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Like A Fish
espite being underage, freshmen reveal how easy it is to get
Story by Noni Sridhara •Photo Illustration by Guy Rogers
the Texa
ireshmen Katie Donaldson, Becky Andersen, James
Grimm and Robert Madden got up around 2:00 p.m.
Saturday and groggily wandered to Sbisa Dining
lall to enjoy a late lunch only to realize the dining hall
las closed.
They went back to their rooms with pounding
badaches, queasiness and weakness. Their diagnosis
las not the flu, but an unofficial Aggie tradition — the
jngover.
The two males said they have had previous drinking ex-
^rience, but have never as much accessibility to alcohol
i they have enjoyed as college students.
Madden said that what led them to their drunken con-
Ition was a party hosted by their Fish Camp discussion
foup leader, who is a senior.
“How much easier can it get than having your fish camp
fader provide alcohol for you in their apartment?” Mad-
isaid. “And you don't even have to worry about getting
aught because it is in a private place and there are usual-
no cops around unless there's a big racket going on.
tilt?
r attended Texas A&M and
so she said she sometimes
her and just keeps it in her
id she wouli
otherwise in
.1 on na'
ik I'd report il,'
onally thinkii
long as tha itj
ults aboutit)
'ditorial inttil
Andersen said her older
ill has a lot of friends he
ays them to get alcohol f
rm room.
“There are so many ways for [fish] to score alcohol
|nd not get caught,” Andersen said. “It's not like our res-
ient adviser comes in and does a fridge check on a reg
ular basis."
Andersen said those who are assigned to police the dor*
tnitories often turn a blind eye toward underage drinking.
“Our R.A. is pretty relaxed about that stuff too,” An-
jlersen said. “They kind of go by the rules of ‘It I don’t see
It I don’t know its there.’”
Unfortunately for Donaldson, she learned the hard way
[he age-old party wisdom; beer before liquor, never sicker.
had never drank before — and I didn’t even plan on
ft in the beginning,” Dopaldson said. “But it seems as
[though that’s the definition of a party in college - drink-
ling and dancing, i felt like all eyes were on me so I decid-
[ed to go for it.”
Donaldson said accessability to alcohol led her to drink
[more than she could handle.
“1 felt like a little kid going to the ice cream truck,” Don-
aldson said. “There were all kinds of mixed drinks with all
different colors. After a while, they just tasted like a vari
ety of tangy fruit juices. I’m not sure how many drinks I
consumed that night. 1 kind of lost track after drinking
three jello shots, a daiquiri and a margarita.”
All four freshman said their motivation for drinking was
not to be cool or to act like they were older.
Grimm, who has been using a fake l.D. since he turned
18, said the label has nothing to do with it.
“Even though I’ve only been here for [a few] weeks, I’ve
realized nobody is set into different groups like in high
school — like the popular people and the nerds,” Grimm
said. .“We’re all Aggies here. 1 drink because 1 find it as a
stress reliever.”
Grimm said living the quiet life does not appeal to him.
“I can’t stand the smell of smoke and the [smell of] light
ing candles,” Grimm said. “Reading a good book and sit
ting in a bathtub just didn’t work for me."
Donaldson said after her first drinking experience, she
does not plan on living a night that she can not remember
ever again, but she also said she is not going to swear off
drinking forever.
“I just don’t get the point of getting plastered,” Don
aldson said. “You don’t even get to enjoy yourself. Getting
a buzz is enough of a stress reliever. ” ^
Madden said college is a time of freedom and drinking
is part of that freedom.
“That’s the whole point of drinking,” Madden said.
“You want to totally forget your stressful or bad week or
day. College is the best of years of your life. I’m not saying
drinking is the only thing to do, but this is about the only
time you’ll have freedom.”
Andersen said other freshman should drink safely, al
ways have a non-drinking friend around to keep a
watchful eye out and avoid drinking on campus or in
public places.
Because of recent changes in the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act, A&M is now allowed [and has cho
sen to] notify parents or guardians of underage students of
any alcohol violations. %
“This is one of the main reasons that everyone needs to
be cautious,” Grimm said. “I’m not even that scared of get
ting caught by the University. It scares me to death what
would happen if my parents got a letter.”
If they were ever caught, Donaldson, Andersen, Grimm
and Madden and any other underage drinkers could have
more to worry about than their parents. They could face
anything from fines to jail time.
In all the excitement freshmen have with gaining
their new freedom, they often fail to think about the con
sequences. gjfc
Sgt. Betty LeMay, University Police Department, said
the Texas Legislature is cracking down on underage
drinking violations.
“The most accident prone drivers are between the ages
of 18 and 25 years,” LeMay said.
If an underage student purchases, attempts to purchase,
consumes, or has possesion of alcohol the following penal
ties will be imposed.
The first offense is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine
of $0-$500, mandatory attendance of an alcohol awareness
course, eight to 12 hours community service and a 30-day
driver’s license suspension or denial.
The first offense for a minor who is driving while in
toxicated is a Class C misdemeanor with a $0-500 fine,
mandatory attendance of an alcohol awareness course, 40
to 60 hours community service, a 60-day license suspen
sion and 30 days of ineligibility for an occupational license.
Misrepresentation of age and public intoxication carry sim
ilar penalties.
“You hear this stuff since Driver’s Ed,” Andersen said.
“No one should ever drink and drive, but as far as the reg
ular alcohol laws for minors — I don’t think I will ever re
ally understand the seriousness of the law until I actually
get in trouble, but hopefully it will never come to that.”
LeMay said from September of 1998 to June of .1999,
UPD had issued 80 citations for Minor in Possession of al
cohol, with the highest concentration of them being in May
1999. She said this number has been significantly reduced.
“There was a time when we would issue almost 150 a
week, but now there isn’t as much peer pressure and the
University is taking a lot more proactive steps and in the
areas of alcohol education,” LeMay said.
'There are so
many ways for
[fish] to score al
cohol and not
even get caught.'
— Becky Anderson
freshman
1
keep
your
'necks
in the
car!
j£T
I „
m. .. m
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