Roughly 49% of college students drink.This means that almost half of college students will be affected by college bar life. With the close of the semester, a new one will begin, meaning new students will be exposed to this life. Alcohol related crimes in Texas State University are now at an all time low, and yet drinking In the United States is by no means on the decline.
https://compliance.txst.edu/clery.html#:~:text=The%20Clery%20Act,prospective%20students%20and%20their%20families.
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/college-drinking
https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/resources/underage-drinking/
https://247wallst.com/state/this-is-how-alcohol-consumption-in-texas-compares-to-other-states/
Above, we see various statistics that allow us to weigh the trends of alcohol on both larger and smaller scales in order to form a more informed opinion on the matter. As we see above, young college students are relatively likely to engage in drinking. What is most fascinating about this all is that according to the Texas State University Cleary report there has been a steep down turn in alcohol related crimes.
Below is a map of the San Marcos square and it goes to show us just how concentrated the area is with bars. What’s most shocking about it all is that all this is just spitting distance away from The Texas State University Campus, it’s no more than a 5 minute walk away. Beneficial or not it has become common place around the nation to see a large concentrations of bars just past campus limits. This makes it clear that there is indeed a market for this within college campuses.
The bars ensure to be festive and cater to the season. There’s a reason to swing by anytime of the year. 
A more eye catching bar. They tend to be tamer but much more expensive. 
After party places are fairly common in any bar centric area. They’re usually open past 2 a.m. past when all the bars are closed. 
Even when just walking around town there are alcohol related pieces to be found. Some are not always this positive. 
Different bars tend to go for different looks. This ensures everyone has a place that suits their aesthetic. 
While none on the square, honky tonk bars are a staple of places like nashville. These places have live music all day, typically of the country variety. 
Halloween weekend tends to be one of the busiest weekends for bars. Live music runs rampant. 
There is always some kind of event to be found in the square. Even the most insignificant of thing can be turned into a reason to go out and drink. 
Flashy lights lure in the masses. Bar hopping is all about spontaneous choices and bars do their best to win this game of chance. 
Cops regularly patrol the streets of the San Marcos square at night. They ensure nothing too shady occurs
Above is a collection of pictures showcasing a variety of different bars, both local and not in order to show what these places look and feel like. It’s clear that there is a bar for everyone, and 21 year old bartender Tae Johnson states that “many people come to bars simply to take pictures and post on Tik Tok or Instagram and end up a few drinks deeper than they might have guessed”.
Above we hear what a typical Texas State University student and bar hopper thinks on the matter. It’s clear that he has a rather negative disposition on the matter, which makes a lot of sense as in the interview he explained that “many friends have done questionable things under the influence, things I would rather not speak on”. Here we can see that though only anecdotal the decrease in crime is by no means representative of the full picture
Above we see video footage of various areas within the San Marcos Square in order to give us an idea of the feel and energy that such a place gives. Local student Elise Malouff claims that the bars tend to be rather “immature”, and “lackluster” for someone looking for a calm night out. She feels that the bars are “catered to younger people” and that they are clearly not bars meant for “anyone older than maybe 25”.
As the statistics show most college students go through a phase of drinking and bar hopping, but as our guests have anecdotally shown it is a phase that is easily outgrown by most, but can potentially lead to a greater issue if left unchecked.
