The process of getting a minor in possession ticket is slow and painstaking. The process is more than just getting a ticket and paying a fine. There is the initial ticket issued to you at the scene of the incident. Then, the next day or so, you are notified by the school, to meet with your hall director. He tells you your options for learning from the experience, and when you need to have it completed by. The next step is to make your court date and see what your punishment from the city is going to be. In short, illegally drinking is not worth the consequences if you get caught. .
The ticketing experience alone is really not fun. When you are caught by the police carrying alcohol, the first thing they do is ask for identification. This is to figure out who you are, and if you have any warrants for your arrest. Once this is completed, they will ask you to get rid of any alcohol you have with you. In my case, this was about ten beers, which I had to pour onto the curb. After this, they write you a ticket, and depending whether or not you have consumed any alcohol, they write either Minor in Possession (MIP), or possession and consumption ticket. The officer then explains the ticket to you. He tells you when to appear in court, how long the process will take, and possible consequences. This whole process can take up to a half an hour, and to say the least, puts a major damper on your night.
Soon after you receive the ticket, you are notified by the school to meet with your hall director. He or she will tell you what you can do to learn from your mistake. My options were, going to an alcohol awareness class, writing an essay about my experience, or creating a banner against drinking. The hall director then tells you about further consequences if this kind of problem should come up again. Long story short, this is not a great way to get acquainted with your hall director.
The next step in the process is to appear in court.
