Getting through life without an MIP

For those of you unaware of the legal slang, getting mipped means you got caught holding alcohol while under-aged, a minor-in-possession. This gets you a fine and a trip to an alcohol and drug awareness program with a $300 price tag. Avoiding being one of the 50 average students that acquire this stamp weekly in Ann Arbor, means more than just an accomplishment of running from the cops at 2a in the morning (For anyone wondering, I never ran. Walking swiftly in the opposite direction sufficed.) Beyond the authority of the A2 police, and perhaps transcending all authority in general, this accomplishment serves as testimony to life in moderation.

Someone I know, who will not be named outright, has regularly said, "It is only cheating if you get caught." In my opinion, if you brand something as cheating according to your own moral standards, then by principle, you should not be doing it. However, the moral gray area that encompasses this nation is nothing short of expansive. In other words, don't cheat, but live life to the fullest just beyond those standards you hold for yourself.

Clearly, abstaining from drinking was not my method of averting a MIP. As in many situations in life, rules are in place to serve a purpose and limit anarchy. Besides an exceptional power hungry authority, very few people are out to get you. It has been my experience (because I have so much of it now that I'm 21) that you will only get in trouble if you do something stupid and make someone do their job.

A special someone reminds me every time I leave his company, "Be smart and heads up stuff." This is not derived from definitions of IQ or athletic ability, but simply living live with common sense and practicing rebellion in moderation.