Spring Break
Students celebrate sobriety
Emma Egli
Issue date: 10/20/08 Section: News
The group Hammered provides alternatives for those students who prefer to spend their nights without drinking or doing drugs.
The college lifestyle is one that many students know all too well. Whether it's the keg parties and bars on the weekends, beer pong on the weekdays and maybe a little crammed studying in between, partying is just a way of life in college. However, for some students getting wasted on the weekend isn't their idea of fun.
"My friends and I try to find other ways to have fun during the week and on the weekends," said Daniel Deffenbaugh, senior music business major. "We have movie marathons or watch a bunch of episodes of 'Heroes.'"
Ken Procaccianti, founder of the organization Hammered, recognized that not all students at college drink and that there should be more ways for them to have fun and get involved on campus.
Hammered is a group with a mission aimed at bringing together students whose lifestyles may not include drinking or doing drugs just to have a good time. Procaccianti came up with the idea for Hammered in 2002 while he was a sophomore at Northeastern University in Boston.
"Being a student who didn't drink or do drugs, I felt like there was nothing to do on campus," Procaccianti said. "That's when I came up with Hammered. I wanted to show students that you can have fun without alcohol or drugs, even if it's just for one night, the weekends, or the rest of your life."
Hammered was recently featured at the National Young Leaders Conference, as well as in a documentary for National Geographic. It is quickly becoming noticed all across the U.S.
"I started putting up flyers around campus, and I honestly didn't think many people would show up to the first meeting," Procaccianti admitted. "So it was a shock to see around 50 students show up. People were actually really excited about my idea."
Since that first meeting in 2002, the excitement has spread from Northeastern University to other universities across the country. Since re-launching this September, the newest chapters of Hammered have sprung up at Southern Illinois University, North Texas University and Merrimack College in Massachusetts.
The college lifestyle is one that many students know all too well. Whether it's the keg parties and bars on the weekends, beer pong on the weekdays and maybe a little crammed studying in between, partying is just a way of life in college. However, for some students getting wasted on the weekend isn't their idea of fun.
"My friends and I try to find other ways to have fun during the week and on the weekends," said Daniel Deffenbaugh, senior music business major. "We have movie marathons or watch a bunch of episodes of 'Heroes.'"
Ken Procaccianti, founder of the organization Hammered, recognized that not all students at college drink and that there should be more ways for them to have fun and get involved on campus.
Hammered is a group with a mission aimed at bringing together students whose lifestyles may not include drinking or doing drugs just to have a good time. Procaccianti came up with the idea for Hammered in 2002 while he was a sophomore at Northeastern University in Boston.
"Being a student who didn't drink or do drugs, I felt like there was nothing to do on campus," Procaccianti said. "That's when I came up with Hammered. I wanted to show students that you can have fun without alcohol or drugs, even if it's just for one night, the weekends, or the rest of your life."
Hammered was recently featured at the National Young Leaders Conference, as well as in a documentary for National Geographic. It is quickly becoming noticed all across the U.S.
"I started putting up flyers around campus, and I honestly didn't think many people would show up to the first meeting," Procaccianti admitted. "So it was a shock to see around 50 students show up. People were actually really excited about my idea."
Since that first meeting in 2002, the excitement has spread from Northeastern University to other universities across the country. Since re-launching this September, the newest chapters of Hammered have sprung up at Southern Illinois University, North Texas University and Merrimack College in Massachusetts.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Terry Harpole
posted 10/22/08 @ 11:05 AM CST
I am happy to see so many young students in our shools who want to not use drugs and alchol, as there are so many things to do with using them.
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