SCHOOL'S out for Australia's rabble of partying teenagers and they're set to run amuck - if they haven't done so already.
But they don't necessarily want to.
Schoolies week will see reckless cavorting taken to new lows as teens drink deeply of sex and drugs and alcohol and mischief _ waking in the morning with a hangover of regret.
But they really don't enjoy that sort of thing.
Last week the findings of a University of Wollongong survey were released, revealing that most teenagers involved in schoolies week celebrations don't even enjoy the experience.
Of the 500 school-leavers surveyed, 70 per cent spoke of the week-long festivities in a negative light.
Professor Sandra Jones, who headed up the research, said the findings suggested that teens knew schoolies would leave a sour taste, but tucked in anyway. She blamed the attitude
on a lack of alternatives to celebrate the milestone occasion.
``They need to mark the end of school and do something that makes them feel mature but we are bringing them up in a society that says it's OK for you to go out and get drunk
and do something really stupid,'' Professor Jones said.
You have to admit, it's a bit of an oxymoron _ to mark the completion of studies, of knowledge acquisition and intelligence and skill, with stupidity.
But before we level the accusatory finger at those rowdy youngsters we must first accept responsibility for the culture we have created.
A culture that laughs at drunken behaviour, until it costs a life. A culture that chants `Skol! Skol! Skol!' until they're in so deep that everyone bar AA has turned away.
In moderation, a couple of drinks with friends is downright idyllic. But in excess, things get ugly real quick.
Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible does not condemn the consumption of alcohol. You've heard the part where Jesus turned water into wine at his mate's wedding ('cos what's
a wedding without a little tipple). And there are even verses that call us to ``drink your wine with a merry heart'' (Ecclesiastes 9:7) and ``come buy wine and milk'' (Isaiah 55:1), or ``stop drinking only water, and use a little wine'' for the health of the stomach (1 Timothy 5:23).
But there is a hard line on over-indulging in the merry-making tonic.
``Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise,'' Proverbs 20:1 reads.
Young people tend to learn the habits of their elders, which brings me back to the issue of Australia's lax alco-culture.
1 Corinthians 8:9 says: ``Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.''
Just because we're adults, just because our age says we are legally permitted to consume alcohol, doesn't mean it's always appropriate. We should never be responsible for the downfall of another _ we should never provide a stumbling block to the weak''.
It would be inappropriate to invite a reformed alcoholic to a cocktail party, so why do we give teens full rein before they have developed the wisdom to discern?
With work do's and end-of-year celebrations filling the diary at this time of year, it's a good chance to evaluate the example we are setting for the next generation.
Because schoolies week might just be an inflated version of their parents' Christmas parties.
Email a friend