VT Police open freshman eyes the effects of alcohol.
Beer goggles-clad students participated in tricycle races to begin the third annual Virginia Tech Police Department Olympics.
As part of the Hokie F6 program for first-year students, the VTPD offered activities to students dealing with the visual effects of alcohol abuse.
Matt Grimes, assistant director of residence life, said during the first six weeks the Hokie F6 program puts on a variety of programs on various topic areas that are helpful to freshman students.
"We offer programs that help make the transition to Virginia Tech easier for them," Grimes said. "Safety and security is something that we focus on, as well as awareness about drinking and it's side effects."Grimes said the alcohol program with the VTPD has been very successful over the past two years.
"The program offers some fun activities with beer goggles and tricycles," Grimes said. "It is not only fun, but it also gives the students an idea of what it is really like attempting to drive while intoxicated."
Grimes said Hokie F6 is essential for building the groundwork for a freshman's first year at Tech.
"The program sets the foundation for their college career," Grimes said. "We wanted to do a freshman program that would get them acclimated, and we figured we would put on a program that would really meet the student's needs."
VTPD Officer Geof Allen said students would see the effects of visual impairment as a result of alcohol through this program.
"Students will learn that they actually cannot stop at a stop sign when they are intoxicated," Allen said. "They learn that just the visual impairment affects them just as much as the actual physical impairment from alcohol."
Allen said VTPD partners with the community, faculty and staff to make the VTPD Olympics programs as successful as it can possibly be.
"I think the program has been a great success over the past few years," Allen said. "That is just shown through the amount of people that have showed up over the years is evident of the program's success."
The event is more a "first come, first serve" event, Allen said.
"We do not really advertise the program," Allen said. "It is on the Virginia Tech calendar and on the Hokie F6 website, but mainly people see what we are doing and they congregate around us and then learn about the program and participate in it."
Allen said the program has greatly helped the VTPD establish a rapport on campus.
"The tricycles and beer goggles have become popular with the students," Allen said. "We have them race down the sidewalks with the beer goggles on, which shows them a pretty accurate portrayal of the effects of drinking."