After last September's Princeton Review article that ranked UB No. 2 in the categories of "lots of beer" and "lots of hard liquor," a group of UB students decided that being No. 2 was just not good enough.
David Warel and Jason Labland, who are both undecided majors, formed the new organization, UB Boozin', with the intention of helping UB reach the No. 1 spot.
"It's been a goal of ours for UB to be No. 1," said Warel. "We don't seem to be No. 1 at anything, and I think this is something we can achieve. We are so close."
The group has already attracted over 200 members and is still growing. The club is trying to get more students involved and has tried to become a part of SA, which will not recognize them as an on campus group.
"UB Boozin' offers nothing to the UB community," said SA Senator Elizabeth Lock. "It's a bunch of drunks with a useless mission. SA only wants to spend money on valuable things like 'Visions' and LL Cool J concerts."
Despite Lock's refusal to recognize UB Boozin', Labland said the club will not be discouraged.
"We already have our goals slated out and are currently working on accomplishing them," said Labland.
According to Labland, UB Boozin' is currently negotiating with the staff at the Elli and Campus Tees about the possibility of selling alcohol in campus stores.
"What would be better than being able to pick up a 40 of Old E with your campus cash?" said Labland. "We really need these stores to take the initiative in order to become No. 1."
"There may even be a beer tap next to the Cherry Coke in the dining halls," added Warel. "If you can get wasted in the dinning hall it would be a big plus for students. You wouldn't even realize how bad the food is."
Deciding on a beer for the tap is a difficult decision for the members, however. The Rochester and Buffalo natives are campaigning for Labatt Blue while Long Island and New York City students are pushing for Heineken.
The group also hopes to get the bookstore to begin selling more premium alcoholic beverages. UB Boozin' is arranging for bottles of Moet and Glenfiddich to be sold in a designated section of the bookstore. Students may also have the option of trading their expensive textbooks in at the end of the semester for a shot of vodka and a Bud Bowl '94 hat.
The group also hopes to increase underage drinking on campus.
"We need to get better fake IDs to the students," Labland said. "A chalked ID just won't cut it anymore."
To provide underage students with fake IDs, the group is organizing an ID drive, in which they encourage UB students 21 and over to donate old IDs to help the underage.
"It's a beautiful thing, seeing students help each other like this," said Warel. "The next time a freshman gets alcohol poisoning and ends up with 200 hours of community service from SWJ, a student knows he made a difference."
The group is getting mixed reactions from students.
Lisa Pastra, a senior art major said she would be more in support of a group that helped UB reach No.1 in the category of unhappy students.
"Princeton Review ranked UB 13 for unhappy students," said an angry Pastra, who was dressed in black and drinking a grande mocha from Starbucks. "Buffalo is cold and depressing. Plus, people here suck, there's no excuse for us not being No. 1."
Bryan Kloss, a freshman nuclear medicine major, said the group has been a big help to him.
"A guy down the hall from me told me about the group so I went with him," Kloss said. "I drink about every day now, and I'm on academic probation. I think I'm going to lose my scholarship and with the tuition hike I probably won't be able to come back, but at least I got wasted doing it."
