activities are not drink-related at all.”

This is not the case, however, in San Diego. Recently, a study was published by the Delphi Behavioral Health Group, indicating that each San Diego resident spent, on average, $1,112 in 2017 on alcohol-related products for the entire year, a 30.8 percent increase from last year. This makes San Diego the biggest alcohol spender in the entire United States when compared to any other major metropolitan area. The residents of Seattle came in at second place, spending an average of $986 in 2017.

Chavez could hardly believe these stats.

“I would expect places such as New York to have spent a larger amount of money on alcohol,” Chavez said.

However, senior Tannaz Akbarpour was not surprised by the news.

“As someone living in San Diego (who) doesn’t drink but often observes others doing so, this doesn’t surprise me,” Akbarpour said. “I saw it before I turned 21, and now that I’m 21 I see it even more. In a city like San Diego, a city that prides itself on its nightlife, it’s absolutely no surprise alcohol spending is so high.”

There are 18 colleges in the San Diego area. With this statistic in mind, and a stereotype of college students’ propensity toward alcohol, one might wonder about how this plays a role in earning San Diego this title.

Akbarpour, from the San Francisco area, also acknowledged that drinking here in San Diego is different than drinking back home.

“I’m from a suburban town outside of San Francisco,” Akbarpour said. “There’s not a big nightlife scene out there and, at least when I was there, drinking in high school wasn’t as widespread as my younger sister says it now is. Regardless, alcohol consumption there is not close to the level it is here.”

Senior Delilah Bishop noticed that there was an easy access to alcohol near campus, such as the liquor store that is just down Linda Vista road, which is easy walking distance.

“There are so many liquor stores and specialty beverage stores around,” Bishop said. “It’s kind of hard to not be around alcohol. With so many colleges in a single area, it seems more prevalent. Especially because there are certain areas, such as Gaslamp Quarter and (Pacific Beach) where they are known for their lively bars and clubs.”

Easy access to alcohol in San Diego might be one of the reasons people are consuming alcohol at such a high rate, but it might also be the expectation from peers to do so. The pressure to drink is felt among students. To not drink might make someone feel like the odd one out, and may severely diminish their ability to socialize with the majority of their friends and peers.

Bishop reflects on the way the culture of alcohol and its effects on socializing.

“With alcohol all around you, sometimes it feels like everyone is doing it,” Bishop said. “Many times people feel like if everyone is doing it and they aren’t, they won’t be accepted into social groups.”

Bishop, from the Los Angeles area, also noted how alcohol perception was different here than it was back home, though perhaps not entirely for the better.

“Kids begin drinking at a younger age and it’s done in familiar settings where they are more safe and can be taken care of,” Bishop said. “In San Diego, I feel like most people either drink at a random house party or, if they are 21, get trashed at a bar. But I do feel like drinking is much heavier here then what I have seen back home. Rather than being done in moderation, people here binge drink.”

Alcohol, and its effects on the body, are often trivialized, especially in the eyes of young college students. However, as the trend toward alcohol expenditure and consumption increases in San Diego, it is not impossible to see a larger presence of alcohol at work in the San Diego economy. With more demand for a product comes the eventual expansion of store locations. This would only increase the pressure on students surrounding the presence of alcohol on campus for USD students, both now and in the future.