Sending your kid off to college can be both relieving and stressful. While college is a time for your young adult to explore their freedom and experience new things, they may also face temptations and challenges. And sometimes, indulging in those temptations can have serious and life-changing consequences.
1. Underage drinking
Drinking is often a normal part of college culture. While it can be enjoyable in social settings or on the weekends, many underage students are pressured to drink in order to fit in or feel accepted. Because of this, the rate of underage drinking on college campuses is high.
Nearly 60% of college students drink alcohol on a monthly basis. Underage students often account for at least half of campus populations, if not more so. Unfortunately, this means that a good number of underage college kids partake in drinking.
Underage drinking can have serious consequences. An underage drinking charge can affect your child’s academic performance, housing privileges and career opportunities. They might even face hefty fines, jail time and probation.
2. Drug crimes
Drug possession and use is pervasive on college campuses. Because of the often-secluded nature of many campuses, students might feel that they can get away with trying illegal substances.
Stress and peer pressure are common factors behind drug use in college kids. Especially because of the widely-accepted notion that college is for experimenting, your child might consider trying drugs out of mere curiosity. Like with alcohol, using drugs can have short-term and long-term effects on your child’s health and well-being.
3. Theft
It’s no secret — money is tight when you’re in college. Which is why it can be tempting for some students to rely on theft to either procure something they need or sell someone else’s valuable item to make money. Possessions like laptops, smartphones and tablets are particularly vulnerable to theft on college campuses.
While it might seem minor, committing petty theft can have major consequences that can affect the rest of your child’s college career. Often, alcohol or drug use and abuse increases the likelihood that someone will commit theft.
Seek legal assistance
A crime of any nature can have a serious impact on your young adult’s future. But the penalties don’t have to be life-altering. An experienced criminal defense attorney may be able to minimize the impact that a criminal charge can have on your college student’s life.
