Underage intern, drinking?
Incoming SA at a megafund that definitely leans towards the conservative side, culturally speaking. This question gets asked a ton, but I keep hearing mixed opinions from friends
- If I’m underage at my internship, how do I navigate happy hours? Do I follow my coworkers in, order a diet coke and call it a day?
- What if my coworkers encourage me to drink, knowing I’m underage? My buddy at a BB had this happen to him and he chose to responsibly drink and have a great time bonding with his team
I keep thinking about question 2 in the unlikely event that ever happens to me. I doubt it, though
don't underage drink unless an MD hands you a drink knowing you are underage (they will not do this)
if your shitty fake gets caught at a bar and HR finds out, you're fucked
In every place I have worked with decent Summer Analyst and Intern groups, consulting, REPE, and Lending BB, we usually go to company events. Still, it's pretty much the interns take off with the juniors and do their own thing after an hour or two at a HH. MDs, managers, even some senior associates/consultants don't follow and it's like out of site out of mind, if the company doesn't pay we don't care. Now, I've also been to an awkward intern party right after I got promoted to Associate, think NYU summer campus housing and one of our Senior Managers was smoking a blunt with interns, haha, so it's all relative. As a mid-level person close to senior, I stopped attending HHs and had ear muffs when it happened.
So my advice is to be very conservative at the beginning. As you bond with people, you'll find your own HHs and cliques to go party with.
I think you demand more respect than anything if you ask for a double Pappy Van Winkle neat on the MD’s tab.
Please report back.
No one cares if you can handle your liquor. If you make an ass out of yourself, you're not getting a return offer.
As an intern, the margin is razor thin and the company isn't interested in taking a risk on someone who is a liability.
If your coworkers encourage you to drink, and you enjoy drinking, then you can and should feel free to have a drink or two IF you are absolutely certain that you can do so responsibly. If you aren't, or you just don't like drinking, you can also feel free to say you'd prefer to stick to soda.
Nobody is going to force you to drink because nobody wants to risk getting fired for that. Plus there are enough Mormons and recovering alcoholics in IB that it's not weird to abstain from alcohol.
Very firm dependent. At my firm, everyone was well aware. Any happy hours I went to would be "unofficial" and of course, HR was never involved.
1. I would tell your coworkers you are underage and see how they react. Even say "I can't go because I'm 20" or whatever. RE is usually more chill, but based on what you said, this may be risky.
2. This should be based on your answer to 1. If they are well aware, go for it. Otherwise, stay on the side of caution.
Don’t drink at a work event if you are underage .
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