If you're a first-year student or newly entering transfer student, we require you to participate in the AlcoholEdu for College program.
To complete AlcoholEdu, use your zID and password to log in by clicking on the NIU Azure button below the sign in boxes.
Alcohol, BAC and the Body
- Drink size
- One standard drink is equal to a 12-ounce beer, 4-5 ounces of wine and 1.5 ounces of 80 proof liquor
- BAC
- Blood alcohol concentration
Not Impaired
| # of Drinks |
BAC |
Physical and Behavioral Effects |
| ~1 |
0.01% |
Negligible |
Sometimes Impaired
| # of Drinks |
BAC |
Physical and Behavioral Effects |
| ~1-3 |
0.01-0.04% |
Slight muscle relaxation, mild euphoria, slight body warmth, increased sociability and talkativeness |
Usually Impaired
| # of Drinks |
BAC |
Physical and Behavioral Effects |
| ~3-5 |
0.05-0.07% |
Lowered alertness, impaired judgement, lowered inhibitions, exaggerated behavior, loss of small muscle control |
Always Impaired
| # of Drinks |
BAC |
Physical and Behavioral Effects |
| ~6-20 and up |
0.08-0.14% |
Lowered alertness, impaired judgement, lowered inhibitions, exaggerated behavior, loss of small muscle control |
| 0.15-0.24% |
Blurred vision, lack of motor skills, sedation, slowed reactions, difficulty standing and walking, passing out |
| 0.25-0.34% |
Impaired consciousness, disorientation, loss of motor function, severely impaired or no reflexes, impaired circulation and respiration, uncontrolled urination, slurred speech, possible death |
| 0.35% and up |
Unconsciousness, coma, extremely slow heartbeat and respiration, unresponsiveness, probable death |
Factors That Affect BAC
- Consumption factors
- Personal factors
- Weight, gender, stomach contents, other drugs in body
- Drink factors
- Potency, temperature of drink, carbonation
Alcohol Removal
Reminder: The liver metabolizes one drink per hour, time is the only way to get sober.
How to be safer if you choose to drink
- Alternate non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages
- Decide ahead of time how much to drink
- Keep track of the number of drinks consumed
- Eat before or during drinking
- Avoid drinking games
- Avoid pre-gaming before you go to parties or events
- Pace drinking to one or fewer per hour
- Have a friend let you know when you’ve had enough
- Use a sober designated driver
- Avoid mixing with energy and caffeine with alcohol
When out with friends
Encourage Friends
- Alternate non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages or not drink
- Skip alcohol if they had taken medication
- Consume alcohol moderately
- Avoid pre-gaming
- Remove themselves from potentially problematic situations
Your Drink
- Pour your own
- Hold on to your drinks
- If you leave it sitting somewhere, do not go back to it and drink out of it
Respect the right of those who choose not to drink alcohol
Group Mentality
- Stay with the same group
- Don’t leave a friend behind
If you feel uncomfortable:
- Have a plan in place for how to get home
- Use the buddy system
- Trust your feelings
Helping a friend who’s drunk:
- Remove them from the party environment
- Stay calm when speaking with them
- Keep them still
- Keep them warm even if they feel warm
- If laying down, have them turn their head to the side to prevent choking if they vomit
- Sip water to stay hydrated
- Monitor their breathing
- Call for medical help if the person is unconscious and cannot be woken up
- Don’t laugh, yell or provoke the person
- Don’t physically restrain
- Don’t force them to eat
- Don’t let them drive a car, bike, scooter or other vehicles
- Don’t try to sober them up
- Don’t let them walk around if they’re impaired
- Don’t leave them alone if they are unconscious
Alcohol intoxication and poisoning
Signs of Intoxication
- Slurred speech
- Clumsy/uncoordinated/staggering
- Glassy or bloodshot eyes
- Falling asleep/drowsy
- Overly emotional – very angry, sad, happy, etc.
- Speaking very loudly
- Crude, inappropriate and/or irrational behavior
- Lack of focus
- Radical changes in behaviors
Signs of Alcohol Poisoning - seek medical attention
- Confusion and stupor
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Slow breathing rate
- Irregular breathing
- Blue-tinged or pale skin
- Low body temperature
- Unconscious and cannot be woken
Policies and laws
NIU Policies
- Student Code of Conduct
- Conduct violations and sanctions
- Conduct procedures
- On-campus social events policies
- Off-campus social events policies
- Chapter houses
- Third-party locations
Laws
- Must be 21 to purchase, possess and consume alcohol
- It's illegal to use false identification
- Age > 21 + BAC > 0.079 = DUI
- Age < 21 + ANY alcohol = DUI
Consent and alcohol
Consent is Permission
- Clear, informed and voluntary agreement
- Is not silence or lack of resistance
- Cannot be given if a person is unable to respond
- Active and ongoing
- Must be obtained for every action
- Can be withdrawn at any time
- Consent is Tea video
FAQ
What is a binge?
Binge drinking is a term used to describe an occasion when we drink too much. It is when we have 6 or more standard drinks. Binge drinking is a form of harmful drinking that is likely to increase our risk of accidents, injuries, violence and poisoning. Having more than 5 standard drinks at a time can seriously increase the harmful effects of drinking.
How long do the effects of a drink last?
In general you start to feel the effects of alcohol within 5 or 10 minutes of drinking. It then takes about one hour for every standard drink you take to work through your system.
Can I speed up the time it takes for alcohol to leave my body?
Once alcohol is in your body you cannot control the time it will take for your body to clear it. Alcohol is absorbed into the blood much quicker than it is broken down and cleared. The liver breaks down most of the alcohol in your blood but it can only do this at a certain rate, which you cannot control.
What is the legal drinking limit for driving in Illinois?
The legal limit for driving a motor vehicle in Illinois is 0.08.
How many drinks will put me over the legal drinking limit for driving
There are many factors that influence this – your gender, body size, whether you’re drinking on an empty stomach, how fast you drink, the strength of your drink, when you had your last drink. If you’re planning on drinking your safest option is not to drive afterwards. A heavy nights drinking can still leave you over the limit for drinking the next morning – so always try to make allowances.
How long does alcohol stay in my system?
Alcohol stays in your urine for three to five days and in your blood for 10-12 hours.
