The question of how college athletes are affected by drinking culture has been asked by anthropologists and sociologists for years. Many different scholars such as Edward Wahesh and Henry Wechsler look at drinking from external factors such as grades, homework, and tailgates. However, these articles have not examined how the schedules of student athletes might affect binge drinking behavior. I argue that the athletic schedules collegiate athletes are required to follow in-season directly affect the amount of binge drinking that occurs. My research addresses outside pressures that can motivate binge drinking, such as winning and losing. Although, I am primarily focused on how in-season schedules vs. out-of-season schedules influence binge drinking in student athletes. To find the correlation between being in-season and binge drinking, I conducted in-person interviews, phone interviews, and participant observations. I closely examine the differences in drinking behaviors through interviews and participant observation. Through these observations, I predict that adhering to the in-season athletics schedules will increase a student athlete's tendency to binge drink as opposed to their off-season schedules. Based on the data I have gathered so far, this is due to a couple of factors: stress, a lack of free time, and a “get it all in at once” mentality. Participants stated their limited leisure time in season was used to relax and relieve stress. Studying athletes and their drinking behaviors is important to understand why they are a high-risk group for alcoholism and finding solutions to binge drinking within this age group.

This study was designed to examine the relationships between physical health, mental health, and academic success/performance in undergraduate students. Data was collected through Survey Monkey from 208 undergraduate students aged 18 or older. The survey instrument included sections on demographics, academic success, physical health, and mental health (developed by the researchers) and the DASS21. The results indicated significant correlations between the variables of mental health and physical health (r =-.617 **), mental health and academic success (r = -.393), and physical health and academic success (r = .459**). Results from Welch’s t-test [t (170) =-2.24, p=0.026] indicate that students who report getting sick throughout the academic semester demonstrate lower academic success (M=4.61) than their counterparts (M=4.85). Multiple regression analysis was conducted to predict physical health and mental health effects on academic success. The model was statistically significant F (2, 206) = 32.016, with an R-squared of .23 suggesting that physical health (β = .33, p < .001) and mental health (β = -.21, p < .01) together account for 23% of the variance in academic success. Findings indicate that there is both a correlation and effect of diminished well-being on undergraduate students' academic success. The implications of the results support the need for further research and to provide appropriate campus resources, services, access, and support to undergraduate students.

This study investigates how pre-college academic indicators and high school-level metrics predict academic performance in introductory STEM courses at the university level. Utilizing a dataset of nearly 10,000 students from Bowling Green State University, matched with public high school data from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, the study analyzes high school variables such as GPA, class rank (percentile), per-pupil spending, graduation rates, and state test scores. Multiple regression will be used to assess the relative predictive strength of individual and school-level variables, while path analysis will explore potential indirect effects. Academic performance will be measured by the student’s grade in the introductory STEM course. Grounded in educational theory, this study emphasizes the interaction between an individual’s academic experience and their broader educational environment. These educational frameworks help explain how a student’s academic journey is shaped by not only personal academic history, but also broader systemic factors at the school and district level. Preliminary analysis suggests that high school GPA and rank are strong predictors of early success in college STEM coursework, while school-level metrics such as spending, and graduation rate suggest more complex relationships. The findings from this study have potential implications for high school student preparation, higher education admissions strategies, and policy interventions aimed at improving student retention and achievement in STEM fields, particularly for students across a wide range of school and district contexts.

Background: Prior research demonstrates high attrition rates and low student engagement among Human Anatomy and Physiology students. Students in these courses face poor academic performance and low pass rates. Exam wrappers are survey-based tools used to prompt student reflection on concepts such as test preparation, study strategies, and exam performance. By fostering metacognition, exam wrappers can influence how students approach course material, potentially improving student outcomes in Anatomy courses. Purpose: This study investigates whether exam wrappers promote self-reflection, growth mindsets, study habits, and reduced test anxiety and then examines how these factors can impact exam performance. Methodology: Participants were Human Anatomy students who completed surveys assessing self-reflection, growth mindsets, study habits, and test anxiety. We employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, with students assigned to either an intervention or a non-intervention control group based on their course sections. Surveys were administered at Westminster and Weber State Universities after the first and final exams, with only the treatment group receiving the exam wrappers. Participation was voluntary, and students who completed the exam wrapper could take new questions on unmastered concepts, earning points toward their final grade for correct answers. Implications: The study highlights the possible impact of self-referential capabilities (e.g., growth mindsets and study habits) in a test-taking environment. Findings from this study may inform research on how self-referential capabilities impact student test performance and how providing the opportunity to relearn and retest after reflection may positively affect student performance.