Drinking alcohol is often synonymous with student-life. By conducting research, MatieMedia set out to find out how true this is in Stellenbosch. This is what we found:
Out of 140 students, 73 students said that they only drink alcohol occasionally. However, 58 said that they drink weekly, whilst nine said that they drink daily.
Their drink of choice? Perhaps influenced by the surrounding vineyards, 31% of students prefer a glass of wine. Beer achieved a close second with 29%, followed by cordial mixes at 21%, ciders at 15% and shooters at 4%.
GRAPHIC: Paula-Ann Smit
Most students said that they prefer to have these drinks at local hangouts:
GRAPHIC: Paula-Ann Smit
These businesses can expect to cash in on Klein Saterdae, with 38% of students saying that they spend more than R100 per night out. Only 12% said that they spend less than R50. Of these students, a whopping 84% said that they only drink for social purposes.
GRAPHIC: Paula-Ann Smit
During these evenings out, 38% of students drink an average of two to three glasses of their preferred drink, while 28% drink more than three glasses. Of these students, 15% confessed that they drink more than a bottle.
Taking these statistics into consideration, what are the pros and cons of alcohol consumption?
Although alcohol does include some health benefits, it must be enjoyed in moderation. According to the health website WebMD, one drink a day for female students and two drinks a day for male students can be beneficial.
One drink can be defined as 150 ml wine or 360 ml beer or 45 ml liquor.
Drinking moderately can lessen the chances of a stroke or a heart attack by 25% to 40%.
Beer lovers and wine enthusiasts who drink moderately are also in luck, as they can decrease their risk of developing kidney stones by 41% and 33%.
However, the drawbacks of alcohol consumption outweigh the benefits. WebMD found that an excessive use of alcohol could result in heart enlargement and increase chances of oesophagus, stomach, pancreatic, and liver cancer. -Tania Heyns and Paula-Ann Smit
Beer lovers who drink moderately may decrease their risk of developing kidney stones by 41%. PHOTO: Simonn Marais
Businesses cash in as 38% of students spend more than R100 on a night out. PHOTO: Simonn Marais