In 2021, about 32.2% of college students admitted to possessing a fake ID, according to The Law Offices of Scott J. Limmer. 

After a long week of classes, the consensus among college kids is that Friday and Saturday nights are for the bars. 

For those who are of legal age, walking into the bar is a breeze. For those who are not, it’s an adrenaline rush. Will tonight be the night the bouncer does a double take at your “too good to be taken at a DMV” photo? 

Drinking is a huge part of college. Some may argue that many students center their college experience around it. 

No one wants to be left at home while their friends go out and stumble back at 3 in the morning with by-the-slice Polito’s Pizza.

For many college students, drinking is a meaningful part of their social identity.

 It allows people to gather with friends and make memories they may or may not remember the next day. 

So, what’s so wrong with college students wanting to have a little bit of fun? Well, not only are fake IDs very illegal, they promote a reliance on alcohol in order to enjoy your college experience. 

Getting caught with a fake ID can be pricey, too.

 Individuals found to have a fake ID in Wisconsin can be charged between $300 and $1,250. Violators may also lose driving privileges and be sentenced to community service.

How is it that fake IDs are illegal, and yet so easy to obtain? When you search websites that produce fake IDs online – you’d be surprised at the output. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of websites offering IDs from every state in the U.S. 

There are ways around using a fake ID called “borrowed IDs,” according to Absec. 

“Borrowed IDs are now the most common form of ID fraud. It is estimated that 95% of all ID fraud originates with a borrowed ID,” according to Absec, a company that specializes in bar security training. 

Borrowed IDs are usually from older siblings and or older friends who buy a new state-issued ID. 

What about students who wish not to risk it and are waiting until they are of legal age to hit the bars?

Nothing, it’s totally okay. Alcohol is not essential in order to have a memorable college experience. Nor is it weird to not embrace the party scene. 

College is portrayed to be a lot of things in a lot of ways by media, but at the end of the day you have the right to enjoy college in your own way. 

People like alcohol because it turns you into someone you normally aren’t, and for some people this is not appealing. 

Whether you dig the adrenaline rush of a fake ID or enjoy a night in on the futon – college is what you decide to make of it. 

You can still get Polito’s Pizza sober at 3 in the morning if you really want to.