Your child never drank in high school—at least not that you knew of—so you assumed that they would continue this behavior when they went to college. That’s why you’re so surprised when you get a phone call saying that they’ve been arrested at a party for underage drinking or perhaps even drinking and driving. They’re only 19 years old, and you’re worried about the impact this can have on their educational opportunities.
But one thing you find yourself wondering is why your child decided to start drinking in the first place. They knew it was a risk. They knew they could face legal charges because they were underage. So why did they do it?
Peer pressure
One of the top reasons for college drinking is peer pressure. A freshman on campus may not know very many people, but they could find themselves at a party where everyone else is drinking. They want to fit in and make new friends, so they also begin drinking.
Curiosity
In other cases, young people are just curious about alcohol. They may avoid drinking while they live at home in high school, worrying about the ramifications. But now that they are on their own and have less time where they’re being supervised, they may decide to experiment with alcohol or even other drugs.
It’s a social lubricant
Finally, many people use alcohol in social situations. They may think that it makes them more attractive to the opposite sex while they’re looking for romantic partners. They may think it makes it easier to fit in when they’re around people that they don’t know, or that it lowers stress and social anxiety.
For all these reasons and many more, college students do sometimes break the laws regarding underage drinking. If your child is facing charges, be sure you know what legal steps to take.
