By Kaitlin Keane

For some students, college is defined by an atmosphere of drinking. Incoming freshmen, eager to live up to the mayhem of “Animal House” and “Old School,” measure memorable nights in number of alcoholic beverages consumed and degrees of belligerence. But nights of reckless abandon inspired by drugs and alcohol are hardly on every student’s college horizon.

As a sophomore international affairs and philosophy major, Ken Procaccianti chose to boldly go where few bored students had gone before. Fed up with the lack of options for students not interested in beer pitchers and keg stands, he established Hammered, a group that sponsored dry events and entertainment around campus.

Unlike many existing groups challenging the institution of collegiate dependency on drugs and alcohol, Procaccianti did not want to preach. Instead he aimed to provide new options for students looking to have fun without drinking.

“I felt like there was a void for people like me,” said Procaccianti, who has never had the desire to drink or use drugs. “One of the main priorities of a college student is to have a good time. So rather than preach and condemn their behavior, I wanted to show them there was the opportunity to have a good time [without drugs and alcohol],” he said.

One of Hammered’s first sponsored events was the Wimpy Body Contest, where willing contestants participate in a mock beauty pageant, flaunting what they’ve got in “bathing suit” and “flex” rounds. Started in spring 2003, the contest remains one of the group’s most popular events.

Procaccianti said the response from students during Hammered’s start up was shocking, as more than 70 students showed up for the first meeting based on fliers and word of mouth. He said he expected about 10.

“The turn out was shocking, almost overwhelming. It was very telling that so many students showed up, and it was a very diverse group,” he said.

He found the students participating in Hammered events came from a range of campus groups, and many of them have not chosen a life of sobriety. After all, the group aims “to demonstrate that you can live your life, or even just one night of your weekend” without drugs and alcohol.

Since Procaccianti graduated in 2004, Hammered has sponsored numerous events for students looking for something to do sober, including big-name speakers such as B-movie icon Bruce Campbell and spoken word artist Henry Rollins.

This year the group kicked off Welcome week with a schedule of ultimate frisbee games and movies in Centennial Commons, including “Mean Girls” and “Sin City.” Interested students can find the latest Hammered events and opportunities at www.Hammered.org, and may sign up for possible kickball and dodge ball intramural teams to come this year.