From my POH on Cessna 152 1978 model it says MTOW 1670lb, max fuel load is 156lb, standard empty weight is 1100lb. I don't know where your getting the 25lb of fuel from. 1100+380+156=1636 there's still some room left. I know some C152's have slightly different standard empty weights but you should still be able to take almost full fuel onboard safely.
Then sir, you have an anorexic Cessna.
My 1984 POH has standard empty as 1136. We have five in our fleet, all about the same age, lightest at 1170 and heaviest at 1206lbs. With those figures then 'the enough fuel for a circuit' statement seems plausable.