Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: Opinion

Michael Pasaoa

I think we should all drink before we turn 21, but I'm not saying the legal drinking age should be changed or anything. I'm not going to give a statistical argument or whatever. Wikipedia can be my best friend next time.

Name one person who didn't drink until they turned 21. Come on, I dare you to find someone.

Wait, you know someone who waited? No way. Like who? Well, me for instance.

I didn't drink until I blackjacked. I wore my imaginary alcohol-virgin championship belt like I was a poster boy for teenage mutant ninja morality. Wow, who cares right?

I didn't think it went against my values. I wasn't scared of police.

I just wanted to be "that guy" who didn't give into peer pressure. I felt like everyone wanted to possess the same strength as I did. How weak.

Now that I'm past 21, I wish I started earlier. I'm supposed to be an adult already, balancing a job, graduating, a career, getting my own place. A lot of my friends already have kids.

I think high school would have been the best time to drink. That's when all I had to worry about was homework and the prom. I didn't even go to my prom though, so basically all I had to worry about was homework.

Authorities aren't stupid. I know they know that a lot of underage people on this campus drink. If at least half of the student body is overage, that makes access all that much easier for the rest of them.

I guess they feel that if you're at least 21, then you should be responsible with your alcohol -- that we're old enough to know what to

do with it. What the hell? What's the point of drinking if you're going to be responsible? Dumb out.

Did you know that if you wait until you turn 21 to drink, the birthday fairy doesn't give some metal-stomach upgrade that counters puking?

One friend of mine told me he doesn't drink because he "has a life." He's a fifth-year community college student who doesn't even have a major, doesn't have a job, and bought a Playstation 3 even though he still owes me $80.

I guess by not drinking, he's having such a life.

I think the whole "don't drink before you're 21" law is just there to catch those dumb enough to get caught, like when people drive drunk.

From personal experience, underage drinkers are more responsible.

When my friends drank at 18, they didn't want to drive because they didn't want to risk it. Now that they drink at 21, they feel like they can handle their wheels just because they're "adults." Wow, good job.

I don't know how many times I ask people to come out to a party, and they say "No, I'm already past all that. I got that out of my system when I was like in high school."

If you don't drink, good for you, but I just don't see the sense in waiting until you're 21.

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