An arrest record today can impact people in many ways it did not when modern parents were young...but that's just one of the risks related to alcohol.
The transition to college brings plenty of changes, and conversations around drinking can feel daunting. But the reality on campus may surprise you: the vast majority of Huskers make smart, safe choices.
According to UNL's 2025 Year 1 College Behavior Profile, 93.2% of incoming first-year students reported that they either chose not to drink alcohol at all or, if they did drink, stayed below binge drinking levels.* Your ongoing conversations make a real difference in keeping those numbers high.
*Binge drinking is defined as 4+ drinks for women or 5+ drinks for men within a 2-hour period.
It's common for college students to overestimate how much their peers drink or use marijuana, and that false perception can create unnecessary pressure to match a "norm" that doesn't actually exist.
The good news? The actual culture on campus has shifted dramatically. Binge drinking rates at UNL have plummeted to an all-time low of 18.2%. This means that over 8 out of 10 UNL students are making safer choices.
How you can help: Remind your student that they don't need to drink to fit in at Nebraska. The majority of their peers are already prioritizing their health, safety, and academic success.
Although more and more students are choosing to abstain from alcohol and marijuana use and/or practice responsible drinking, high-risk drinking is still a concern at UNL.
Redefining the Norm on Campus: A substance-free lifestyle is more common at UNL than you might think. Data from 2026 shows that 76% of Huskers chose not to use cannabis or marijuana products at all in the past year.
Having accurate information helps parents start the conversation with their student, and allows parents to speak with confidence and credibility.
Students are taking charge of their choices: As awareness of the impacts of high-risk drinking increases, UNL students are confidently setting their own boundaries. When choosing not to drink in 2026, the majority of students based their decision on protecting their academic success (58.2%), avoiding the high cost of alcohol (56.9%), or just not being interested in drinking (55.6%).
The Real Campus Culture: Safety First
Movies and media often make it seem like high-risk drinking is just an accepted part of the college experience. At UNL, the reality is very different. Huskers hold high standards for themselves and look out for one another. In fact, the vast majority of UNL students do not approve of peers engaging in dangerous alcohol-related behaviors:
- 98.3% disapprove of driving after drinking any alcohol.
- 93.7% disapprove of putting oneself in situations they might regret.
- 91.6% disapprove of drinking to the point of getting sick.
- 90.3% disapprove of drinking to the point of memory loss or blacking out.
Choosing safety aligns directly with the values of the UNL student community.
When students realize that they’re not alone in either abstaining from or controlling their consumption of alcohol and marijuana they feel more comfortable declining the invitation to use substances.
*Information is taken from 2025 UNL Y1CBP and 2026 NACHB reports
Watch these videos to find out some students’ impressions of the college drinking and cannabis/marijuana scene.
Although more and more students are choosing to abstain from alcohol use and practice responsible drinking, high-risk drinking is still a concern at the university. As you visit with your student about drinking at college, having accurate information helps initiate the conversation and allows you to speak with confidence and credibility.
This website features interviews from students, parents and administrators at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Nebraska Wesleyan University. Although this website is intended for the parents of UNL students, it is important to note that young adults in the city of Lincoln, enrolled, employed or both, socialize together and often share similar experiences related to their transition to college life.