The law regarding drinking age is not rational. It does indeed force drinking underground and behind closed doors. If Post #1 really wants the parties out of the dorms, cracking down on drinking won’t help. Allowing drinking publicly would. This way, students wouldn’t feel the need to drink in the dorm, but would actually have the opportunity to do so at a party (a novel idea!) Our culture regards underage drinking as such a “problem”, so much so that it gives drinking the appeal it currently enjoys. I’ve never drank to “excess”, never becoming physically sick because of it. Why? This may be speculation, but drinking was never a problem in my house. My parents allowed and encouraged us to experiment safely. As a result, I know my limits, I know when to stop, I know how to drink and have a good time, without becoming sick afterwards. So maybe the idea isn’t completely unfounded. While I understand no one can force a cultural change, I’ll maintain that that is what we need as a society.