Underage Drinking Questions?

[Callie]

I started attending college this fall. Over break, i've attended my first two "college parties". Most of the people there weren't of legal age to be drinking, but they were. I on the other hand, do not drink. Could I still get in trouble for being at these parties? Even if there is zero alcohol in my system?

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I believe so but I'm not 100% sure. I would be very careful of those parties, particularly if you are wishing to go into education. When I was a TA for our intro to education class, one of the very first things we had to tell the new students was to talk to us immediately if they had an MIP (Minor in Possession) or other alcohol violation as that could affect their ability to be accepted into the program. In some states, you cannot be certified if you have one on your record. It's a huge repercussion for one night of fun. I'm sure it could affect other fields too like law enforcement.

I would be leery of parties like that.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I think you can.

 

[Callie]

Thanks. So far from what I've goggled, as long as I'm not holding a drink, and do not have any in my system, I should be ok.
The first time was a total shock. I had went out to dinner with a bunch of girls, and when we went back to one of their apartments, people began taking shots, and all these other people showed up. It turned into a full out party. I had to wait for a ride to come pick me up.

 

[HonestAbe]

Legally the odds of you getting in trouble are pretty small. Most LEO's wont waste time with a sober person at a party.

However, the policy for the college may have rules that could definitely impact you. My recommendation is to avoid them if possible.

Either you're in college to learn or you're there to party because now there's nobody looking over your shoulder. The question is which are you?

 

[Callie]

Legally the odds of you getting in trouble are pretty small. Most LEO's wont waste time with a sober person at a party.

However, the policy for the college may have rules that could definitely impact you. My recommendation is to avoid them if possible.

Either you're in college to learn or you're there to party because now there's nobody looking over your shoulder. The question is which are you?

I'm in college to learn. I live at home still (no getting away with anything there), and I actually finished up high school early just so I could start my college education towards my career.

 

[HonestAbe]

I'm in college to learn. I live at home still (no getting away with anything there), and I actually finished up high school early just so I could start my college education towards my career.

My wife and I never drank...not once...in college. She was not legal until her 3rd year but I was as a freshman.

We still found college thoroughly and had much more fun staying sober.

If you find yourself in situations where folks might drink, you should consider talking to your folks and perhaps they could help you get into a cheap vehicle to avoid those situations.

 

[Callie]

My wife and I never drank...not once...in college. She was not legal until her 3rd year but I was as a freshman.

We still found college thoroughly and had much more fun staying sober.

If you find yourself in situations where folks might drink, you should consider talking to your folks and perhaps they could help you get into a cheap vehicle to avoid those situations.

I have a car, just in these situations I had carpooled with someone to dinner, and we ended up at another persons house. I've now learned to always offer to drive, or go alone.

I asked this today because for one of my groups at school we are having a study session tomorrow, and with some of these people, that might mean them drinking part way into it. So I wanted to make sure I couldn't be in trouble.

I don't drink because it doesn't taste well, and its more fun to watch the crazy people while you are sober.

 

[barkley]

look to your college's behaviour code. it may have specific wording regarding these types of situations.

the college dh attends has it's code on it's website, and it speaks to how while a person may not be violating a law, or may not be prosecuted or convicted for an alcohol related offense by local law enforcement, the university has it's own set of standards that if violated can result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion. some of the individual departments within his university have even stricter codes than those the university as a whole has enacted. the university's position is that a student represents the university and they don't want them engaging in or attending certain activities that can negativly impact the university or an individual program's reputation.

 

[olena]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'trouble'. Do you mean legal/criminal trouble or trouble with the school for violating a possible policy? You are subject to both and should find out more to be sure.

 

[disneymarie]

I started attending college this fall. Over break, i've attended my first two "college parties". Most of the people there weren't of legal age to be drinking, but they were. I on the other hand, do not drink. Could I still get in trouble for being at these parties? Even if there is zero alcohol in my system?

By law yes it is possession. But, if you were not drinking and were cited for consumption and possession, get a blood alcohol test in an ER asap to fight a charge. These charges come back to haunt you in life. If you need a high security clearance they go way back, into school records, teachers, neighbors etc,

I have often in this position used a portable breathalyzer to rule out.....BUT Then ran in pill parties,"jelly beans" the kids had no alcohol but were out of it....they were also doing "whipetts; Nitrous gas from propellant. I started writing out disorderly conduct. It was generally originate from a complaint of loud party.

Choose your friends wisely in school it reflects on your life. Credibility and character,

 

[Green Tea]

I can't imagine police or a university arresting/restraining "the designated driver." Colleges try to get alcohol off campus, but they know they aren't going to be successful. They make rules and they try to keep the students alive. A non drunk co-ed at a party would be a welcome sight for res life to encounter. Go and have fun and good for you for not feeling the pressure to drink yourself.

 

[barkley]

I can't imagine police or a university arresting/restraining "the designated driver." Colleges try to get alcohol off campus, but they know they aren't going to be successful. They make rules and they try to keep the students alive. A non drunk co-ed at a party would be a welcome sight for res life to encounter. Go and have fun and good for you for not feeling the pressure to drink yourself.

if the co-ed in question is under 21 or if any of the guests (or the tenants of the campus housing-present or not at the party) are under 21, at least at the university my dh attends they would ALL be in violation of the university alcohol policy. it's clear cut that in the campus housing where alcohol possession and consumption is legal ANY person in attendance at a party where alcohol is being consumed must be of the legal age to consume it. even if those underage are not consuming rotfl it's a violation for the legal drinkers to be consuming in their presence, and a violation for the non legal drinkers to be present. if a non legal age drinker is discovered then campus police are required to contact the local police to respond in regards to the state's/county's underage/providing alcohol to underaged laws.

the resident hall staff has no choice in reporting these instances, they are required to-and the university takes them seriously as evidenced by the listings in the weekly campus newspaper's 'blotter' attests to. it lists the infractions that have occured over the prior week and the referrals to the campus disciplinary dean.

 

[golfgal]

Unless you go to a school with strict alcohol laws you have done nothing wrong, nothing illegal so how would you get into trouble? What if you were at a party with some of your parent's friends and they were all drinking and you were not-nothing wrong with that. I think some people may be thinking of high school where many schools have guilt buy association rules that if you are at a party where there is alcohol and it is busted you are still guilty and can be kicked out of sports and activities, etc. Now, if you were of age and serving minors, that is a different story.

 

[bballmom56]

As disneymarie can probably attest, Pennsylvania has what is called a "constructive possession" law meaning that a minor can be cited for possession of alcohol if you are present in a situation where alcohol is readily available and you made no good faith attempt to distance yourself from it. It applies if there is no barrier limiting access to alcohol in a confined or limited area.

NOTE ALSO: A person arrested for driving under the influence has a right to a blood alcohol or breath test. THERE IS NO SIMILAR RIGHT under citations for underage drinking, since the law deals with “purchase, attempt to purchase, consumption, transportation and possession” of alcohol. Breath and blood alcohol tests are irrelevant to all of these except, perhaps, consumption.

This information is from my kids' college alcohol policy. So bottom line is in PA, yes you can get cited for possession if you are underage and at an event where alcohol is readily available (like most college house parties).

 

[kirbsam]

Either you're in college to learn or you're there to party because now there's nobody looking over your shoulder. The question is which are you?

i think that is a little harsh. most people are in college to do both. and in fact, most people do both pretty well. at least the ones that i partied with.

 

[golfgal]

i think that is a little harsh. most people are in college to do both. and in fact, most people do both pretty well. at least the ones that i partied with.

I agree--the best parties on campus when I was in school were hosted by the track/cross country guys (back when 19 was the legal drinking age). The cumulative GPA for the Cross Country team the year my DH graduated was a 3.75. DH graduated #1 in his college class, another runner friend was 2 spots behind him and a 3rd was right behind him.

 

[mjkacmom]

i think that is a little harsh. most people are in college to do both. and in fact, most people do both pretty well. at least the ones that i partied with.

I agree. I have to admit, I started attending underage drinking parties starting around the age of 15, and I turned out okay (by the time I got to college, drinking was no big deal, and I rarely got drunk). DH actually got kicked out of his dorm during his second semester freshman year for hosting a party, and now has his MBA from NYU, and is a very successful 40+ year old with a wonderful family (and let me tell you, he PARTIED!) Maybe I'm jaded, but partying in college seems like the norm, not the exception, a weird time in your life when, although you are a legal adult, it's you last chance to act childish.

 

[disfan07]

I knwo that at UNCG at least, everyone in attendance can get into trouble if minors are drinking.

My brother is over 21 but his girlfriend is not. He had a NYE party last week where he was having alcohol but there were going to be people there who were underage.
From what he was told, if anyone underage was caught drinking he would get into trouble (with the college and legal trouble...obviously...he was the one providing teh alcohol) but anyone who was not drinking could also get into trouble (not necessarily legal troubl but trouble with the college)

I think overall, its really more getting in trouble with the school than legal trouble. But with all my friends at school and underage (and drinking) I only know of 2 who have gotten caught and gotten in trouble with the school. Most of the time, if you're not drinking, you wont get into trouble.

I really dont understand underage drinking. I'm almost 21 and i have yet to have any alcohol whatsoever and i have to say...i dont plan on startign when im 21...people act exptermely idiotic when they're drunk...i really dont ever want to know what i'm like drunk

 

[Green Tea]

I like the analogy to being at an adult party where children are. They aren't going to haul away the kids as accomplices to alcohol.

Have you ever seen in the police listing in the paper someone arrested for being in a room with drunk people? I live in a university town and lots of drunk in publics are listed. But I've never seen an underage non possession.

As the parent of a college kid if res life or the local police called me to say my underage kid had been caught not drinking at a party, I'd say "Great."

Are you all familiar with the Amethyst Initiative. It is a discussion to look at drinking laws. Interesting discussion on both sides.