The draft of course didn’t take effect until you lost or gave up your II-S classification. I was pretty safe because of my high number and since I wasn’t graduating for more than a year. In the next year’s lottery I drew another high number at 352. At that point I wrote my draft board and asked to relinquish my II-S. They did as I asked. Even with a high number had the Vietnam war escalated there was a long shot possibility that I could be drafted. But I survived that year and by the time the next year rolled around, I was buried in another layer of draftees. By then I knew there was no chance of my ever getting drafted.
Finally my local draft board sent me a new card and reclassified me to I-H. I was relieved that I did not have to go to Vietnam, but many years later I regretted my decision and wished I had served my country.
I remember how I felt when I first heard about a draft lottery. I had never been very lucky in my life. In fact I don’t ever recall winning anything before the lottery came into existence. When the magical night came to pass, me and several of my fraternity brothers gathered around the TV with lots of beer. Back then we used any excuse for an occasion to drink. Several of my brothers got low numbers. I was very nervous even though I had a II-S classification. The first year I drew a 328. I couldn’t believe it. I celebrated with lots of beer alongside the guys who were trying to drown their sorrows.