Grand View Night Life in Des Moines
When students go off to college, some jump right in while others take time to get comfortable with freedom away from the guidelines and confines of their parents. Regardless of what approach a student takes, they’ll have a lot of decisions to make, and one of those would be how to spend weekend nights.
Some students indulge themselves in all of college’s “glory,” whether that be parties, drinking or maybe using their first fake I.D. However, some students don’t want that lifestyle before turning 21. What else is available for young college students to experience that doesn’t involve them breaking the law?
At first glance, Des Moines is not the ideal place for a young adventure-seeking individual to go off and see life. A closer look reveals that Des Moines offers many different types of activities, restaurants and attractions for college students—even those who aren’t yet 21.
Whether it’s going ice skating at Brenton Skating Plaza, playing arcade games at Up-Down, checking out a concert at Wooly’s, grabbing a cup of coffee and catching up with friends at Java Joe’s or learning about the stars at the Science Center of Iowa, even if you are underage, you are given a lot of choices for your weekend social life.
“When I was 20, I would just enjoy a night of going out to shoot flicks, and then hit up Java Joes for a late night cappuccino. I wasn’t a big fan of the sloopy nightlife, so this was my substitute,” Jordan Cheatem, senior at Grand View, said.
Even if its not off campus, a lot of students find themselves supporting their fellow athletes on the weekend.
“Typically if there is anything going on campus I’ll get some friends together and go,” Kari Adams, a student at Grand View, said.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people between the ages 12-20 drink 11 percent of the alcohol consumed in the United States.
“That is surprising, but it is totally understandable with the trends of culture nowadays in the youth,” said Alicia Stewart, a student at Grand View.
With the rise and growth of social media trends and pressures, drinking before the legal age has become more prominent. It’s about fitting in and not being the person to say no to what everyone else is doing.
“I feel like peer pressure plays a major role in the young kids wanting to drink. They see grown-ups and their own peers and drinking they don’t want to feel left out so they join in” said Jonathan Whitfield, a student at Grand View, said.
Russell Jones, a Grand View student-athlete, said it derives mostly from what is done by celebrities and what people label “cool” and “uncool.”
“If you see your friends drinking, nobody wants to be the outcast and go against it,” Jones said. “Just trying to fit in so you can keep your friends and keep that social status.”
Jones said with social media these days, all people have to do is click a button and see what the next person is doing, which makes people fall under pressure instead of trying to branch off and create a path for themselves.
Becoming involved in school and what Grand View does well, which is sports, underage students can find other options in socializing and meeting new people by attending the year-round games and matches held on campus.
Whether you are underage or above 21, after readings this you may find out that you are not alone in struggling to decide what to do on a weekend night here at Grand View. If it is staying in on campus, playing video games, going to a movie, or taking the risk of using a fake ID at the bars, you can see there is not a shortage of things you can find to do here in Des Moines.
Maybe it is a cultural thing that using fake IDs has become more popular, or the fact that friends underage don’t want to be left out and peer pressured into getting a fake. The fact is, this trend of getting fake IDs seems to be growing and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon.
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