As classes begin, don’t waste the few remaining weeks of warm weather that we have left on books and papers—midterms aren’t until October. One of the best ways to take advantage of the Indian summer dominating D.C. Septembers is day-drinking. There’s nothing like a strong buzz in the early afternoon, and this is the only time in our lives when you can do it—excepting early days of a vacation, concerts and sporting events. Day-drinking on an ordinary day after graduation, like most college drinking habits, is generally considered a sign of alcoholism. Best to drink up now while society expects you to be a lush.
The safest form of day-drinking, especially to those under twenty-one, is to open the window to your dorm or apartment and enjoy the late summer breeze. Open containers, no matter your age, will get you arrested by Metro police, and campus policy prohibits drinking in public places. That said, if you insist on not allowing the University to kill your buzz, follow these tips on what to do and where to go so that DPS won’t crash the party and MPD won’t throw you in jail.
The first and most obvious rule: no obvious open containers. You want something with a cap or lid, preferably an empty water or soda bottle (depending on your concoction of choice). If you’re really desperate, solo cups will generally suffice, though MPD has arrested students holding red solo cups outdoors. Mixed drinks are the easiest to conceal, especially with clear containers.
You would be wise to avoid being loud or visibly intoxicated. Keep yourself in check by playing “secret drunk” with your friends: the first of your group to have another person ask if he or she is drunk loses. Day-drinking should make for a relaxing afternoon, so avoid shots and keg-stands. Wait until football game tailgates and homecoming for the rowdier form of public drinking. When it comes to flouting campus rules, do everything in your power to avoid drawing attention to yourself.
Among the places around campus for day-drinking, the most popular is Copley Lawn. Being one of the most heavily trafficked areas on campus, the lawn is one of the easiest places on campus to blend into the background with a few friends. The only downside: being loud and drunk will attract attention faster than anywhere else—unless you’re cornholing on the lawn (those bros seem to get away with conspicuous consumption pretty regularly).
If Copley lawn is too crowded for you, the Leavey Esplanade presents a calmer alternative. Apart from some light foot traffic between Leavey and Yates, you’re free to relax without constantly peering over your shoulder for a DPS patrol. On a nice day, your only companions will be undergraduate girls looking for a tan who can’t hear how drunk and loud you’re getting over the music in their earbuds. The Esplanade’s elevation makes for not only a great view, but also for a great spot to relax as late afternoon slowly stretches into the early evening.
When looking to booze with sophistication during the day (admittedly an oxymoron), head up to the observatory by Yates. A grassy garden behind the actual observatory building is obscure enough that not many people will even wander by, yet so nice that you’ll wonder why everyone isn’t heading there for a sunset cocktail.
Let Dan take you to the observatory at dnewman@georgetownvoice.com
