Alcohol common for students under 21

Underage drinking is everywhere at the University.

Go to almost any social event - it's certain that someone under 21 will be slamming a frothy can of the beast, chugging a chilled St. Ides 40, or sipping Jim Bean straight from the bottle.

But why do college kids like to drink so much?

"Drinking is as much a part of the college experience as homework and classes are," LSA sophomore Christian Hoard said. "Nearly every student at the University drinks at one time or another."

Many students agree that underage drinking is more than a weekend activity at the University.

DANIEL CASTLE/Daily Underage drinkers forget about their work and funnel the weekend away at a fraternity party. A line begins to form as students wait for their turn to use the funnel.

"I think a whole culture has sprung up around it. It's just there, and you do it," LSA sophomore Mike Davison said.

Alcohol is as common at most University parties as loud music and dancing, and this prevalence is an important underlying cause of underage drinking.

"You can't find a party without alcohol," LSA first-year student Rebecca Hunnicutt said.

LSA first-year student Stephen Nadel has had a similar experience, especially at fraternity parties, which are notorious for alcohol.

"Here (at the University), everyone drinks," Nadel said. "When you go to a frat party, you see everyone with a beer in their hand."

Some students insist alcohol is the only reason students roam campus streets in search of parties.

"You come in, that's what you look for, that's what they give you, that's why you're there," LSA first-year student Olga Melnikova said.

Others cited peer pressure as a reason younger students are drawn to alcohol.

"When I go out, and everyone drinks, it's kind of expected," LSA first-year student Angela Trucks said. "There's always a little bit of pressure. It makes me slightly uncomfortable. Everyone wants to fit in - no one wants to be left out."

However, one first-year student said this shouldn't come as a surprise, as peer pressure goes hand-in-hand with the party scene.

"When you go to a frat party, and everyone is trashed, of course you feel left out, but you knew that going into the situation," she said.

However, some students maintain that the decision to drink is always an independent one.

"I've never felt pressured to drink," said LSA junior Rick Bonfiglio. "Drinking can be a personal choice."

Marcia Benz, the University's alcohol education coordinator, said there may be some clinical evidence that peer pressure directly conflicts with staying sober at parties.

Benz conducted an experiment where peer educators went to parties and abstained from alcohol or other drugs.

"People were trying over and over to give them drinks," Benz said. "They had to come up with reasons to get people off their backs, such as 'I'm driving', or 'I've got a test tomorrow,' or 'I'm on medication and I can'' drink.'"

New-found freedom often experienced by first-year students could be another reason for underage drinking on campus.

"They're finally free from their parents, and they can do it," said LSA first-year student Tova Bender.

LSA sophomore Justin Waters said that this independence sometimes makes residence halls hot spots for under-21 drinking.

"They can go back to their own place, and not have to worry about facing their parents, drunk," Waters said.

Some students argue that the drinking age doesn't make any sense.

"The idea that a 21-year-old can drink more responsibly than a 20-year-old is stupid," LSA first-year student Matthew Armfield said. "There are some 18-year-olds who can handle the responsibility, and there are some 25- and 30-year-olds who can't."

Other students said underage drinking is so common that the age of those drinking doesn't matter at all.

"Everyone is wasted at parties. It doesn't seem like there's a drinking age," said one first-year student. "It doesn't even cross my mind that we need to be 21 to drink here."

Drinking at parties is just one component of underage drinking. Students under 21 who wish to drink at home may head to area stores to get their fix.

Although it's illegal for minors to purchase alcohol, many students said it is far from difficult.

"If you're underage, and you can't get alcohol, then you're not trying very hard," Hoard said.

Benz agrees. "I think it's incredibly easy to get it anywhere. All people need is an older friend to buy it for them," she said. "Anyone who wants stuff can get it. People are pretty resourceful."

However, party stores in Ann Arbor said they are careful not to sell alcohol to minors.

Blue Front, in particular, is famous for its "Wall of Shame," where scores of confiscated fake IDs are displayed to deter minors from trying to buy alcohol.

"We sell enough alcohol to overage drinkers that we don't need to sell to underage drinkers to make any money," said Valerie Szopko, an employee at Blue Front.

There are serious fines for store owners or employees who are caught selling alcohol to minors - including the loss of a liquor license, which can seriously affect a party store's income.

"The cops watch all the stores around here, and the fines are high enough to scare me," Szopko said.

However, even students who are over 21 and legally buy alcohol from party stores often contribute to the prevalence of underage drinking.

"People over the age of 21 will buy it and bring it to parties, and furnish it for minors," easily bypassing the law, said Officer Alicia Green of the Ann Arbor Police Deparment.

Green said the AAPD not only does its best to prevent minors from purchasing alcohol, but also from drinking it. On any Friday or Saturday night, police cars can be seen slowly cruising the streets of Ann Arbor, looking for offenders.

"We try to write a ticket for every violation that we see," Green said. "(But) just by the sheer numbers, it's impossible for us to catch everybody."

Although not every minor who drinks is caught, the ones who are can face very serious repercussions.

"The court is really cracking down on it," Green said.

A first-time drinking violation is recorded as a misdemeanor on the offender's permanent criminal record. A second-time offense can lead to a heavy fine and a 90- to 180-day driver's license suspension.

Underage drinking also can cause many other serious problems, outside of legal issues.

"People end up with all sorts of unexpected consequences, from hangovers to alcohol poisoning," Benz said.

Most problems occur when students stop drinking socially and start binge drinking.

"Drinking itself is not an awful thing," Benz said. "The biggest problem people have is when they start binge drinking. If people are choosing to drink, they should drink moderately."

Binge drinking is defined as four or more drinks per woman, and five or more drinks per man, per occasion.

Some of the problems associated with binge drinking include "getting into fights, not doing well in school, (and) disturbing roommates," Benz said. "We have a lot of other problems on campus like vandalism, throwing up on buses and regretted sex."

A large number of sexual violence cases also are related to substance abuse," Benz said.

Experts and students alike point to a lack of education as a major cause of campus underage drinking.

"We try to give (students) enough information so they can make a healthy decision," Benz said. "We try to give out reasonable guidelines that may reduce the risk."

LSA first-year student Nate Walker agrees, stressing the importance of alcohol education.

"We need to teach kids how to drink responsibly," he said. "Until you're old and mature enough, it's really easy to get sucked into it - to go out and drink to get drunk."

Benz added that the number of students who have drinking-related problems on campus is small.

"Most people who drink, drink moderately," Benz said. "Most people don't binge drink. A smaller percentage is binge drinking, and those are the ones we try to target. We start to hear about that and we start focusing on the negative. Most of our students are very responsible."

Still, there are always those students who view underage drinking as just another part of college life.

"I enjoy the buzz," LSA first-year student Greg Deutch said. "That's what it's all about, baby!"

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