Whether you have been to college or not, you know about the reputation that it has. You’ve seen teen movies, for instance, or just listened to others recount their experiences. If you’ve been there, maybe you know first-hand. Drinking is a predominant part of life for many college students. While there are those who do not drink, a lot of young people either start experimenting with alcohol while in college or just continue habits they began in high school.
So why do they do it? They know that the legal drinking age is 21, and most college students are under that threshold. Many are upstanding young people who do well in their classes, have bright futures ahead of them and do not break any other laws. Why this one?
Some of it is, no doubt, just that “college life” reputation itself. College students know that drinking is something they’re “supposed” to do in college. They feel peer pressure to engage in activities they would not engage in alone. They decide to push the limits and try new things. Some other reasons include:
- Dealing with stress
- Coping with all of the changes in their lives
- Making new friends and having social experiences
- Having greater access to alcohol
- Feeling like they need to fit in
One student noted that the high school experience is so different because students often feel like they’re just hanging out together, as friends, even during school. They have lunch, breaks between classes, multiple classes with the same people, and things of this nature. In college, they often don’t have classes with their friends and there is not the same social factor. As a result, they make up for it with social events where drinking is common.
Regardless of the reasons, college students who get arrested for underage drinking need to know what legal options they have with their future on the line.
