Erica Roa knows college kids drink, and doesn’t plan to stop them.

“We’re not here to tell people not to drink,” she said. “We just provide options for healthy and responsible drinking.”

Roa is the Health Education Resource Center’s alcohol and tobacco education coordinator. She’s on a mission to educate students to be aware of the choices they make.

Throughout the year HERC sponsors a number of alcohol awareness events.

The “Drink With No Doubts” lunch and learn seminar is one of these programs and is from noon to 1 p.m. today in the Arcola/Tuscola Room in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Instead of teaching full-out abstinence of alcohol, the HERC actually encourages students to party H.A.R.D. – that is a healthy and responsible drinking approach.

Amber Shaverdi, Greek substance abuse education coordinator for the HERC, the host of today’s event said it is open to all students, faculty, drinkers and non-drinkers.

Part of the program is geared toward non-drinkers, teaching them the how-to on caring for drunken friends and also how to be comfortable around alcohol in social situations.

Non-alcohol drinkers play an important role in the safety among those who drink, Shaverdi said.

For students who binge drink, health and academics become risk factors when students choose to drink heavily, she said.

Through educational tips, HERC encourages students to make the best choices themselves.

“(We) don’t tell student what they should or shouldn’t do, but we want them to be prepared,” Sharverdi said.

Another of HERC’s many goals is to make the campus healthier as a whole.

“Alcohol is only one factor. We want to reduce the number of alcohol incidents by looking out for the overall wellness of the students,” said Roa. “Ultimately, students are here for the academic programs.”

Some tips that HERC teaches are what they call “protector factors,” include pacing, setting a drinking plan and to eat before consumption.

Eating before and during alcohol consumption helps slow down the absorption of toxins.

“Moderation is key and using protector factors to avoid binge drinking can save you from a rough night, a hang-over or missing class,” Roa said.

She said students should monitor the amount of alcohol they consume by setting a drinking plan.

“To abstain from drinking for the night is also big help,” said Roa. “It’s OK to take a night off drinking and still go out.”