Q: My classmates and I are starting to talk about next year’s high school graduation. We are in Grade 11. We do not have to plan much until after Christmas but we want to be prepared. The big question is what to do about the alcohol that makes its way into the after-grad party that comes after the evening ceremonies are over. Some kids in my class want to party hard, but not everyone is comfortable with alcohol being there. The argument is splitting our class.I am worried that we will end up with two or three different grad parties with different rules about drinking at each one. I want to have one party that includes everyone from my class because it is our last opportunity to be together. Do you have information or statistics that will help us figure out what to do about alcohol so that we can come to a resolution and be together?A: It only takes one classmate to lose control from drinking too much to ruin the evening for everyone. It only takes one serious car accident to leave you with bad memories about your graduation, memories that will stick with you for years. It only takes one funeral of one of your classmates, killed because of alcohol, for you to spend the rest of your life wishing that your graduation had never happened.Most graduations and after-grad parties will pass without incident, but the risk factor is always higher when alcohol is involved. The Prairies have a history of graduations that have ended in disaster when people got carried away at the after-grad.Those graduating will party at the same place where their parents or grandparents partied when they graduated. Unlike your elders, you have three options for after-grad celebrations. You can choose a wet grad, in which alcohol flows freely and uncontrolled. You can have a safe grad, in which alcohol flows freely but in a safe setting controlled by your parents or you can choose a dry grad.If you choose a dry grad, you could be challenging a long-standing tradition and that might cost you support from some people.You need to understand that a dry grad is the safest for you and your classmates. It can also be the most inclusive. A dry grad is more than a get-together without alcohol. A properly organized dry grad is held in a safe placed, filled with activities and loaded with prizes so that everyone who attends walks home with something in their hands.You need a lot of time to prepare for a dry grad. The Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission has a booklet called A Grad to Remember, which outlines how to organize a dry grad. It also includes suggestions to help you make sure it is a fun night. The more you plan now and get organized, the better the chances are that you will have a great time. And don’t worry about those who want to have alcohol at the after-grad. Once they understand how much fun you are planning, they will come around and support the evening.Jacklin Andrews is a family counsellor from Saskatchewan. Contact: jandrews@producer.com.
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