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JESSICA MCDONALD `02 felt she had everything she needed to settle into college life. She had a great roommate, interesting neighbors, a room with a view (all right, so it was a view of the Van Meter parking lot). She had "Starry Night" on her wall, and a snapshot collage of her friends back home. What more could she need?

On a Saturday afternoon two weeks after she arrived at UMass, however, an older student bearing a stack of Rubbermaid storage containers came down McDonald's hallway, knocked on her door, and announced a special delivery for the freshman from Saratoga Springs. Upon unpacking her very own "Welcome Bundle," Jessica realized she actually hadn't had it all, but with a little help from her mother and STARS the UMass Student Alumni Relations Society she now did.

She had a Class of `02 coffee mug filled with Hershey's Kisses, a jumbo laundry-bag, and a compact flashlight. She had poster-mounting squares, a versatile gadget called a multi-tool, and first-aid and sewing kits. She had a spill-proof travel mug (perfect for dashing across campus to that first class), and a guide to collegiate success. Attached to it all, in her mom's familiar handwriting, was the message: "Good luck in college. We miss you! Love, Julie, Stephanie, Mom and Dad."

McDonald was one of more than 700 first-year students to receive care-packages via STARS this fall. Families of entering students were sent letters last summer inviting them to order welcome mugs ($12) or bundles ($35) for their soon-to-fledge offspring. The idea was proposed two years ago by STARS advisor Ann Thompson, who recalled how a similar program had clicked at her own alma mater, Boston College.

According to STARS coordinator Shannon Aucoin `98, who oversaw deliveries while Thompson was on maternity leave this fall, the mugs and bundles bring more than kisses from home and a few of those "little things you need in college that you don't realize `til you get there." They also bring entering students in contact, however briefly, with the older, more seasoned STARS volunteers who tap on their doors, living proof that it's possible to survive your first year. And, taking a really long view of things, Aucoin hopes the program "helps students feel an affinity to UMass so they become better alumni."

By early afternoon on this Saturday two weeks into fall semester, some of the sixty or so STARS volunteers on delivery duty were emerging from Mem Hall for the umpteenth time, schlepping mugs and bundles out to a van. Tired from a morning of running around from MacKimmie to McNamara, but bolstered by lunch, they professed to be up for another few hours at their task. Some were wearing T-shirts emblazoned "U Make It Happen!" But with the sky as blue and beckoning as Leonardo DiCaprio's eyes, some worried that few recipients would be in their rooms.

Fanning out among the residence halls of Orchard Hill, however, they found their worries to be largely unfounded. In Baker, Julie Mina answered her door with a turban of damp towel around her head. Another freshman, Christine Ward of Van Meter, appeared initially wary, then pleasantly surprised as she accepted her bundle, remarking that her parents "don't usually do stuff like this."

Over in Greenough, a sleepy ectomorph who cracked the door to his room reassured the STARS that he was just about to get up from his nap anyway. A couple of girls lugging home the spoils of a tag sale agreed to hold onto bundles for some neighbors who didn't answer the door. Jordan Zolan let his delivery person, Sarah Boutwell `00, step inside to take a look around his room. "This was MY room last year," sighed Sarah nostalgically, taking in the now decidedly unfeminine decor. "You're going to love it on this hall."

People volunteer for STARS for their own reasons. Joining provides an instant social life on a huge campus, says art history major Yemisi Mokuolu, an exchange student from London who wanted to meet a lot of people quickly. STARS also works with the class councils; this year, for instance, they helped the Class of 2001 stage the first UMass Week, in which student organizations held open house in a concerted effort to get people involved. STARS volunteers work on alumni receptions, Family Day, Homecoming, and their own Senior Commencement Ball.

You never know what all the perks will be, as one young volunteer that Saturday found out. She whispered, "I caught a glimpse of my first naked man!"

-H. Ali Crolius

Reader responses to "Thinking About Drinking"

40s / 50s / 60s / 70s / 80s / 90s

Edith Smith Nettleton '34, Oneonta, New York: "Never did like drinking; made it clear to all I came in contact with; so, at age 85, I am very active and in good health driving a car volunteering going to concerts and classes under the Center for Continuing Adult Learning, and all the other advantages of a college town. Glad to see Alberta Taylor and Nancy Russell McKelligott under '30s news in the Summer UMass!"

Sarah (Sally) Bachman '37, Casselberry, Florida: "When these kids go out into the real world, if they continue their drinking, they will be fortunate if they are near one of the thousands of chapters of Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, or even Al-A-Teen to help them on their troubled way."

Catherine Leete Jones '40, Brewster: "Noticeable drinking in our era at Mass. State didn't happen not because we were more virtuous, but because we were all poor, with Depression and war dominating our scene. Those of us who could afford to serve alcoholic beverages to our friends later found the cocktail hour a cheerful scene. Many good, honorable, local activities prospered because the cocktail hour turned into committee meetings benefiting the community."

John Bourne '41, Buzzards Bay: "Moderation in all things is the best criterion. Don't drink and drive! Personally, cranberry juice is my favorite."

Lou Bishop '42, Upper Arlington, Ohio: "Do not drink you will have a better life! Take it from a 78-year-old man who has had an extraordinary life without drinking booze!"

Phyllis Tower Hall '42, Hinsdale: "I'm thankful I had the roommates and friends and sorority sisters I did. I never saw one with a bottle nor taking a drink during my four years, although we heard conversations on campus of those who would be indulging after a dance or party off campus or downtown. None of us had money on us to even stop in the `C' store for a coke. (Not once in four years! Yes!) I barely met my bills. So what else is new?"

Bill Kimball '42, Glenview, Illinois: "I never drank in college! We had no money in the late '30s. After WWII, I became a social drinker until 1975 when I admitted I was addicted to alcohol and my life was unmanageable. I admitted defeat and entered AA. Some 8400-plus days (23 years) later I'm still in the program. I've been drunk and I've been sober! Sober is better!"

Henry Zahner '45, Monterey Park, California: "There are several `booby traps' on the road from childhood to maturity. Smoking, unsafe sex, unsafe driving, overeating (!), drugs and drinking. Why not teach a tough course to illustrate how these `booby traps' can destroy one's life, along with tough campus rules, tough punishments, and tough love helping students to `be all that they can be.'"

Helen B. Gorzocoski '47, Northfield: "For many years I have been troubled by the reports of rampant use of alcohol on the UMass campus and the seeming lack of concern for the problem by officials and administrators. It has been a serious problem for a long time and has not been addressed actively by the university. I was appalled even back in the '70s to see the lack of respect, the irresponsible behavior and destruction in the dorms. In fact, I was truly glad when my daughter decided, after a year and a half at UMass, to go elsewhere. I am pleased to read that changes are being considered and crackdowns by officials taking place."

Kent Bliss '48, Attleboro: "With grandson headed for college, this issue, among others, is scary. Drinking to excess is a choice. It was a choice in the '40s and it still is. It is a cop-out to blame peer pressure for binge drinking. Friends and fraternity brothers should help and care for each other, not expect `chugging' to be accepted."

Thomas F. Pitoniak '50, Westfield: "If you feel at times you are overdoing it and can't control it, you could be an alcoholic and should quit entirely. Remember, you are doing it for your own good, yourself, no one else and take it one day at a time worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. I myself am an alcoholic (would say so in front of 1,000 people) joined AA in December, 1968, thirty years ago. SOBER for thirty years one day at a time."

George J. McCafferty '58, Manchester, New Hampshire: "The use of alcohol always was and always will be. Save your breath, print, and money. Parents and teachers show by example. They and the kids know wrong from right. What else is there?"

Stephanie '59 and Bruce Bonnivier'60, San Antonio, Florida: "College years consisted of heavy drinking weekends at the Drake and frat parties. We remember the KNURD (drunk spelled backwards), which was a BIG spring event on campus. This practice continued through the mid-'80s, as alcohol was center of all celebrations. Unfortunately, our children, four boys, grew up thinking one couldn't celebrate without booze. We are now avid supporters of MADD and now that we have grandchildren, all family events are alcohol-free. We've been fortunate not to have had SERIOUS problems, but problems there were. Education is the answer."

Lucy Sawyer '60, Brooklyn, New York: "I drank when I was at UMass and the consequences were bad enough that I don't drink now and have not since l970. The stories of drinking on campus are sad indeed but probably no worse than they are of alumni, many of my age and already retired. I am in general opposed to use of alcohol and other drugs even socially. How damaging these substances have been to so many!"

Lawrence H. Rayner '61, Melbourne, Florida: "As a recovering alcoholic five years sober, I was interested in your feature subject. I recall my one time in the Drake with Dennis Crowley '59, who saw a guy in the men's room put some Spanish-Fly-like substance in his girl's drink. Denny was horrified and a few minutes later managed to tip over the drink `accidentally.' I'm married to a girl from Brazil, where they don't have a legal drinking age and don't have nearly the problem the U.S. has. They don't promote it on the airwaves to the point of being a status symbol, either! I'm hoping to persuade President Clinton after he leaves office to redeem himself by leading a national campaign to ban all alcohol ads from radio and TV."

Patricia E. Gray '62, Natick: "In college, many of us abused alcohol via binge drinking (drinking to drunkenness on weekends). It appears to be a time of exploring one's limits, often by surpassing them to the point of blackout. Many years later, as a psychologist, I have become concerned with the importance of available counseling on college campuses (also AA, Al-Anon, N.A., Al-a-Teen, etc.). Universities must take this responsibility very seriously."

Ruby A. Nock '62, Charlotte, North Carolina: "Alcohol is a toxin that can kill. It's also of benefit, when used in moderation, as part of a healthy lifestyle. When used in excess, as I did once, it is no fun. To get drunk is to get nauseated and often lose it, to try risky behavior, to pass out. A hangover is a big headache. I've done it once and vowed never again. I like to feel well!"

Diana Dunn Kallio '63, Amherst: "I think drinking to excess is and was the single most destructive force at UMass (and probably most schools and colleges)."

Warren C. Morse '64, Louisville, Kentucky: "Since we were `Suitcase U' at the time (everyone went home on weekends) the only socializing on weekends happened after joining a fraternity. We never had a driver fatality (i.e., driving to New York, legal age 18 there). Everyone graduated. We even survived mandatory ROTC. Even the Smithies drank, at Rahar's in Northampton."

Lynne A. Penicnak '64G, Park Ridge, New Jersey: "I read this issue from cover to cover and am happy UMass is addressing the dilemma. As a light drinker, I am happy to know UMass is making provisions for students who have no interest in `substances.' As an undergrad at Ripon College, there was no such option and I had to readjust my habits to be able to go to sleep with TV, lights, noise, etc., and risk rejection from my sorority sisters due to my abstinence. (They did not reject me just thought I was `different.') Young people are not all able to resist peer pressure as I did."

Bruce A. Spencer '64, New Salem: "The question, can the university control excessive drinking, is similar to a larger question: can we control man's evolution for the betterment of our environment? Unfortunately, the answer to both questions is `Unlikely.' Perhaps your admission standards emphasize brain power over character."

Bill Donovan '65, Williamson, New York: "The Drake was the only place I have ever seen a commode-hugging drunk. With a smile on his face. During the day, between classes! That was in '64.

I still wonder what became of this unknown student."

Joan Harvey '65C, '67, Palm Coast, Florida: "Very impressive! A thorough, in-depth look at a relevant issue not just college-related, but also of universal interest. Excellent, well-rounded journalism."

Helene Eugenie Andreassian '67, Newton: "Until alcohol is treated the same way as in Europe, young people are going to have problems. I greatly enjoyed reading your magazine all about alcohol and its history. I passed it on to a health teacher at the school in which I teach. Thank you for a very interesting and informative magazine."

Robert Latremouille '68, Cambridge: "Thanks for the Drake story. I'm flabbergasted it died that recently. In the heavy pressures of '68, the Senate/SGA core relaxed at `The Pub,' but my `home' was the Drake. I really regret not appreciating Willie's scene as well as I should. It was still home."

Margaret Maddock '68, Hyannis: "Don't be afraid not to drink. When I was 17 I had two beers. I passed out both times. I quickly learned I couldn't drink! My family are all alcoholics two active and I've seen how excessive drinking can destroy lives."

Linda Sage '68, Armonk, New York: "I think your `Reflections of a Fraternity Boy Twenty Years Later' was truly fabulous Thomas Kendall really hit home. As the mother of two sons one just graduated and the other just entered college this was the perfect article to share with them. I'd love to see this article printed where more parents and thus students could see it."

Martin J. Markey '69G, '71G, Springfield: "Congratulations on your focus on alcohol abuse. I see the results of alcohol abuse daily in my clinical work I've come to the conclusion that college-age students are generally not yet mature enough to drink responsibly. Alcohol needs to be deemphasized and socially disapproved in some manner as now regards cigarette smoking."

Peter Rappo '70, North Easton: "What concerns me particularly about this generation of drinkers is a philosopical shift in terms of the why. In the past, alcohol was used as a social lubricant when dealing with new or frightening situations. The trend I'm seeing is that students can't have a good time with friends unless they are drinking. I talk endlessly with my patients about loss of control and who is in charge if you are wasted. Trust your friends, but not that much."

Marjorie Anne Short '70, Wakefield: "Bravo! Very solid, totally impressive issue on drinking and binge drinking at UMass. I totally support attempts by the administration and staff to limit/control drinking in dorms and other campus locations. I'm also saddened that so many college stusdents are more concerned with their `right to party' (read: get totally blotto, falling down and vomiting drunk) than they are with what I've always thought college was about: a time to prepare oneself for one's future through a university degree."

Alan M. Halpern '71, Derry, New Hampshire: "Drinking is part of American society, so it is important to learn to drink responsibly. Unfortunately, many of us had to learn the hard way but we did have some great times at UMass."

Joseph Riccio '72, Chelsea: "State law, age 21, campus-wide, including fraternities, should suffice. Enforcement of the age law, on campus and off campus, should be a cooperative and responsible effort on the part of admistration, campus police, local police, and state police officials."

Allen Kaplan '72, '76G, Ashburn, Virginia: "It is tempting at my age to declare `No tolerance for alcohol on campus.' Two obvious problems are (1) my dimly-remembered defiant attitude as a youth, and (2) the spectre of increased drunk driving to off-campus watering holes. How about an educational approach?"

Jim Leger '73, Newington, New Hampshire: "Most of us have been there. Many of us over-used it. It is, however, a drug; a socially acceptable drug though it may be, it damages your body, relationships, and property, and takes lives, and we should change the way our society accepts all of this. However little at a time or all at once we need to change."

Ronald McGuire '75, Westminster: "I don't recall drinking much, maybe two or three beers and a glass of wine or two per year. Most of my friends drink very little alcohol and those heavy drinkers who are still my friends have quit. Drinking alcohol to excess is a serious problem in the Western world."

Mark Wurzbacher '75, Takoma Park, Maryland: "The Blue Wall is now `dry'? Yeegads! Not only was it a social center for me, but my ticket through grad school. (I worked as a bartender at the Blue Wall and the TOC, as well as the Pub in town.) So now, I would assume, there's more drinking off-campus than on-campus. Whoa, that solves the problem, right? No, it just alleviates UMass's responsibility (and liability) for addressing the problem. Yes, excessive and addictive drinking is a social problem, especially among the young, but, as your own survey indicates, it is a problem for only a minority of students at UMass. This is not to mention that alcohol is a legal substance in the United States (if you're above 21), and, as Judson Brown notes in the article `Sweet Ensnaring Mead,' drinking is a social activity with a history likely as old as humankind."

Norma (Sims) Roche '77, Northampton: "I would have been so happy if there were quiet, sober floors available when I was there! I fortunately got my misbehavior out of my system in high school and was ready to study when I came to UMass, but it seemed I had to fight the partying culture every step of the way to get an education and a decent night's sleep! The kids who don't choose to drink need the university's support and protection!"

Kay '78 (no last name in compliance with AA fourth tradition): "I am an alcoholic, with more than 15 years in recovery. Drinking is not just about physical process. It's about outcomes for me the sweet obliteration of the high, the leaving behind of self, worry, anxiety that happened at the start of my history. But it's the endings that it's mostly about now: the blackouts, the illness, the unpredictability. The self-hatred. And in the middle: the bad decisions at UMass. The terror of being found out. The waste of my early twenties. God, what I would give for those years back unencumbered by booze and partying. I will regret the outcomes of my drinking for the rest of my life, even as I live, grateful for all I do have."

Marguerite Phelan Bailey '78, Marblehead: "Please keep up your efforts to curtail on-campus and off-campus drinking. You are saving lives, and someday, that life may belong to my own child!"

Margarete LaRoche '78, Parrish, Florida: "In Florida, drinking and driving don't mix. Sobriety checkpoints are everywhere due to increased traffic. Distance learning is becoming more popular, along with job-oriented training."

Anne Elizabeth Stohr '78C ('86), Minneapolis: "As a society, we cannot place `freedom to drink' in the same general category as `freedom of expression.' To do so is to indicate the confused understanding society may have of the definition of freedom. Those who drink to excess interfere wrongly in the lives of others. At UMass, partying occurred in the 70s (and was loud and intrusive in the residence halls). The power of plants, roots, and pharmaceuticals is recognized. But we do not respect it enough; therefore, we don't moderate our use of substances properly."

Marguerite Thomas '79, Lexington, Kentucky: "If you're going to drink, do it wisely. Same old message, but it's the truth. Alcohol can ruin your life, your job, your family, your marriage. Don't let alcohol become the most important thing in your life."

Karen Dorsey D'Isidoro '80, Cambridge: "Excellent. Thought-provoking. Well done."

Mark J. Perry '80, '82G, Middletown, Rhode Island: "Drinking: Did my share. I was at UMass during the transition between the 18- and 21-year-old drinking age. Gone were BudFest, Schlitzo-rama, Quad Day, Bluewall, etc. Drinking seemed so normal then and so odd now."

Janina Davenport '82, Amherst: "There are more constructive ways of initiating a person than drinking themselves to death or destruction. I never had money for liquor for I aimed high and didn't follow others but watched how I spent my time and money. Make time count, for life is too short." (Janina adds, "I graduated from UMass at age 68, it was my second degree; I graduated from Greenfield High School, Pratt Institute and Arizona State University at Tempe at age 44.")

Boris Milman '84, Brookline: "The problems of drinking at UMass reflect our society's inability, read unwillingness, to accept the simple fact that as long as recorded history, people drank. (See description of 36 beers in ancient Mesopotamian texts.) Coming to U.S. from Europe as a teenager, I was able to compare two different attitudes toward alcohol. In Europe teenagers, although not encouraged to drink, are allowed to do so in most countries from about 14-16 years of age. Consequently, when it's time for them to drive, study, etc., they've been through the experimenting phase already without the tools of destruction at their hands (cars, weapons, etc.). A client's 18-year-old son recently remarked to me `Drugs? That's for kids, we're into fashion, making money!' Thus a phase is contained, prevented from becoming a permanent problem."

Donna Davenport '84, Geneva, New York: "This is a great issue; I'm happy to see it. Although I did enjoy some light social drinking, especially on Friday nights, while I attended UMass, I thought the institution's reputation as Zoo-Mass was unfair. A lot of us worked VERY hard and played very little."

Kelley (Doak) Reaves '84, Brewer, Maine: "I lost four family members to drinking-related illnesses, one good friend to a drunk driver, and I have a brother recuperating from a drinking habit . . . Need I say more? DON'T DO IT!"

Diane (Weingartner) Stone '85, New Gloucester, Maine: "We all put too much emphasis on alcohol. It's a sad commentary when a person `has to have' a drink, or when they drink they always get drunk. If we can't have a good time without alcohol, how can we really know we're having a good time with it?"

Glenn Dacey '85, North Grafton: "Unfortunately, whatever my response, someone will state that it is wrong. Educating high school teenagers will help prevent some of the excess, but college kids will drink. Personally I'd rather have bars on campus, where kids at least can be somewhat monitored, and they can walk to the dorms rather than drive through towns drunk. No easy solution!"

Eric Hamm '86, New Salem: "Drop the age for beer and wine to 19. If a person is old enough to die for the United Nations they are old enough to drink a beer before they go. Bring back smoking in taverns, it adds to the atmosphere and makes the sidewalks and doorways a lot more pleasant."

George Lane '86, South Weymouth: "Quite frankly, if it weren't for drinking, at times to excess, I wouldn't have met so many good people or made so many good friends. I consider it a phase many of us went through. Most of us came out unscathed, thankfully. Today, everything is scrutinized much more than in the early '80s, perhaps rightfully so. As you grow older and your responsibilities increase, the need to be sharp, physically and mentally, increases as well. Most of us have learned that lesson. But would we trade the social experiences at UMass? NEVER!"

Adam Nazimowitz '86, New York City: "I wasn't much of a drinker before I came to UMass, but that quickly changed. In the early 1980s, that was the social setting, and you drank if you wanted to fit in. Living on an all-male floor in John Adams tower at the time, I saw things that still frighten me. I believe drinking responsibly came down to the individual. Some people can control themselves; others can't. It's a fine line between having a good time and feeling good and then destroying things because you can. Many students are still too young to make responsible decisions. Many don't want to, either."

Linda Somma '86, Milan, Italy: "I strongly agree that there exists a serious problem with alcohol abuse. People think it's OK to drink because it's legal, compared to many other `illegal' substances, which are much less damaging."

Tracy Livesey Keating '87, Fort Lauderdale: "Unfortunately my experience with drinking at UMass has left me only with embarassing memories and regret. I was an older student (22 years old) trying to fit in. I felt drinking was the only way to make myself feel comfortable. Alcohol was everywhere on campus every day of the week. I am lucky and blessed to have survived what I went through at UMass."

Charles Ahearn '88, Naples, Florida: "Very interesting reading about alcohol in our society. Sobering, actually. I still wonder why it plays such a big role in our culture, when its detrimental effects are so clear. Marx had it wrong, I think. Alcohol, and not religion, is the opiate of the masses."

Kevin Burns '89, Baton Rouge, Louisiana: "This was an excellent issue. Very scholarly and thorough. I find it hard to understand how a society can allow the promotion of alcohol through the many facets of the media and then turn around and say that you can't drink it until you're 21. I believe alcohol should be allowed on campus, especially at receptions for music recitals, as it was in the mid-'80s."

Mary Maier '90, Grass Valley, California: "Alcohol brought me to UMass. I am fantastically awkward around men and it took several Long Island iced teas to break the ice between me and a former love back in Oregon in 1982. I was considering leaving the exotic animal handler business to go to college. He was a UMass alum and convinced me to go. I never drank while attending UMass and graduated cum laude in 1990. I did spend, however, most of 1988 (the year we broke up) in a drunken stupor in Australia with the School for Field Studies, but returned sober. Unfortunately, by the time I had successfully passed my accelerated course in relaxation, he had gone his own way. Had I spread my rather dangerous binge out to the occasional drink while we were together, I might have learned to relax in a more timely manner. Humanity, and in particular driven students, need to be aware when they're storing things up so they can find safer and more gradual methods of release. The Drake closed in 1985, the year I arrived at UMass. Sigh. Such seems to be my lot in life. SAVE THE DRAKE FOR MARY FOR HUMANITY."

Diana Roberts '90, Greenfield: "I agree with Ashoke Ganguli's feeling that changing the drinking age back to 18 `would be consistent with their other rights and responsibilities' ["The U and the Blue Wall," Summer 1998]. `Drinking behind walls' can have a tremendous impact on an individual's future. Education about the effects of alcohol could certainly begin earlier; France, England, Italy many other countries allow drinking at an earlier age."

Jeff Filipov '91, Concord: "I was never much of a big drinker although I have partied quite a bit (mostly in college). The problem I ran into was that when some moral do-gooders ranking high in the state government decided alcohol was `bad,' and the drinking age went to 21, it became `illegal' to socialize, because the only places to go with my kind of people were the local bars. I had to get a fake ID to have fun and friends that I wanted even if sober."

Walkie Charles '94G, Fairbanks, Alaska: "I found `Thinking about Drinking' fascinating. Great photos! What surprised me is, despite all the talk about the Drake, there was no photograph of how it looks today. (Although I know personally; I lived in Apt. 201 from 1992-95.)"

Heather Ann McCarthy '94, Brighton: "I got a wonderful education at UMass and also had so much fun. Please don't take away all of their fun! People should be careful and responsible drinking, but don't turn it into a military school!"

Cheryl M. Thomas, Blumenau SC, Brazil: "I was one of the abstainers. I just didn't like the drinking or the way my fellow students reacted to alcohol. Now I abstain for religious reasons. This issue of the magazine was fantastic. Thanks to all who participated."

Matt Ledoux '95, Atlanta: "The issue involving drinking at UMass was depressing. I haven't heard about the school or been back, and the first thing, in glossy, for forty pages, is how much they drink. What about the achievements? Who's succeeded or what's a strong program happening there with good results? There's got to be something positive to print. We all know about the parties. The reputation of "ZooMass" is already out. But what's coming out of there that's good? I want to be proud." [We sent off a package of pride-inducing past issues to Matt immediately Eds.]

Jon Siegal '96, Braintree: "Why do so many at UMass drink? Look around ... is there anything in Amherst to do? Nobody wants to wait 90 minutes for a bus on weekends, and most underclassmen don't have cars. Maybe if there was something for students to do (IN AMHERST) movies, bowling, pool, a comedy club not everyone would feel the need to drink."

Jennifer Gugliotti '97, Boston: "I am very displeased with the recent policies directed toward alcohol use by UMass students. College is a time for growth and this shouldn't be restricted. College is a total experience, not just an education. It's unfortunate that campus life has changed so much. I can't believe that the Hobart Hoedown was interfered with. I am especially upset with the tailgating situation. UMass officials seem to not care about alumni with this decision!"

Richard A. Weinberg '98, Lake Pleasant: "There are so many more interesting things to do than drink or get drunk. Even as an eighteeen-year-old this was true for me. Why do something that you know is going to make you feel like dirt?"