Rocksoberfest

Students can find ways to have fun without alcohol consumption at Eastern’s annual
Rocksoberfest.

Health Education Action Team (H.E.A.T.) and Campus Recreation will work together to
promote alcohol safety with the use of various games and prizes.

“Rocksoberfest is about letting people on our campus see that you can have fun outside of the
classroom and be sober at the same time,” said Courtney Skelly, Campus Recreation Group
Fitness Instructor.

According to the EKU handbook for students, H.E.A.T is a peer education program that stresses
the importance of giving knowledge to students regarding topics such as alcohol consumption.
The idea is not to force rules or beliefs of prohibition on students, but to help them make
educated decisions about alcohol consumption in the future.

This is the largest event for alcohol awareness week at EKU and will take place at 5p.m., Oct. 23
at Campus Rec.

The evening of free activities, food, and t-shirts attracts students each year while providing
information regarding the dangers of alcohol poisoning, drunk driving, and binge drinking.
These are all commonly seen in college towns such as Richmond, KY, especially binge drinking.

In 2015, 20% of youth agd 12-20 years drink alcohol and 13% reported binge drinking in the last
30 days, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Piizza, music, and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided by Campus Rec to promote a
healthy alternative to alcohol.

Campus Rec is preparing a drunk driving simulator, trivia games, and corn hole that will give
students the opportunity to experience the effects of drinking alcohol without actually doing so.

One of the popular activities at Rocksoberfest are the “condom races” where students wear drunk
goggles and attend to put condoms on artificial penises.

“This night lets people come together and learn that there are other ways to have fun instead of
partying every weekend,” said Katie Sidebottom, a junior Special Education major.
The games at this event will show students how alcohol impairs them both physically and
mentally so they are able to make better decisions regarding alcohol in the future and prevent
drunk driving or other dangerous situations.

In 2015, 10,265 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly 29% of
all traffic-related deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.

Rocksoberfest is open to all students, regardless of whether they currently drink alcohol.

Returning Rocksoberfest attendee Sarah Kelley said she looks forward to the event even though
she does not drink because it is a fun experience that amplifies an important message.

“Just because we’re in college doesn’t mean alcohol has to be everything. There are so many
other things to do in Richmond and this event helps people to understand that,” said Kelley, a
sophomore Communication Studies major.

Rocksoberfest takes place during National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week and is free to all
students.