As this week is Alcohol Awareness week, it is only appropriate to delve into the real story of alcohol -- meaning the good, the bad and the very ugly. Students at Penn State are bombarded with reminders that alcohol is all around. It's on flyers on bathroom stall doors and it's screaming at us from apartment balconies.

Because we get extremely mixed messages about alcohol from our surroundings, it is not surprising that the actual effects of alcohol consumption send a mixed message.

There have been studies showing that there could be positive associations between alcohol and health. There may be a reduced risk for heart disease with the daily consumption of a glass or two of red wine. I repeat, a glass or two.

This is because there is a compound found in red wine that may lower the risk of heart disease.

The French paradox supports this theory. The conundrum is that the French have a reputation of adding butter to almost every dish they prepare and yet still have a very low occurrence of heart disease.

But don't go buy a case of merlot and tub of Crisco and settle down for a snack!

There have also been studies that suggest that any kind of alcohol can lower heart disease. In the midst of this confusion you should remember one thing: Whether it's wine or whiskey, excessive alcohol consumption is associated with an increase in cancer and a decrease in the longevity of life.

Looking at the ugly side of alcohol, it doesn't take much scrutiny to realize there are problems associated with booze. If you've seen your reflection after a night of too much drinking, you know it ain't pretty. Your body is damaged and dehydrated.

Alcohol is a depressant, which means it lowers your ability to think clearly. So if your beer goggles end up fitting too tightly, you may be putting yourself at risk for a sexually transmitted disease.

Your body may be in shameful shape if you drink more nights of the week than not.

Some negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption include protein synthesis impairment, slow wound healing, muscle wasting, impaired learning, hindered memory retention, abdominal pain, impaired absorption of vitamins and minerals, and organ damage.

Basically, everything from your ability to study for a test or remember a phone number to your capacity for running a mile is affected.

Considering that alcohol gets distributed via the blood to all your organs, it's no wonder that problems associated with excessive alcohol consumption occur all over your body.

These problems don't even include the excess calories alcohol brings into the body, which is another topic all together. Chances are, if you are a student here, you've seen the good, the bad and the ugly side of alcohol.

Although there may be some positive benefits to drinking alcohol, on a college campus the bad often outweighs the good. The main message is that if you do consume alcohol, do it responsibly. And if you do, I'm sure the god of wine will be smiling down on you.