Of course the 18-and-over nights at the Madhatter and Mugly's have become popular.
When you aren't 21 yet, bars and their colorful specials produce feelings of longing and curiosity. It's why fake IDs can be a big problem.
But with only $5 standing in the way of getting in those bars, many students have taken the bait.
While the Madhatter separates the bar area from the "family room," it still might not be good enough. As we saw with the excise police raid Thursday, 18 students had gotten alcohol. It's unlikely this is the first instance of minors drinking on these nights.
The bartenders and business owners may be trying to prevent the underage patrons in the bar from getting alcohol, but what's to stand in the way of a 21-year-old patron supplying them with it? Wristbands can be torn off or switched, and black marks on hands can be scrubbed off.
Just because a business owner says it's OK to come hang out in a bar doesn't mean it is. We need to be smarter than that.
If you're caught drinking while underage, your name could be in a news story or database accessible by future employers. You might have to disclose any convictions resulting from one night of unwise choices, whether they are misdemeanors or felonies. Is one night of partying really worth a cloud hanging over your head, following you for the rest of your life? The ramifications might be bigger than you can imagine. If Ball State University gets involved in the disciplining, students may face suspension or expulsion from the university.
There needs to be more for the 18 to 20 year olds to do near campus beside hitting the bar scene. While the weekend boasts Friday Night Filmworks and Late Nite, weekdays are lacking. Other than perusing the mall or catching a movie, what can bored underage students do?
It doesn't take a lot of common sense to figure out some students will find a way to get alcohol at these 18-and-over nights. It also doesn't take a lot of common sense to know that this business model is probably not the best idea.
If business is lackluster, why not provide better drink specials or a variety of entertainment options to bring in those who are legal to drink? Or why not use some of the empty spaces — perhaps the former home of Charlie's Library — as a dance club that doesn't
serve alcohol?
The increased business from underage students is helping the Village right now, but at what cost?
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