Too Cool For Consequences: Teens are too obsessed with wanting to be cool, leading them to ignore consequences and become uninformed about drawbacks of fake IDs

“What year were you born?”

S——. What was the year again? You had memorized the date over and over, but all of a sudden it’s gone. 

“Uh.. 1998”

Did he notice the hesitation?

The middle-aged man behind the counter gives your ID a second glance, smirks and says your total — it’s $19.50. You hand over your cash (your friends will Venmo you later), grab the case of lime-flavored White Claws and speed-walk out of the store. Thank God they didn’t notice you were wearing your Lancer tennis sweatshirt. Thank God they didn’t ask for your address. Thank God your fake ID says you’re 22.

Fake IDs are illegal — that much is obvious. But a study done in the journal  “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research” reported that students used a fake ID 25% of the time they drank alcohol before they turned 21.  

For many teens, the thought of being able to provide the alcohol for a party and be deemed “cool” takes priority over any worrying thoughts about what would happen if you get caught. Ordering a mango margarita on the rocks at dinner becomes the norm and providing a few Bud Light cases for the WPA afterparty beer pong games is a breeze.  

But the ice the buyer’s skating on is thinner — and the consequences more severe — than they probably ever consider it to be.         

Part of the issue stems from being misinformed — with examples like “McLovin,” possessing a fake ID seems like the norm, especially if a dorky kid like McLovin can score one. But it shouldn’t be. There’s jailtime, misdemeanour charges, large fines and the potential to lose your actual driver’s license — definitely not worth the extra Truly’s you picked up for spring break. 

Teenagers choose to ignore the consequences because the quick errand is too normalized — getting caught is slipping further and further from a realistic circumstance. If they have their “new” birthday memorized, dress like a 22 year old and the fake scans like a normal card, there’s no reason to worry. Wrong. In 2017 alone, the governor of New York revealed they arrested over 840 people who had attempted to use a fake ID to purchase alcohol. 

In Kansas, the punishment can include up to a $2,500 fine, a year in a prison or 100 hours of community service. So while you’re sinking the ping pong ball into the last red solo cup of Natty Light that you bought, remember: there are no drinking games in prison. 

In other states, like Illinois and Florida, owning a fake ID is a felony. You’re not going to get grounded, you’re going to face similar consequences as someone who robbed a house or stole a car. Illinois’ punishment for possessing a fake is one year in jail and a fine of up to $250,000. You could go to a four-year college three times with that money. 

Being convicted isn’t typical, especially if it’s your first offense. Once charged, you still have to be convicted and typically sentences are lessened. However, the slip-up will still make an appearance on your record — schools and future employers will be able to see it. Who’s going to get the job — the 19-year-old caught with a fake ID or the one who didn’t go for the extra bottle of Smirnoff?

You’re going to have to Uber to your interview, too — losing your driver’s license is another side effect of being caught with a fake ID. Rolling up to the party with a newly purchased bottle of Svedka might seem cool, but asking your mom for a ride to a friend’s as an 18-year-old is not. 

The process of actually getting a fake ID typically results from peer pressure — all your friends go in on someone’s order and it would look lame to not join. Plus, you don’t want to miss out on nights going out, using your fake to get into bars or restaurants that would rather look the other way than lose business. Unfortunately, FOMO overrides potential jail time. 

Seeing your friends go pub crawling while you hang out at home with your apple juice is a sure fire way to make people question your social status, something all teenagers fret about. Going out and using your fake projects the “cool” image you’re going for. 

According to Northwestern Business Review, the lower price range for a fake is about $100. That’s two pairs of camo leggings or a Patagonia jacket. The money dedicated to creating a false identity could be money used for something not illegal — is it really worth it? 

There are other ways to have fun in high school and your first years of college that don’t involve using your fake to get into a club. There’s basketball games, art fairs, you name it. Your nightlife doesn’t have to depend on alcohol. 

The drinking scene only gets more intense in college — but no less illegal. Most universities have rules in place when students are reported to have a fake ID. According to a Maryland criminal lawyer, students may face suspension or be forced to attend an alcohol education class. Just because half of the student population can legally drink doesn’t mean colleges condone underage drinking or accept it as the norm.  

So when you’re at the fork in the road — to buy or not to buy — take heed in the fact that you’re about to fund a lawbreaking lie.