16 Commonly Held Amish Myths Busted!
11. Myth - No Booze, Parties Or Having Fun
In the US they have spring break; a giant nationwide piss-up where overly hormonal twenty somethings get wasted and for some reason they tip cars over and riot.
The Amish are not without their own very toned down version and that is known as Rumspringa. Being that becoming a member of the Amish is usually a lifetime commitment, the elders do realise such a choice cannot be made without incurring some curiosity about the big wild world out there. So for one single year, Amish younglings are free to join society, drink, drive cars and behave like regular folks in their late teens and see what the fuss is all about.
After Rumspringa is over though they then have to make a choice - join the church, get married and have half a dozen kids or alternatively get some fierce Meidung thrown at them in the shape a good old fashioned shun.