A black and white image connected with the phrase “1:1 If At All” appeared on virtually every surface of Otterbein’s campus Monday.
Posters with the words “1:1 If At All” were taped to walls, set on tables, stuck on clock faces and even posted in the ladies’ room.
On Tuesday, faculty and staff of Otterbein were wearing buttons to support this new campaign. Snacks from The Roost and Otter Bean had stickers of this mysterious image.
This image ranged from the size of business cards to full-page sheets and larger. Students noticed the campaign, and were asking what it meant.
Some claimed the image looked like elevator buttons. Others were convinced it was a road, and even more said it looked like a button-down shirt.
What is this figure, and what does it mean to Otterbein students?
Released via social media and through My O-Zone Monday afternoon, this one-to-one ratio symbolizes responsible drinking by consuming one drink per hour, if you drink at all.
The Center for Health and Wellness, headed by Julie Saker and Matthew D’Oyly, is credited with flooding the campus with this image for a campaign against high-risk drinking.
Also sponsoring the campaign are the Otterbein Police Department, Residence Life and Counseling.
According to the Otterbein website, one drink contains approximately half an ounce of pure alcohol and is roughly equivalent to four ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer or one shot of liquor.
On average, adults break down one drink per hour, the website said.
The site also said that one shot, a glass of wine and a mug of beer are the same.
Depending on metabolism and blood alcohol levels, these drinks are all equally dangerous.
Consuming one drink per hour is a way to manage low-risk drinking. High-risk drinking, or more than one drink per hour, can produce side effects such as vomiting, blackouts, alcohol poisoning and even death.
D’Oyly said the reason behind the campaign is that it is a response to students’ requests for a new campaign to start dialogue surrounding responsible alcohol use.
“It is an initiative designed to encourage students who are choosing ‘not to drink’ to continue living out their decision (and to direct) students who choose to drink toward low-risk drinking behaviors,” he said.
The student hall director of Dunlap-King Hall, Becca Lowe, worked on the project.
“Historically, Otterbein’s approach to alcohol and alcohol education has been ‘just don’t do it,’” Lowe said. “(The campaign) aims to support students who choose not to drink while culturally redefining ‘responsible’ alcohol use.”
Madi Slack, a sophomore psychology major, said,“The bad thing about being a psychology major is if something is different in your environment, like the campus being covered in papers that no one knows what they’re for, you automatically assume you’re in a social experiment and start looking for the experimenter who is watching you,” she said.
There has been a quick response to the campaign on the part of students.
Posters have appeared in residence halls with the words “10:1 If Not More,” which contradicts the original posters.
D’Oyly said he was not upset by the dissent.
“Taking the time to make your own poster, print it out and post it means you saw it, and it’s creating discussion,” D’Oyly said.
Lowe took a similar stance. “Even if you completely disagree with the message behind it, if you’re discussing it, mission accomplished,” Lowe said.
