A week ago I was caught with an unopened beer can while in the hallway of my friend’s dorm. I was at the door heading outside when the ra asked me what I was holding. He made me dump the beer out in the bathroom and took down my student ID/name, as well as my friend’s.
My friend got an email saying he has a conduct meeting and I never got one. I did read the report in the email and it said my name. It also said there wasn’t an alcohol smell on our breath.
I live in a substance-free dorm and don’t want to get kicked out. I want to say we weren’t drinking, just found the beer, and we’re heading outside to throw it away so we didn’t get caught with it. My friend wants to tell the truth.
Any advise?
Don’t compound a mistake with more mistakes.
In addition to the moral question, that’s the worst lie I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard many.
Why do you live in a substance free dorm? Hypocrite much?
What the college does depends on your school’s particular policies.
@OspreyCV22 - Why is that hypocritical? You don’t take an abstinence pledge to live in a sub free dorm. You just agree not to have or use alcohol, smokes, etc in that building.
At the majority of secular universities, first offenses are almost always a non issue assuming you don’t want to be an RA. Admit to drinking and the school might issue you a fine, possibly require an alcohol refresher course, and maybe make you do one or two other, minor things.
For future reference, if you’re going to have alcohol in the dorms, always try to hide it. If you need to carry it somewhere, put it in a closed backpack. Don’t be an idiot and walk around your dorm hallway with a can of beer that is visible to anyone who walks by. Also, why do you live in a substance free dorm if you drink?
@OspreyCV22 I think that substance-free “agreements” vary from school to school and year to year. I know of at least one sub-free dorm that prohibits substance usage at all times and locations while classes are in session and the person is living in that dorm (i.e., not during off-campus breaks).
What is the worst possible consequence?
I wouldn’t necessarily admit to anything without making sure of the ramifications. Unfortunately honesty may not always be the best policy.
You didn’t receive notice of a conduct meeting. Do you need to go?
Why did you think carrying a beer in a dorm hallway in plain sight was a good idea? I don’t judge underage drinking, but don’t be excessively dumb about it.
I would read up on whatever your university’s or housing’s policy on underage drinking in the dorms is.
Don’t lie. If you are asked questions, tell the truth. Consider this experience a valuable lesson…Don’t carry an open container of alcohol out in the open in a substance-free floor.
Why live in a substance free dorm if you want to drink? Might be a good time to ask to move to different accommodations. I would not want to be the other students who signed up to live there in good faith.
I doubt you will get in much trouble. Use the “conduct meeting” as an opportunity to move to a different dorm.
That might be the worst lie I’ve ever heard OP. Whatever you do, don’t say that you were walking the beers outside to throw them away.
Seems you have two choices:
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Man up. Tell the truth and take responsibility. This should get your friend off the hook since it appears it was your beer that cause the rule violation.
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Lie.
Your choice.
Keep in mind regardless of what you think about your RA and the administration, they are not idiots. As for the RA, he was not trying to be a hardxxx. He was doing the job he is being paid to do. Yes he could have look the other way and risked losing his job. Would you? In his shoes, I wouldn’t risk losing free room and board (or whatever his pay is) over this.
Disregarding the ethics of lying, absolutely no one on the conduct board will believe your excuse and they’ll probably increase your punishment out of sheer disgust.
You did title this thread, “caught drinking,” which does make it seem you know it’s more than one time getting busted holding an unopened can. As another parent here, I do think you need some introspection.
Eh you were caught in a dorm room with beer, let me tell you this is far from the first time it’s ever happened at college-substance free dorms included. Don’t lie they will know. Fess up and don’t do it again. You will just get a slap on the hand. Don’t worry about it.
@Futuremed17 based on your other posts, you appear to be a high school student. How do you know how this will be treated? Have you had an older brother or sister get caught with alcohol in their dorm room? Is this how they handled it and was there a satisfactory result? If not, could you tell us what you are basing this advice on.