Editor’s Note: HerCampus™ does not advocate underage drinking. This article is a accurate representation of reality, and is not tailored to misrepresent any activity or encourage illegality. Additionally, any mention of illegal activity partaken in this article is not to be construed as an admission of guilt or an indication of literal events by any law enforcement entity. Simply put, we cannot have an honest conversation about issues like medical amnesty, Universities for Lowering the Drinking Age and other alcohol-related issues unless we accept that drinking age laws get broken and that the young don’t always do as their told. We seek an honest and frank discussion. Bring on the emails.
Imagine a group of five students, all between 18 and 20, sitting in a dorm room. In their hands they have small bottles of Smirnoff, which has only about four percent alcohol content and which basically tastes like limo. The light is turned off, because there’s a roommate sleeping next to them. So they’re sitting in the dark, whispering because actual talking would be too loud.
That’s a pretty ridiculous situation. But it’s real.
When I first arrived in Michigan, I felt like I was in jail. Of course I knew that Americans become of age at 21. And I knew that my age, 20, is like the most annoying age you could possibly have over here. But I haven’t known that they actually care. I’ve seen under age students getting into trouble with the police because they were drunk. The police! I mean, come on, don’t they have real problems?
During my first week at Western people kept telling me how to behave to not be checked by the police: Act normal, don’t run, don’t jump, don’t talk with cops and never, ever carry a drink on the street. Good to have experienced underage American drinkers around me, I guess.
To be fair, I have to say that after all I’m glad to see that even American teenagers nevertheless enjoy parties including alcohol. Teenagers! Sounds like I’m talking about 12 year olds or something. But I’m not. I’m talking about 18-, 19-, even 20-year olds. Persons, who already graduated from school, persons who have a driver license and who are allowed to work and pay high tuitions for going to university. Honestly, what exactly do people think is changing between 18 and 21? And do the politicians, the lawyers, the adults, whoever, really think they can keep grown ups from drinking? What’s the sense in these alcohol laws, anyway? Teenagers get dangerously drunk at private parties, instead of enjoying a few drinks at a bar. Underage girls are dependent on over age boys who get them alcohol. And a lot of persons start drinking just because they think it’s cool to break the law. Plus: If they already broke the law by drinking why not go on and do drugs? What’s the difference? Well, there is a difference, at least between hard drugs and light alcohol there’s a huge one. But what does it matter? It’s both illegal, right?
These were my first thoughts when I got to know the rules over here. What a crazy, stupid world is this? But then, after some days of getting to know America, I noticed how much more excited I was about a bottle of alcohol than back home in Germany. Suddenly I found myself hiding in some room, drinking alcohol out of a coffee mug and giggling like a small girl. Believe it or not, but I’m really enjoying it. I feel like everything is so much more fun if it’s forbidden. At home I’ve never been forbidden to do anything. Sometimes I’ve even wished I would have gone to some kind of strict boarder school just to feel the excitement of breaking rules. Now I got my huge boarder school America, where there are tons of rules waiting for me to break them. Finally I feel like I have a real teenager life the way it’s supposed to be.
Finally I’m underage.
Editor: Katelyn Kivel