Have you ever wondered what students at OSU do who are recovering from an alcohol or drug addiction? While Oregon State University boasts almost 30,000 students, there are only twelve students that are part of the OSU Collegiate Recovery Community—a club where students can develop a social life around sobriety. According to a study done in 2001, 18 percent of US college students have an alcohol use disorder. Extrapolating that statistic to OSU’s campus, approximately 5,000 of our own students could use help with alcohol use-related issues.

If only 5% of those students (250) had a strong enough desire to choose sobriety, the OSU CRC would easily become more than twice the size of the nation’s largest collegiate recovery community.

That said, I am wondering where the students are who have a desire to quit drinking or drugs. Based on the statistics and reasonable assumptions above, there are a fair number of students out there that should, theoretically, be interested in what the CRC has to offer. The CRC has coffee hours and “check-in” hours twice a week. I have participated in many social events with the CRC, such as the OSU ropes course, a whitewater rafting trip, recovery birthday parties, and holiday parties.

Three months of sobriety are required to officially join the CRC. I joined a week after my three months sobriety date and have been enjoying the past 14 months of CRC support and friendship. After six years of college and numerous alcohol-induced catastrophes, I finally made the decision to take an indefinite break from drinking and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. My relationships and friendships are better, I’m enjoying life more, and I’m excelling in my academics.

Kyle Sullivan, second year master’s student, Wood Science and Civil Engineering, Class of ‘16

Edited by Erin Schulberg, Dietetics and Nutrition major, Class of ‘17