Expert: Ernest Tufft - 6/21/2009

Question
Hiya, thank you very much for taking the time to reading this,
I live in England at the moment and have applied to a course at university where I get to spend a year at an American university, one of which is the University of California. As I will be 19 I was wondering what the policy in California is about entering nightclubs- do you have to be 21 to go to clubs (as I know the legal drinking age over there is 21) or can you be 18+ but just not drink alcohol? If you cannot go to clubs unless you are over 21, where do uni students go to go clubbing in America- or do unis over there set up clubs or events at the uni? Or do students hold their own parties in dorms? Its just that in England you use the clubs in the town nearest to the uni and I'm not sure what the culture is in America! Some of the other unis include those in Arizona, Illinois and Massachusetts- would the rules be the same all over America?
Once again, thank you for your time and any reply you can offer; it's much appreciated!

Answer
In California and nearly all other US states the drinking age is 21, and most clubs where alcohol is served won't let in anyone under 21.  In California, and many other states, smoking is also illegal in any public place, including bars.  So, you know, while latin dance clubs are popular in California, heavy drinking may be less popular here among college students than in England.  Pubs don't have the social appeal here except in the form of Sports Bars during league sport championships.  California's year 'round comfortable weather promotes good health and outdoor sport activities, and combined with the heavy hand of the law, especially for those behind the wheel, makes excessive drinking and rowdy behavior a discouraged if not punished activity.  I recommend that you come and see what the locals do rather than place any expectations upon what you think might be entertaining from the British perspective.  Same age students will know what to do.  Believe when I say that there are many more British expats living in sunny California never to return to the foggy islands, than there are Californian's who have moved to merry old England.  Also, I would plan to focus on simply surviving the American university curriculum.  There's a mistaken belief by many Europeans that their tradition bound universities are somehow more rigorous than the large open public institutions in the USA, but then I've seen more than a few exchange students such as yourself fail to attend class and drop out, particularly at top institutions within the UC system.  The UC campuses as a group are the most productive universities in the world, and you will understand why when you arrive.  Good luck...