Some people drink to have fun with friends, some to suppress emotions, some to fit in and some most importantly to have sex.

It’s portrayed in films, TV shows, social media and commercials. Sex and alcohol go hand-in-hand in today’s younger generation.

When referring to hookup culture, it’s impossible to ignore the use of alcohol. Usually, college students participate in one night stands and casual hookups while being intoxicated to some degree.

Hookups most likely occur in the late hours, between Thursday and Saturday after having drowned a bottle of Burnett’s.

A study published by Journal of Sex Research shows that women drank during 53 percent of their hookups and drank heavily 38 percent of the time, as opposed to only being intoxicated during 20 percent of romantic encounters. These studies show how hooking up casually with strangers in college relies heavily on alcohol.

Alcohol makes it easier to talk or hook up with others because it reduces inhibitions.

Being intoxicated also helps to make the people around seem more interesting. The conversations I’ve had sober as opposed to being drunk have been extremely boring and I’ve feigned interest each time.

The last time I had sex sober was this past summer, but once I got back to Chico, It’s been nothing but drunk sex.

That is the hookup culture we live in today. Psychology Today said ages 18-24 is the time affiliated with heavier drinking and a greater number of sexual partners. The combination of these two helps relieve the pressure, stress and inhibitions of approaching a possible hookup.

Regretted hookups may occur as well. Many people have hooked up with someone who seemed attractive while intoxicated. When the drunk vision wears off, alcohol is the only thing that could justify those actions.

Not only does that excuse help cover up the stigma of a bad hookup, it also helps justify promiscuous activity.

I believe society pressures many young adults to mix alcohol into sexual relationships in order to make the sex better.

The hookup culture relies heavily on alcohol and without it, many teens would not be participating in the walk of shame the morning after.

It’s easy to mix alcohol and sex, especially when casual sex without any judgment is hard to come by.

Rachel Reyes can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.