Did Law Schools Turn These People Into Alcoholics After Only Two Days?

At one leading law school, 1Ls are already getting busted for drinking in the library...

Everybody knows that the legal profession attracts people with obsessive personalities — and that can also lead to substance abuse. Many people think that the legal profession itself creates alcoholics and addicts. And certainly the twin attacks of stress and unstructured time leads a lot of law students to drink more than they should.

But students started showing up to campus just two days ago. Surely new 1Ls could keep their drinking under control for two days?

Apparently not. Students at one law school have already had to be reminded about the school’s alcohol policy, because 1Ls were drinking in the library on the second day at school…

Classes started at Washington and Lee School of Law on Monday, and the kids are already hitting the library to study (nerds). But some of the new students are having a party in the library. A sad, solitary party, in the freaking law library. Check out this email from the W&L Dean for Student Affairs:

Hello-

I hope you’re having a good afternoon. It has come to our attention that some first-year students are drinking wine at their carrels. Consequently, I thought I would take this opportunity to review our alcohol policy with you as this behavior is a violation of our policy.

As noted in our Alcohol Policy (see link below), no beer or alcohol is to be brought into Lewis Hall at any time without special permission. Violation of this policy is punishable by the Student Judicial Council:

http://law.wlu.edu/students/page.asp?pageid=742
http://www.wlu.edu/x36856.xml

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Have a great week –

Brett Twitty
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs

Oh would I love to hear the questions people have for Dean Twitty. “Sorry, where is the alcohol sold in the library if I’m not allowed to bring in my own?” “So, umm, what if I bring in my flask but I go outside to drink it?” “This policy changes during finals period, right?”

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See, I could totally understand drinking in the library if you were hanging out with a bunch of friends and actually have some kind of study party. But if you are just sitting alone in your study carrel, on the second day of classes, hitting up a personal box o’ wine, that’s just sad.

Of course, according to our Law School Directory, Washington and Lee ranks as just a B- in terms of social life (if you’re a W&L student who disagrees with that grade, feel free to rate your school). Maybe at W&L drinking alone does count at a party? A pity party?

I’ll tell you what, though: if you feel compelled to drink during your first two days on campus 1L year, what’s going to happen during 3L year, when there is nothing to do? Look around, 1Ls: do you see any 3Ls in the library? That’s because they still haven’t left the bar.

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