Ever since a very tragic overdose incident a few years back, UGA and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department has drastically changed their policy on underage drinking. To the point, the ACC police are predatory and will not skip a beat in arresting you if you are underage and drunk.
During freshman orientation, you will be frequently reminded of the punishment for underage drinking. No matter what, if you are caught with two alcohol offenses while under 21, UGA will suspend you from school for the fall and spring semesters. Nearly everyone who is arrested for underage drinking goes through this systematic thing called “Pre-Trial Intervention.” You do 20 hours of community service, pay $500, go on probation for six months, and complete 8-10 hours of a drug and alcohol program. The student newspaper recently conducted an investigative report concluding that, of all the public universities in the South, UGA had the strictest policy on alcohol. Naturally, if you get caught with a fake ID, as it is in every state, it is a felony offense, so be careful. Please. We want you to graduate in at least five years!
Everything’s not all doom and gloom, though, as most UGA deans are. Also, if cops bust a party, most of the time, at worst, they’ll issue a noise violation, and the party usually continues afterwards. Police and University officials are pretty lax on all offenses on game days, too.