College kids and poker...

In a story that should surprise absolutely no one that's in college, works in a college, been to a college, lives near a college, has a kid who's going to college, knows a kid who's going to college, and pretty much everybody else save a militia group or two in the Ozarks, poker is the new binge drinking. At least it's easier to understand why some of my students have trouble turning in their homework. Interestingly enough, I mentioned this article to some of my students in class, and they readily agreed not to actually participating but to the fact that it was prevalent. It seems when parties are winding down, there is always someone with a deck of cards and chips ready to play Texas Hold 'Em. The students also chalked this up to the poker being shown on TV now. I don't know how to feel about this, given college kids and their prediliction to addictive behavior I'm not sure I find this completely healthy although I do enjoy it myself. I do worry about where this might lead (I'm just a mother hen about my students); since it has become tougher for college-age kids to find gainful employment, the thought that more of these kids are going to end up either problem gamblers, in debt, or both is hard to shake.

Also, note the quote at the end of the article by the World Poker Tour official, a quote which may become as infamous as "Not a cough in a carload" or "Only Duff fills your Q-zone with pure beer goodness".