Alex Tountasakis and Sam Yahya stand outside the back entrance of The Grocery on a humid Saturday night. The men are tasked with checking IDs, turning underage students away, dealing with “drunk idiots,” as Tountasakis calls them and making sure each and every patron is safe throughout the night.
It’s busy – a Samford Greek Life function just wrapped up, so the night is only now beginning. Tountasakis and Yahya know the night will be long.
“The majority of the people that come here are from Samford,” said Yahya.
Which might seem like an odd thing to say, given that Samford is a dry campus, but the university’s drinking culture, though secretive, is still prevalent.
“I don’t want people to think badly of me, so I definitely don’t talk about it outgoing-ly. But at the same time, I’m also not going to hide it,” said Caroline Studdard, a 21-year-old student at Samford.
Samford’s rules surrounding alcohol, specifically regarding 21+ students, have sparked many conversations over the years.
Samford’s General Counsel Jody Hunt stated, “In general, the policy clarifies that there is no prohibition against the lawful personal purchase, possession and consumption of alcohol off campus, so long as it is not at a university-provided student residence or a university-related undergraduate event.”
The policy prevents alcohol consumption on campus or even in off-campus housing such as Tributary Rise, regardless of age. So, of-age students like Studdard or 22-year-old Kyle O’Dowd feel as if the university’s rules may be somewhat overprotective.
“ Since I’m able to control what I drink, I would like to be able to drink that glass of wine with my steak dinner that I make in my dorm,” said O’Dowd.
21+ students who are caught on campus with alcohol are still subject to the same disciplinary actions that underage students may face as the Honor Council may deem fit.
“ I don’t know,” said Studdard. “I think they can find little periods of grace for that kind of thing.”
O’Dowd agreed.
“ I think it’s too serious for 21+. But again, how do you police that? I don’t envy the people trying to make that decision,” said O’Dowd.
However, that doesn’t mean students don’t try. Despite only one alcohol violation in the past 120 days on Samford’s Clery Crime Report, it is widely believed that many students – legal or not – hide alcohol on campus in their own personal furniture, which university resident assistants are not allowed to check.
“In the secrecy of people’s dorms, they’re good at hiding it. They’re good at just having simple little wine nights in their little dorms,” said Studdard.
There are students who respect and appreciate the rules. A 20-year-old anonymous female source said that while she still drinks, it’s only socially and in moderation.
“ I don’t really find the appeal anymore because there’s not benefits to over drinking and getting drunk,” she said. “So I think that coming here has helped moderate how much I do, and it stops me from drinking all the time.”
She did explain, however, that she thinks the rules contributing to secrecy give students that enticing feeling, as if they’re back in high school sneaking drinks in their parent’s basement.
She also believes this rule can put students’ safety into question. SEC schools will have designated driving services for their students who choose to drink – but Samford’s policy means that students are on their own to find a ride for the night.
“ It is definitely like, I don’t know what people are going to think of me, because I shouldn’t be doing this in the first place, and I need help,” she said. “ I know a lot of people will think, ‘Oh, I’m not that drunk,’ and they’ll try to drive. And that gets really bad.”
This policy is a defining factor of Samford, regardless of student opinion. Many choose to come here for the dry campus – and many 21+ students will move off campus for the sole reason of being able to drink in comfort. It is a part of Samford as much as Bucky Ball or Step Sing, no matter how the policy grows over the years.
“ I think that Samford is always evolving and changing. I mean, there was a time where we weren’t even allowed to dance on campus. So I think there might be a day where they are less strict about alcohol on campus,” said Studdard. “But depending on what the circumstances are – if you’re 21 living in a dorm, I don’t think they’ll ever allow that.”
Arts & Life Editor
