“Hookups” have been seemingly prevalent from the heyday of counterculture to the modern digital age, particularly on American college campuses. Many students live fast-paced, high-stress lifestyles which may nurture a culture of impatience and instant gratification. Perhaps this contributes to an environment in which casual sex is widely accepted or even considered the norm. After all, most individuals find casual sex desirable: one study reported that 60% of female college students had experienced a casual sexual encounter by the end of their first semester. Moreover, alcohol was involved in 64% of these hookups (Fielder & Carey, 2010). Considering how casual sex and drug use (such as alcohol) appear to go hand-in-hand, one intoxicated night out in college could reasonably end in a one-night stand.

What does this imply for the numerous college students partaking in drunken hookups? Routinely pairing sex with an intoxicated state could produce some level of craving for alcohol, regardless of context. Conceivably underlying these cravings is the association formed between using the drug and partaking in a naturally rewarding activity (sex).

Alcohol also impairs decision-making, amplifying the risk of health and social complications: individuals might engage in riskier sexual behavior which could lead to STDs, put themselves in dangerous situations, and form unhealthy relationships (Rehm, 2011). Although having sex while intoxicated is likely to heighten one’s susceptibility to addiction rather than produce addiction, it could nonetheless be the first step in a problematic direction.