Binge: What Your College Student Won't Tell You

by Barrett Seaman

In Binge , Barrett Seaman reveals what every parent, student, and educator needs to know about the college experience. Seaman spent time with students at twelve highly regarded and diverse colleges and universities across North America­. During his two years of research, he immersed himself in the lives of the students, often living in their dorms, dining with them, speaking with them on their own terms, and listening to them express their thoughts and feelings. Portraying a campus culture in which today’s best and brightest students grapple with far more than academic challenges, Binge conveys the unprecedented stresses on campus today. While sharing revealing interviews and the often dramatic stories, Seaman explores the complexities of romantic relationships and sexual relations, alcohol and drug use, anxiety and depression, class and racial boundaries, and more. Despite the disturbing trends, Seaman finds reasons for optimism and offers provocative and well-informed suggestions for improving the undergraduate experience. Sometimes alarming, always fascinating, and ultimately hopeful, Binge is an extraordinary investigative work that reveals the realities of higher education today.

Genres: Education

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Daniel Ragsdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book describes the student cultures at some of the most highly respected schools in the US . The tale is both deeply troubling and, in some respects, reassuringly uplifting. I won't steal the authors thunder by going into detail but, suffice to say, anyone over the age of 40 is likely to be surprised at some of the aspects of the lives of "typical" young men and women at the 12 prestigious schools the author addresses.

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Preface advises us that the author attended Hamilton College- as did I. He speaks of Cafe Opus and other places I spent an inordiate amount of time at. He talks of hanging out at the Little Pub meaning that he was there observing us while I was at Hamilton. Oh dear!

That was very very interesting!