3:16pm Friday 22nd January 2010
By Pencils Down
In my experience at Uni, students are very reluctant to part with a lot of cash in exchange for one alcoholic drink (unless of course it’s guaranteed to do damage).
However, at a house party, the dynamics are all different. A social gathering inside a grotty, magnolia splashed student house would bring out the best (or worse, you decide) in my peers.
At a friend’s 21st birthday it took a mere five minutes before a man, wearing an all-in-one, blue spandex human cannon ball outfit, shoved the nozzle of his box of white wine down my throat, forcing me to drink the contents, then skipping off to do the same to an unsuspecting mime artist (it was a circus theme). The punch bowl was then soon unveiled, prompting a range of clowns, ring masters, popcorn vendors and an elephant to pour in a whole host of ciders, lagers and spirits, creating a frothy, brown communal beverage for all to ‘enjoy’. Once the trough was empty and the taxis were booked, it was time for the guests to finish their poison of choice. Those with an excessive amount left handed out cans and bottles willy nilly to strangers, friends of friends, or, in the worst case scenario, tipped the rest down the sink.
At a house party, the concept of money is forgotten, getting rid of all booze is a matter of life and death.
So as I sat waiting for my turn to give blood the other week, I couldn’t quite get my head round why there were so few youngsters joining me in a real life and death situation. I know that sounds highly dramatic, but the facts are there. To meet the sadly high demand of blood transfusions, 8,000 pints need to be donated every day, which works out as 2.92 million pints a year. The National Blood Service say on their website: “Last year we collected 2.1 million donations from about 1.6 million donors. Although that sounds a lot, it reflects only 4% of the population, giving two or three times a year.” If you can happily hand out pints you’ve paid for to stranger, why not give a pint that hasn’t cost a penny and will save a life?
I personally find it shocking that 4% of the nation can give three pints a year each while the rest keep theirs to themselves. We bang on and on and on (and rightly so) about how we all wish we could save the planet, cure disease, and end famine. But these are huge feats, which certainly won’t happen in my life time and must be approached in the way a trusty ol’ supermarket treats customer service: ‘Every Little Helps.’ However, by giving blood you are helping someone almost immediately. In fact, in some cases one pint can save three lives. Time to put your vein where you mouth is. It genuinely makes a difference (I promise that wasn’t a failed attempt at a Sainsbury’s pun in order to keep in with the supermarket theme. Ahem.) Anyway, what surprised me more on this visit is that, at a guess, 95% of the donors around me were middle aged or over, many of whom taking time off work to do the good deed. There was a distinct lack of youngsters. Now I refuse to believe my generation are selfish and can’t be bothered and suggest the problems possibly lie in a combination of a lack of effective campaigning and access to information. I always intended to give blood but it wasn’t until last year a friend persuaded me and told me to look on the website (www.blood.co.uk).
I’ll admit, when a student planning to change the world, I desperately wanted to give money to help all the worthy causes out there, only to be shirked by the paperwork or being unsure whether I could meet the monthly payments. But money is not even a factor here. You’re actually paid in as many crisps, snacks, tea and squash your body begs you for after a change in sugar levels. It never fails to surprise me how many Hula Hoops and ginger nuts I can engulf afterwards. And, without reverting to boring student clichés, I know what it’s like to have no money and go hungry during term time, so the food they provide can genuinely be helpful! I don’t want to preach (I do), but I honestly can’t think of an excuse not to do it and think it’s important for everyone to encourage a friend to go with them.
I know that when looking at a pint glass the concept of filling it with blood can be stomach turning, but it’s not like you have to drink it. Just give it to someone who will be eternally grateful and get on with your life. It’s the cheapest and most important round you’ll ever get in.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk