Stephanie Sorrentino usually spends her Wednesday nights getting her required study hours in. But last Wednesday, she got to learn something different.

Sorrentino, a freshman communications major, went to “Party Smart” to meet the Gateway program’s study hour requirement.

“I went in expecting it to be boring,” she said. “But the people made you want to pay attention. They weren’t just two old people with a PowerPoint. It was fun, informative and surprisingly a valuable use of my time.”

“Party Smart” is a component of the Six Pack Program, run by the Health Education Resource Center.

Sorrentino said she plans to attend other Six Pack Program presentations.

“It was information I can actually use and will help improve my college experience,” she said.

Six Pack Program features a series of six different presentations dealing with alcohol. The program is designed for both drinkers and non-drinkers.

Erica Roa, the alcohol and tobacco education coordinator for the HERC said, “even people who abstain from drinking, there’s almost a 99.9 percent chance that they’re going to encounter someone who does drink on campus. It’s just making them aware of what happens when you do drink.”

The six presentations touch on a wide range of topics, from the legal consequences of drinking to how to battle a beer belly.

Students can attend as many of the sessions as they like and are not required to attend them all. But regardless of how many of the presentations students go to, Roa said she hopes they take away tools that will help them make more educated and informed decisions.

Roa said the program focuses on a proactive approach.

“If students use the protective factors we educate them about, their chance of going to class or graduating drastically improves. If you do one of these six things you will probably have a better night than if you didn’t use the tools.”

Roa said the presenters try to make the students’ experience with the Six Pack Program fun and positive.

The sessions are interactive and use TurningPoint Technology.

Students who attend the sessions receive remote controls, which they use to answer questions the lecturer may present.

The interactive sessions help students absorb and apply information about drinking and are used to give away prizes to those who participate.

Amber Shaverdi, Greek health education coordinator said getting students involved with the presentations helps them absorb and apply the knowledge.

“With this type of programming it’s very easy for a student to walk in, take something out of it and use it in their life every day and past college.”

The Six Pack Program extends beyond the basic six weeks of informational meetings. Coordinators work with resident assistants, University Foundations instructors and Greek houses throughout the year upon request.

Shaverdi said when a specific group calls she is able to tailor the presentation to fit the group’s needs.

University Foundations teacher, Rhonda Heath, said she believes having programs like Six Pack Program available to freshmen soon after the fall semester commences has a strong impact on the decisions they make in their first few months here.

“Even though they’re underage and shouldn’t be drinking, they’re going to,” she said. “They are away from their parents for the first time and wanting to experiment. They want to spread their wings, but this helps them be smarter about it.”

Roa and Shaverdi said that statistics and reports indicated the Six Pack Program is working.

The program started four years ago and continues to grow in popularity and resources. Since then, there has been a decrease in incident reports regarding alcohol and the number of people who are referred to Judicial Affairs.

The third session in the Six Pack Program series will take place tonight at 7 in the Lumpkin Auditorium.

“How to Drink Without Getting a Hangover” will cover strategies for going out and having fun without getting sick. Roa said common misconceptions about drinking will also be discussed.