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John Smith
1
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The use of alcohol has
had an effect on most people's lives. To some, the affect
has been more severe than to others. There are countless
real instances of extreme alcoholism destroying lives,
relationships, and entire families. Instances of poverty,
violence, and death are everywhere. So commonplace, in many
communities, that it is accepted as a part of life. Most
everyone has been a victim or been close to a victim of
alcohol abuse in some way. The neighbor boy with bruises
from his dad, the friend of family member who was killed by
a drunk driver, of the homeless man who can only remember
the life and family he had before alcoholism destroyed him
are all examples of the affect alcoholism has on people. It
doesn't have to be that way. Poverty, abuse, and violence
are not the staples of life, and should never be
commonplace. I can testify to that, because my life has had
no alcohol in it.
In a way, not having
any problems related to alcohol may seem soft, almost as
though I'm weak or sheltered for never having been subject
or exposed to alcoholism. It is a strength. I've been
offered alcohol many times. I never try it. Why? If a man
has never eaten chocolate, then he can never crave
chocolate. He can be curious, but that is the only
temptation he must overcome to resist. Some people have a
real problem resisting peer pressure. It's not as hard as it
sounds. An upfront and transparent approach almost always
works.
Often, being open on
my position of alcohol is the best way to resist peer
pressure. I simple state that I don't drink and it's over
with. If the offer persists, then that person doesn't
respect my boundaries and doesn't deserve my attention. All
of my friends know that I'm "straight edge", which is to say
I don't do drugs, drink, or anything of the sort. That
doesn't mean all of my friends are straight edge, but they
do respect my boundaries, just as I respect their
indulgence.
The position I take on
alcohol is not the only reason my life has been free of
alcoholism. I was lucky enough to have been born in a family
of which no member smokes, drinks, or uses any illegal
substance. This has greatly impacted my life in a positive
way for obvious reasons. The neighbor boy didn't get beat up
because he choose to drink, or for any decision on his part,
but rather the decision of his father to get drunk. The
choices that parents and family members make affect the
whole family, and it is important for parents to lead by
example. I was lucky, because mine did.
So that's the nuts and
bolts of it. The decision of my family and I to abstain from
alcohol have shaped my life. The risk of poverty, abuse,
violence, and any other negative side-effects of alcohol
have been dramatically reduced because of this. I can only
hope that more people will choose to start families without
alcohol so that their lives can be affected in the same
way.
__________________________________
Courtney
Fike 2 ______________________________________________________
You cannot deny that
addiction to various substances or activities can greatly
impair an individual's ability to function within its
context successfully. For example, I know people who used to
be dedicated and successful students who compromised
everything they had going for them because the drive to
obtain more product was that great. The fix was consuming.
It began casually enough, but these individuals became
dependent. Facing reality sober was a prospect which caused
them to cringe toward the end. Though we must remember that
it all began with a personal choice.
We can look at
substances like meth, cocaine, heroine, and even marijuana.
In our culture, these substances are generally referenced
with pretty negative connotation. These drugs have the
ability to ruin lives. They have potential to crush your
current ambitions and swiftly replace them with very simple
and new prerogatives. Scoring more product to maintain the
high. Alcohol is legal for recreational consumption in
America. There are restrictions applied, such as an age
limit and other limitations on public consumption, etc.
However, you cannot place an age limit on common sense and
you shouldn't. I have often wondered why people are first
inclined to treat the symptoms of a disease oppose to
attacking the issue at the source. Outlawing these substance
will not terminate their usage, it will simply complicate
the process of obtaining them, giving birth to a black
market and several other issues. We should promote common
sense, and spend less time talking down on these substances
which are animinante. Alcohol and meth are two completely
different animals, of course, but the issue is the same when
people decide to abuse substances to dilute their
reality.
Outlawing substances
is about as useful as outlawing stupidity. People should be
able to function of their own volition and still be able to
exercise proper judgment according. However, people make
unwise decisions regardless. So what can you do? Again,
you cannot deny that addiction to various substances or
activities can greatly impair an individual's ability to
function within his/her context successfully. When they
function unsuccessfully, their context is effected. Friends,
family, coworkers, etc. These problems won't go away but we
should at least be clear as to why people's lives a being
ruined. People do these things to themselves, and therefore
harm others unnecessarily. Such is life.
__________________________________
Anonymous
3
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The last time I saw my
dad he was living with my aunt and had just gotten his truck
repossessed from the bar. In the year since, he's been
kicked out of my aunt's house, my grandpa's house and
probably by now my grandma's house. He hasn't held a job in
over a year. For a while he was on disability, some of which
was being sent to my mom as child support, but that didn't
last. The man lives with family, but somehow manages to be
absent from family events. I haven't seen my dad's side of
my family for nearly a year, because I don't want to
accidentally bump into him. The last time I was in town, I
stayed with the aunt with whom he lived, and he still spent
every night at a bar. We celebrated my half brother's and
two cousin's birthday at the same party, and he brought
friends he met at the bar. He left the party
early.
Years ago, when I
still lived in California I remember staying with my dad for
weekends and the like. I hated it. I'd almost always find an
excuse. I'd make plans on Friday night just so he wouldn't
pick me up. I feel bad for my brother. He didn't have a
choice. There were nights when my dad didn't come home. And
the nights he did, he'd get angry. Frequently he'd call
whichever girl he was seeing at the time and pick a fight.
Throughout the house I could hear him shouting obscenities
without any context. If my brother interrupted he'd get hit.
My brother interrupted. That wasn't the only reason he got
hit. My dad was impatient. My brother was used to being
spoiled by his mom, so when he'd ask my dad for a new toy he
expected to receive it. My dad didn't know how to say no
other than shouting and beating. I never asked for anything.
I never got hit. Summer of freshman year I spent on my dad's
roof. I couldn't deal with anyone. I didn't have a way to
meet with friends. No one drove, dad worked and drank.
Sometimes I'd get my aunt to pick me up, and I'd stay for a
week at her house. It was best to stay out of the way.
Everyone in my family knew my dad was a loser. I was always
welcome anywhere else.
__________________________________
Anonymous
4
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The first time I laid
my eyes on alcohol was in the 8th grade. I remember watching
as kids would put it into water bottles and rink it before
school! Can you believe that? I just remember
thinking how sad; those kids couldn't even go to school
sober?
As I was growing up I
was never really around alcohol. My mom and her side of the
family maybe drank a glass of wine or a beer on Christmas
Eve. On the other hand my dad and his side of family
struggled with alcohol addiction. At an early age I was told
to never try it because I had a high chance of being
addicted. I truly believed that, and it stuck with me for
years. But something changed when high school started. I had
always been the "shy girl" and now I was getting invited to
partiers by upperclassmen and "popular kids"? They
wanted me to come? So I did, I made the choice to go
and I have questioned it ever since. After the first, I went
to a few more and a few more after that, but it's not "cool"
to go to a party and not drink...I became the weird sober
girl which I thought was a bad thing!
October 2007, my
freshman year my dad was in a car accident and passed away.
Drinking and Driving. I told myself than that I would never
drink and drive let alone get in the car with a drunk driver
and I kept the promise to myself. My sophomore year I was
again faced with the peer pressure and choices. I made a
choice once again to go with the intention of not drinking,
but that soon changed when I got there. I cared what people
thought about me and popular kids thinking I'm weird just
couldn't happen! So I spent the rest of the night in
the bathroom...sick all night. And this is what being
"drunk" feels like? Not all that it's cracked up to be.
The next morning I felt awful, almost as bad as the night
before. It was not cool. It wasn't fun. It was pointless and
I regretted every minute of it.
I was really
disappointed in myself and I knew my family would be as well
if they ever found out. Since that night I have of course
been invited to more parties than I can probably count, but
it is easy for me to say no. If I'm asked if I want to get
"drunk" or "wasted" it really isn't that, it's do I feel
like getting sick tonight? And the answer is always
No! Although I do not participate in beer pong or
taking shots, many of my friends do and I always volunteer
to be the designated driver. I can't tell them what to do or
say but I can make sure they are as safe as possible. I
regret trying alcohol at such a young age but it took all my
curiosity away and I know now more than ever, it's really
not worth it.
__________________________________
Anonymous
5
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When your son goes
out, are you sure he is where he said he's going? When your
daughter's going out on a date, can you trust the guy she's
with? Can you trust your kids? The lies your kids
will tell and the tricks they'll pull are getting better and
harder to notice. You might say to yourself, "Well I was a
teen once. What will they do that I haven't done
already?" Well, you shouldn't be asking yourself that.
You should be a little worried. Want to know some of the
things they'll go? I'll tell you and to help you out
I'll even give you a tip that might help.
You know those
homeless guys roaming the streets? here's the easiest
way of getting alcohol. They slip them a little of their
weekly allowance (with a little extra for the guy) and now
they've got themselves a pack of "let's get messed
up." Everyone's a winner. Tip: Know how much money
your kids have on them and every time they come home with
less cash, ask for a receipt of what they bought. Here's
another. "Kyle's parents are leaving to Medford the for
weekend, and they've got alcohol stacked to the
roof! Ask your parents to stay the night and let's get
wasted." Tip: Know where the house is, know the
parents, and if they have alcohol, make sure it's locked
away. "Oh no, Mom and Dad are coming home tomorrow and
bottles are missing!" Tip: Teens are smart.
They'll find a way. Like break the bottles and throw them
away and tell you that they accidentally bumped the bottles.
If that doe happen, that's a hint telling you they got into
the alcohol again. Another way of knowing your kids are
drinking alcohol, check their Facebook. I said teens are
smart, but they're not that smart. Now that they have
Facebook, they go crazy updating their status. They'll say
things like, "Party at my house," or "I'm so waystd O cmt
evn spl, I LOVE dis prty!!!" Seriously, I've
seen all types of crazy Facebook status updates.
Tip: Check their Facebooks. If they don't let you
obviously they're hiding something.
There are all types of
lies and tricks teenagers will come up with. Maybe I've got
tips for them. Maybe I don't. But I've got the best tip to
leave you with. Mom, Dad, talk to your kids. It you want to
know your kids are safe and aren't drinking alcohol, sit
down and talk to them. Just like Facebook, if they say no,
then obviously they're hiding something.
__________________________________
Jenna
Flowers 6
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Looking through my
eyes would see a completely different picture than when
you're looking straight at me. Looking at me, you might
catch the look of disappointment my eyes regrettably
release, or maybe you would just see my hope for things to
change. but no matter how long you scan my eyes, you'll
never feel the emotions that come with the people, with
their words, or with their actions. Through my eyes this is
what you'll see.
You'll first see the
red, orange, and yellow waves dance before you. Across
you'll see what used to be delightful faces, faces that I
love. But tonight their faces turn into an all too familiar
dark face. You'll see their squinting eyes, gazing at
whatever is most comfortable for them. And you'll hear their
words slur as they try to say what they believe to be clever
thoughts. As the night becomes colder, darker, their words
become harsh. They begin to spit fire, they start to morph;
they make decisions they will regret, if they remember, they
begin to cause pain.
And it will begin to
burn instantly. Everything they say, do and become, cuts
you, bruises you, and weakens you. You can no longer stand
to listen to their idiotic and so called "fun" time. But
you'll know not to leave, not to let them out of your sight.
With every hour that passes. You'll hear the empty bottle
shatter, as they themselves fall onto the rocks. You can no
longer stand to hear the voices that come from the ones you
respect, love and admire the most. And although you feel you
can't take this burn any longer, you know it will return, it
always returns.
Now you'll feel anger,
confusion, depression, disappointment and misery all at
once. You won't understand why your guardians do this to
you, to themselves. Do they not feel your pain, hear your
fears? You'll see now that they can't. Do they not know
that they deserve better, that you deserve better? With
alcohol replacing their blood, they can't hear you, they
can't see you. Why face your discomfort when they're trying
to ignore their own? And for a few hours it works,
they're numb. But now you catch the pain, you're responsible
for it now. But you can't let this defeat you. You need to
be there. You'll now hear the heaving, as the alcohol bits
back. You'll now have to play guardian.
You'll pick them off
the ground, you'll get them safely to bed. You'll stay up
all night making sure they're okay, like they once did when
you were an infant. Your heart will skip a beat when your
ears don't catch the sound of their breath. And you'll wish
and hope that tonight was your last night. But you'll know
it'll return, it always returns.
__________________________________
Anonymous
7
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Through my eyes I have
seen alcohol being used in many ways. Some ways result in
nothing but a headache and others destroy families and
lives. Personally, I have been around alcohol for my entire
life. Ever since I can remember there has been a beer in my
dad's hands and a wine glass in my mom's hand. I know
nothing else.
At family reunions
alcohol is always present, it's a necessity for them to
have. They use it to socialize or to celebrate. Each
scenario has a different quantity of alcoholic drinks there,
it all just depends. The kids in my family are very used to
this idea'; it is almost a routine to see the adults
drinking.
While I was growing
up, just like every other boy, I wanted to be just like dad.
The only thing is that this entailed drinking a lot. Of
course as a kid I knew nothing about alcohol and its
effects, I just knew that dad drank it and I wanted to be
just like him. As I grew older I realize what he's drinking
but all in all I still wanted to be like him. Especially
since it was something I could not partake in.
I have seen alcohol
single handily destroy a family. The alcoholic father begins
to abuse his family and causes his family to live in fear.
The alcoholic family member drinks until they kill
themselves from liver failure. A high school student who let
alcohol become their life and eventually dropping out of
school to work construction just so they can get their buzz
for the day. Or the father who thinks he can drink and drive
and one night wraps their truck around a tree and dies. I
have been exposed to all these things and I'm only
eighteen!
As a high school
student I have near instant access to alcohol All it takes
is one phone call and anyone of us could have a half gallon
or even a keg of alcohol. But all of the information that
has been pounded into us about alcohol and how it negatively
affects your body may cause you to have a second thought
before partaking in the summer "fun" of being a senior. The
peer pressure leaves me with a question, be another horror
story or be my own with its own ending.
__________________________________
Anonymous
8
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Teenagers today seem
more and more prone to drinking. I remember looking up to my
two older brothers when I was in elementary school thinking
I wanted to be just like them. Them and all their friends
never drank, never smoked anything, and never did anything
illegal. I bet it's because of the examples they had when
they were young. Now, little kids already know what all
those things are. They think it's cool. That's because of
how the older kids act now and their parents. Kids tend to
be just like their examples when they grow up. I've had too
very opposite examples for as long as I can
remember.
My parents have
honestly never been drunk their whole lives, literally. I
couldn't ask for a better example from both of them. My
brother, Mark, is completely the opposite. He has told me
that he really cannot think of a drug he hasn't done. For
the past five years I don't even know if I've seen him
without alcohol is his system.
Mark used to get
really mad when he drank. I could completely stay out of his
way and he would still find reasons to come find me and pick
a fight. I can remember many times hiding in my parents'
room with my sister while my dad had to hold Mark down so he
couldn't get to my sister and me. The day I saw Mark hurt my
mom was the day I decided alcohol was never going to be in
my life. He has ruined every single birthday, wedding,
anniversary and dance in my family. He gets drunk and gets
jealous and mad if the attention isn't on him, so he causes
a scene.
One New Year's Eve, he
got so drunk he didn't know how to keep himself up. He tells
everyone he just slipped on an icy deck, but really he was
just drunk. He fell over and hit his head on a wooden
planter. He had to go to the emergency room that night and
get staples in his head.
Seeing Mark hurt
himself, my family, and me has made me see what lengths a
person can go to when their drunk. That, and my parents' way
of living has helped me stay away from the whole "party
scene." Mark, my friends, and even enemies have tried to
make me drink with them. I've always told them no. I've had
two very different examples in my life. Teens now need to
think more about the examples their giving. Who knows who
I'd be today without my parents' example?
_________________________________
Anonymous
9
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Healthy choices
develop from communication, discipline and control. They are
not inherited, nor effortless, but they are imperative for
success. The journey of life is not meant to constantly be
comfortable and undemanding. Lessons are learned from a
winding and bumpy road, but there are limited amounts of
mistakes that can be made, before we veer off the
road.
My parents have been
the owners of a towing company for a few years now, and it
is conventional to see lives ruined and taken from alcohol.
It 's heartbreaking to see families torn apart, but in a
way, it benefits me because I learn from the mistakes of
others. Like the saying goes, "A man learns from his
mistakes, but a wise man learns from the mistakes of
others.' Being involved in a business that deal with
such horrific circumstances has made me both fear and avoid
it as much as possible. Addiction is a terrifying thing and
a significant phobia of mine.
Watching people
deteriorate and slowly demolish their lives is not the only
influence to my mindset. My parents raised me very well, and
from the beginning I was taught right and wrong. We have a
very strong bond, and not only do I see them as admirable
parents, but excellent role models and friends I confide in.
A strong relationship between parents and their children can
only lead to a positive outcome. Not once in my life have I
drank alcohol, nor desired to, and I thank my parents for
that.
Alcohol has, and
probably always will ruin lives; it has become a part of
this culture. We can either choose to learn from the people
alcohol has control of, and make smart choices while
drinking, like not getting into a car to drive, or we can
follow in their footsteps.
.I have chosen a life
of positivity and good health, and will encourage others to
do so as well. The path of life we choose will always have
surprises and life lessons, we can only hope the lessons are
learned and taken to the next step in life.
__________________________________
Anonymous
10
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My junior year of high
school, all I remember is being depressed. I was a self
harmer, or a cutter, and I just wanted to get out of the
painful depression I somehow got stuck in. Another of my
friends was also in the same boat as me. Only she drank
alcohol and cut herself. Sometimes when we talked she would
mention it, and how she felt so much better after she would
drink. Well, one day, it got me thinking about it, it got me
wondering if it would really help me.
After school I would
be alone. Most of my time I would just sit and think I would
get tempted to drink alcohol. Some days I would grab some
alcoholic drink and sit and stare at it, but I always put it
back, not wanting to face whatever it may end up doing to
me.
One day though, I cam
home depressed as ever and just lost it. I cut myself, but
that day it wasn't enough. I sat for a bit, then that
thought crossed my mind. I got up and mixed myself a drink
that I had seen my dad make. I won't life, it tasted good,
and it made me feel better. I had made sure I washed my
glass and put everything just as it was before. After that
day I started to drink after school. One day, though, some
friends asked me to go hang out at the library with them, I
was already home and had already drank, but I said yes
anyway. Luckily I couldn't drive yet so I walked down there,
already feeling the effects of the alcohol. When I got there
I hoped no one would notice, hoped that I would be able to
just stay cool. I was so wrong. After a few odd and out of
character acts my friends asked me what was wrong. I thought
of an excuse. Super bowl had just happened that week of I
told them that my mom must have put alcohol in some punch I
had drank before meeting up with them, and that I now know
not to drink the Super bowl party punch. They laughed and
they believed me. In fact they still think that same thing
to this day.
The next day when I
went for my normal after school alcoholic drink I stopped
myself and thought about what I was doing to myself. What
would happen when what I normally drank didn't work
anymore? What would happen in and when my parents found
out? Then I remembered why I never started to
drink in the first place, because I was scared of what it
would do to me. After than I stopped drinking and cutting. I
also tried helping my friend. Now it's my senior year and
last year's mistake of drinking and lying still follows me.
I hope with all my heart that my friends and my loved ones
can forgive me for it.
_________________________________
Garrett Jue
11
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As the end of Tom's
shift at the pizza parlor neared its end, he was working
quickly on a few pizzas for the party (he was bringing them
because he had no alcohol or money.) As he clocked out
and got into his car, the excitement for the party at
unknown location began to grow inside him.
He got home and
showered so he would look goof for the ladies, said he was
staying the night at a friend's to his parents. Then he was
off to the party. When he got to the party he put the pizzas
where everyone could have at them and he started drinking a
beer. A spot at the beer pong table opened up for him and he
took it. Tom dominated 3 opponents then lost to 2. After his
defeat he took shots with a group of people and talked about
stuff with them (the stuff can't be said on this paper). As
the night grew later more people started to show up. Tom was
back at the beer pong table, but he was still on a losing
streak. After the 5th loss, Tom was drunk out of his mind.
He shouldn't have taken a beer stick, but he took 2. Then it
was pass out time for Tom. Tom walked as best as he could to
the back room once there he found a blanket and he fell
asleep.
The next morning he
learned that some people had tried to pull a prank on him,
but his friends stopped them. If I felt like I could speak
freely and go into more detail with my story, I think you
would see there is better in partying than there is bad.
Partying shows you a good time with friends. It shows you
who your true friends are. It helps you unwind from the week
and it gets you ready to deal with college parties. I know
that sounds dumb to you who don't do it anymore, but
seriously think back to the days when you were young. Then
you might understand it more.
__________________________________
Emilee
Bottoms 12
______________________________________________________
Shelbie was the type
of girl who had been Valedictorian of her class, was
involved in every activity imaginable at her school, and had
never been to the principal's office. Her parents had always
been big influences on her; they taught her right from wrong
and encouraged her to be the best she could be. Shelbie was
also a great role model for her young sister Sarah. Shelbie
was all of those things and more. That was until her parents
and sister were killed in a car accident.
To deal with her loss
she turned to alcohol. She started hanging with new friends
and partying. At first it was a couple beers at a party, and
then it turned into a couple beers a night. Pretty soon she
was drinking from the moment she woke up until the moment
she went to sleep. She couldn't stop. Shelbie had become an
alcoholic. She let her family's death take over her life,
and her only source of help was at the bottom of a beer
bottle.
Shelbie had a best
friend name Jamie whom she had been friends with since
preschool. Jamie had been there through everything: the
accident, the hospital, the final bad news, the funeral, and
the weeks following. It hurt her to see Shelbie like this.
She did everything she could to try and help her, but Jamie
had been replaced by alcohol. Even though Shelbie no longer
cared about Jamie, Jamie still didn't give up. She picked
her up from parties, put her into bed and sobered her up in
the morning. Jamie cared about her and knew that Shelbie
would be herself again someday.
Shelbie had gone to
another party and had drunk a lot. More than she normally
did. She had been talking with a guy named Tyler that night
and thought he was pretty cool. As the night continued, she
began to fade in and out of consciousness. She remembered
that Tyler had brought her another drink but after that
everything was a blank. The following morning she was very
confused. She was in her own bed, in pajamas and wrapped in
a blanket. She had no memory of getting there. She looked up
and saw Jamie sitting at her desk reading a
magazine.
Jamie had saved her.
She had shown up just as Tyler was carrying Shelbie to a
bedroom. She called the police and saved her friend from
something that would have destroyed her. After that night
Shelbie realized how low she had fallen and went to rehab
and sobered up. She enrolled in college with Jamie and was
able to start a career and a new life. Even though she
misses her family she deals with her pain in a new way. She
helps teens who have lost loved ones come out of the dark
place they are in and start new lives. She helps the type of
people that she had once been.
__________________________________
Anonymous
13
______________________________________________________
Alcohol has not really
had a big impact on my life. My parents don't drink often;
maybe a glass of wine during dinner but that doesn't happen
frequently. Most of my friends don't party so I am never
with people who pressure me to drink. I have never wanted to
anyway, because I dedicated most of my time to volleyball
and drinking wasn't worth being kicked off the team for. I
guess by some definitions I could be considered a boring
teenager. No, parties, drugs, or even a speeding ticket. But
the absence of those things led to off kilter activities
with my friends that could be thought of as creative or just
plain stupid.
Brookings is a small
town. Too small. Most teenagers have absolutely nothing to
do. Some turn to beer pong and shots, others to sports,
academics, or both. But when school is out and the weekend
has started what do you do with your time? Driving
kills a lot of time and leads to plenty of unexpected
circumstances. Rest stops, deserted roads, and empty beaches
are new places to explore and just be yourself with the
people who know you best. Or you just drive. Keep going
until you know you can't go any further without hitting
empty on the way home. Gas guzzling? Yea, but if you
are a kid who has a job and doesn't pay rent, why
not? It's the perfect time for blasting your favorite
music and talking about anything and everything, so I
consider it worth the money.
What else could I
share that you would actually want to know? Probably
not much. We spend the rest of our time randomly doing
whatever we can think of in the places we eventually land.
Our most recent, and most stupid was just a trip to the car
wash. The regular wash, rinse, and a additional power dry.
The latter, we decided would be best experienced without a
far. Things that make others stop and wonder what the hell
we are thinking is usually how we spend our time together.
Don't get me wrong, acting stupid without anybody else there
is the most preferable. We usually keep our true selves, the
ones that come out only with each other, to
ourselves.
So I guess what I'm
trying to say is, you really don't need a few drinks to have
a good time. I know it sounds cliché but I
experienced many great nights totally sober. I want memories
of my high school days. I want to remember the good times
and the bad. Drinking so much that you don't even know where
you were the night before isn't the best way to do that,
which is why I don't plan to waste my nights with a beer in
my hand.
__________________________________
Anonymous
14
______________________________________________________
Liquid courage; a
phase commonly associated with alcohol. Being intoxicated is
not necessarily a bad thing, unless your underage or to the
point of alcohol poisoning. Teenagers rebel against society
especially in a small town such as Brookings for many
reasons. Some of which includes the obvious, which is simply
being drunk and knowing its illegal makes it that much more
of a thrill. Another reason being the fact that there is
very little activities such as bowling or the movies or any
other nonalcoholic environmental spots to go and do stuff at
on the weekends.
One night at a party
there was this girl named Mia; bright funny, college bound
girl. She decided that she'd like to relax and have fun by
partying. So she started off the night by having a few
beers. A few beers turned into more than twenty in the
course of a few hours. As a result of drinking so much in
such a short time period she collapsed; luckily Brennan was
there to catch her. She then started puking up all of the
alcohol her body couldn't handle. After throwing up she
passed out and was unresponsive for a few hours, luckily
there was Daniel, who happened to be an EMT. Daniel had
encountered a few people in his lifetime that were on the
brink of death from alcohol poisoning. When he came across
Mia he realized how intoxicated she actually was and assured
us that everything would be fine. We had to keep an eye on
her though just to make sure she stayed on her side. The
moment she woke up and was somewhat coherent everyone
started asking questions to make sure she was all right. She
drank so much that she blacked out and didn't recall
anything of that night. She couldn't believe that she
allowed herself to consume that much liquor and regretted
ever doing it.
Everyone at the party,
for once, realized the true dangers and the actual reality
of drinking. They all witnessed someone that was
unresponsive due to her binge drinking. If it wasn't for
Brennan and Daniel, Mia wouldn't be alive this very minute.
They paid attention in school and learned what is needed in
a situation such as this to keep Mia on her side so she
wouldn't kill herself with her own vomit. So if anyone wants
to partake in teen drinking because they think its "cool" or
"the thing to do", just be aware of the possible outcomes,
such as vomiting, loss of memory of the night, possibly date
raped, and even death. So just be aware of the
dangers.
__________________________________
Anonymous
15
______________________________________________________
When I was 6 years old
I was living in my grandparent's house. My grandpa was
sleeping on the couch, and he had his beer on the coffee
table and I thought it was soda so I drank it. I was a
little drunk after I drank it but I also felt pretty good,
relaxed, and I felt I was more mature too.
About two years later,
my dad came back with his new girlfriend and her children so
I only got to see him every Sunday for about 2 hours.
Sometimes my big sister and I would ride our bikes down to
his house without the grandparents knowing.
When I was 10 years
old I would steal a couple of beers and drink them so that
I can be all relaxed and not worry about school. I
would hand out with friends and rink a few beers with them
and play video games. Sometimes we would see how many beers
we can drink in 5 minutes or who can get the drunkest. No
one really pressured me to drink. I just drink to have fun
and enjoy life to the fullest.
When I was 13 years
old that's when all the stress came to me so I solved it
with drinking more beer. I would drink about a pack a night
or on the weekends until I passed out. All my friends and I
would go up river and rink, fish, swim, and throw a small
party. A couple of time I almost got caught by police but we
were always a step ahead of them.
When I was 14 years
old, I was at a friend's house drinking some beers and some
shots of Captain Morgan, and his mom woke up and saw us
drinking but she didn't care.
During my freshman
year in high school I would drink about 2 cans of beer a
night at home so I can be ready to go to school next
morning, but if I was at a friend's house I would drink
until I got tired.
During Junior year I
would do the same thing but I didn't hang out with my
friends as much because most of them moved or hanging out
with their other friends that I didn't like.
Now it is my senior
year and I turned 18 years old, and I look back at this and
I am glad for what I did because I have nothing to regret in
the future. And that's my highlight about me and
beers.
__________________________________
Anonymous
16
______________________________________________________
Growing up, my mom
always told me that I should stay away from drugs and not to
smoke. But I notice now that she never told me to stay away
from alcohol. She just happened to tell me later in life
that if I wanted to drink that she had to be there to
supervise. I didn't know at the time that it was because she
wouldn't speak out against something she would
do.
Over the last couple
years,my mom started drinking, and I started to notice
certain things she would do after, like start to tell me and
my sister what we wanted to hear. She started bringing home
guys to date every so often and then something would always
happen that usually involved drinking that would end it. But
I tried not to think anything of it, because I knew that it
was a life she had chosen for herself. I never understood
the full mind-altering effects of alcohol when I went up to
visit my mom this one time. While I was there, I watcher her
drink half of a gallon of beer without eating, which she
hardly ever drinks beer anyways, literally start annoying
the people she was hanging out with because she was drunk,
smoke cigarettes, something I had seen her do only one other
time, and ever smoke pot, which was actually disturbing to
watch because she was the person who grew up anti-drug and
smoking parenting. Once alcohol came into her life, she
became the person she always told me not to
become.
Another person that
showed me the effects of alcohol was my best friend's dad.
He drank when he was younger, but stooped for a long time
cause it got him into trouble. But he got reintroduced, and
that is when stuff started to change. At first he would
drink, and he would get kind of funny in the things he would
say, but otherwise there was no real issue.
But he eventually
found beer, and that's when he slowly started to head south.
He started drinking daily, and the amount he drank daily
started to increase. So far he has had to really bad
encounters since he started again. The first was when the
neighbor came over and they were drinking together, and he
got mad about something so they left to the bar, probably
around 4-5 P.P. and we didn't hear from him again until he
got brought home between 12 P.M. and 1 A.M. hammered. The
second time was a little more recently, probably about two
months ago, when he got mad about something, got dressed,
grabbed a lot of money, and walked out the door about 8 P.M.
And didn't show back up until maybe 4-5 A.M. after everyone
was sleeping. His son hates watching him drink, because it
makes him a different person. If he doesn't stop soon he
might just end up destroying the family of an innocent 13
year old kid.
_________________________________
Tyrel Hinze
17
_____________________________________________________
Alcohol destroyed my
family, and it all started with my father, Ernie. Ernie was
very abusive to my mother and I, saying as he was in a
drunken mindset every day: "It's good for who it's
for!" among other things. He always forced me to burn the
garbage every Sunday, purposely putting my sister's used
hairspray cans in the garbage. One Sunday as he was
drinking, the garbage exploded due to said hairspray cans,
giving me burns to my face and shrapnel cutting me in
various places, by bottom lip unfortunately was scarred for
some reason.
Seeing him drinking
alcoholic beverage after alcoholic beverage has turned me
off of trying alcohol in the first place seeing as how he
abused me repeatedly. Unfortunately, I was stupid enough to
go to counseling with him for our badly made father-son
relationships. Eventually the whole family went together,
but we came out more split apart than even, I was actually
happy about that too! Ernie divorced mom, I live with
mom. But my sisters lives with him. I lost m sister to
Ernie. And sadly, she's heading down the same path as him.
She's been drinking, too.
Alcohol is probably
the worst thing that happened to this family, no. Alcohol IS
the worst thing that happened to this family! I don't
drink alcohol period, and yet I still suffer for something
I never do. I still get harassing e-mails from Ernie,
and my mom gets nasty letters from him when he pays alimony
to her. My sister went to college, but ended up dropping out
of it due to partying and drinking alcohol. She only had
three classes., She even told me that vodka tastes bad. Why
would I even want to know that? She's even turning out
to be just like her father. I can't even be in the same room
anymore. Please quit drinking sis!
As I said before,
alcohol destroyed my family. Unfortunately, it probably
won't be together ever again. Alcohol destroys families, so
just quit drinking. Alcohol is bad, really bad. It's just
fuel for tragedies such as my family.
_________________________________
Anonymous
18
____________________________________________________
"So crack a bottle,
let your body waddle..." Eminem declared in his
chart-topping album, and he had millions of teenagers,
middle-schoolers, and even elementary students happily
singing and dancing along. Due to the influences of modern
entertainment, such as song lyrics, drinking is generally
accepted as the "cool" thing to do by many people. Pressure
on teens to drink is everywhere, from the media and also
strongly from their peers. Personally, I am against the
misuse of alcohol by my generation and I believe in
promoting an alcohol -free community. I have definitely not
been free from the pressure to drink, but I have made an
effort to keep myself from being influenced.
I keep the influence
of the media out of my life by only watching certain movies
and TV shows. It is a rare occasion that I voluntarily
listen to music that promotes the misuse of alcohol, and I
generally make a conscious effort to avoid it. None of my
close friends drink, and we find many ways to have fun
without having to party with alcohol. Granted, Brookings is
a boring town with limited sources of entertainment, but
that doesn't mean that we have to resort to drinking. We go
out to eat, write a song, bowl, watch a movie, or play
wii.
Even though my close
friends don't think, there are many people that I know who
do. I have been pressured to drink in the past, but saying
no is easy for me because I am so strong in my convictions
against it. One time I was with a group of people at a
restaurant, and one of them ordered shots of Vodka for
everyone at the table. They were laughing and joking around
about how they could down them in one gulp and take several
in a row. My shot glass stood untouched by my plate and I
wasn't laughing. Someone looked over confusedly and asked me
why I wasn't drinking it. I looked at them and stated flatly
that I don't drink. Looking t me like I was crazy, she told
me it was fun, that everyone else is going it, and one shot
wasn't going to matter anyways. Not phased at all, and I
looked her in the eye and repeated that I didn't drink. I
said I was going to take a walk and come back when the food
came. I let my conviction show and I stayed strong in my
views against alcohol.
The pressure on my
generation to drink is everywhere, from the influence of the
media to the need to be "cool" and be accepted by peers. I
make strong efforts to keep these influences out of my life,
and I find alternative ways to have fun with my friends. I
believe that it is possible for the misuse of alcohol to be
reduced in our community, and I fully support all efforts
that are being made to stop it.
_________________________________
Anonymous
19
____________________________________________________
Alcohol represents
smart decisions and the willingness to live with
consequences. I am neither for nor against alcohol, but I do
believe alcohol is a factor that can help determine a
person's strength of character. There are no magical steps
to learning to say "no" to alcohol. It will always be a
choice, and it is these choices that determine one's
character.
I understand the
negative consequences of alcohol; they have been preached to
us for years at school. As an athlete, I have signed a
contract that prohibits the use of alcohol. I have witnessed
kids ruin their sport seasons for violating the contract.
That was a choice. My commitment to my teammates is enough
to steer me away from drinking. It also helps that I have
surrounded myself with friends who think the same way. There
is power in numbers, and I use that to my
advantage.
Kids choose to be
ignorant. We know, or can feel, when a party might get out
of control. Even with that knowledge, kids choose to go to
these parties and run the risk of drinking. I know I have
gone to a couple parties knowing I will have a few drinks On
the few occasions I have gone to parties, I have been with
my family and I make sure I am with people I trust. I have
never been drunk, or close to it. I know my limits and
boundaries. Everyone does. There is some truth in the saying
"drinking is fun" because it can loosen people up, but I
completely disagree with people who abuse it. There are
other ways to reach that "natural high" that are much safer.
As we grow up, we fill
face the peer pressure of drinking. What will make us walk
away are our morals and the value we put in commitments,
such as athletic contracts. I have the confidence in myself
to trust my instincts and choose not to drink in a way that
will harm my future. Everyone can make that choice for
themselves, and that is what it takes to say "no" to
alcohol.
__________________________________
Anonymous
20
______________________________________________________
Let me tell you about
a young girl, we're going to call Jayden. Jayden is a senior
in high school, takes advanced classes, works two jobs, and
has an alcohol problem She will never admit to you that
she's got this problem but it's very well known that she
does. I'd say about 75% of her paychecks go to alcohol,
mainly the hard alcohol. She always has a way to get her
beer during the week, and it's never been a problem on the
weekends. She's got one goal when Friday rolls around, and
that is to get completely wasted by anyone's standards. Not
only does she just drink to drink but she loves the games,
like beer pong, flip cup, and p & a. This young girl's
life isn't that hard, it's just an excuse for her to drink
more than anyone else.
Since this drinking
binge has happened, her grades have dropped and her normal
friend circle has somewhat vanished. She has realized it is
surely not easy to balance school, work, and friends when
she would choose alcohol over almost anything in life. She
has yet to get in trouble for her drinking, no MIP's, no
DUI's and no serious injuries. Even if she won't admit that
her drinking has become a problem, she's still smart about
it; she watches where she drinks and she surely doesn't
drive. Her life has become centered on alcohol and it is
surely spiraling downward as she keeps going.
Her father and her
grandfather on her mother's side both have an alcohol
problem. No matter how much her family tries warning her she
is so far gone it goes in one ear and out the other. When
Jayden thinks about her life from the other perspective she
worries day and night about how long she can keep this up or
how far things are going to go. Jayden knows what can happen
and at this point she isn't even thinking about slowing down
on her drinking. It could take a serious problem or
injury to stop this young lady but everyone around her that
cares is hoping she can see her problem before all this
happens. Anyone and everyone is willing to help her and get
her help but all they can do is wait. Young Jayden is on a
broken escalator of life and its being powered downwards
fast by the use of alcohol.
__________________________________
Anonymous
21
______________________________________________________
Everyone has that one
family member they look forward to seeing at Thanksgiving
and Christmas, the "cool" relative who always makes them
smile. For me, this person is my uncle Larry. My dad's
brother is always the life of the party. He is the relative
I look forward to seeing at every get together.
Two months ago, my
uncle was told he had six months to live. His constant
drinking has ruined his liver. When I was too young to
really understand what alcoholism was, he had a very bad
drinking problem. He was hospitalized for alcohol related
issues, and made a decision to abstain from alcohol. He
stuck to this decision for many years. However, when his
wife died a year and a half ago, he picked up a bottle and
has hardly been sober since.
His constant drinking
for eighteen months has put him in the hospital for
Emergency Care twice. He now lives with his mother because
he is too weak to take care of himself. He has stopped
working and is collecting Social Security disability. He
goes to the hospital once a week to have liquid siphoned out
of his body because his body is no longer able to function
properly.
Larry's drinking has
affected not only me, but my entire family. My grandmother
had to move to San Jose to be able to take care of him, even
though at eighty years old she really needs someone to take
care of her. His two older children, my cousins, are now
dealing not only with the loss of their mom, but the
impending death of their father. My dad has had to travel to
San Jose to help his brother, and our entire family has had
to pull together to support him emotionally and financially.
My uncle is no longer
the life of the party. He is to sick to travel to family
events, and when we visit him he doesn't even have the
energy to talk with us. The gravity of his situation finally
hit him, and he has again decided to stop drinking.
Unfortunately, this choice came too late. His death will be
the result of a lifestyle choice to drink excessively; just
one more life claimed by alcohol.
__________________________________
Eileen
Goodwin 22
_____________________________________________________
I have been fortunate
enough to never be subject to the negative effects of
alcohol. My family drinks only occasionally, and always in
moderation. I have never even been in the presence of a
truly drunk person; the extent of my awareness of alcoholism
comes from television programs and health classes. My own
consumption of alcohol is limited to traditional drinks
around holidays, and never enough to feel any effects.
Throughout my life, the alcohol has only been present as a
different beverage to be consumed in future
years.
From a young age, I
have been taught that alcohol is just like anything else
rich one might consumer, like cake or soda: stop when you
feel you have had too much. It has negative effects, much
like to much sugar or Tylenol, so one must be sure to mind
the quantity one is drinking. Instead of regarding alcohol
as a dangerous, addictive drug, like cigarettes or heroin,
it is simply another drink. Most of the tolerant attitude
towards alcohol is a result of my parents' upbringing and
respective cultures. My father comes from a family that
continues to celebrate their slight Scottish heritage
through h habitual golfing and rounds of whisky. On the
other wise, my mother's parents are first-generation
Americans from Slovakia, where one cannot respectfully enter
and leave a house without multiple shots of brandy. Alcohol
is merely a component of their culture, much like most
families who maintain their European customs, and never to
be considered an acceptable outlet for emotional escape, as
most alcoholics view it.
Personally, I have few
reservations about drinking alcohol in the future, but I
would never drink deliberately to get drunk. Having little
control over myself is a frightening prospect, not made any
better by the suggestion that I might not even remember what
happened the following morning while throwing up. If alcohol
is treated with the proper respect instead of abused, its
negative effects can be avoided; indeed, it is likely the
no-tolerance attitude of the community is what drives
teenagers to drink in the first place, thinking themselves
"adult" and "rebellious".. If teens were trusted to be
responsible, perhaps they would become trustworthy; it is
the lack of trust and childish ultimatums that creates the
attraction of alcohol to the adventurous child.
__________________________________
Stacie
Osborn 23
_______________________________________________________
He drank it all up,
the silence engulfed him; it weighed heavy on his shoulders
pressing him into the ground, molding him to the earth. He
ran his hands over the soft green grass feeling the small
pricks of each and every blade on his fingertips: it
screamed in his ears, so loud but so quiet. The wind blew a
hard gust and it wiped away his worries and every horrifying
thought racing through his head; it filled his lungs with
the sweet scented air fresh with his vodka burps; it felt
like pure ecstasy. These feelings didn't last much longer;
every time he closed his eyes he was swept back to last
night. The screams echoed through his ears rattling him to
the core, dry blood still on his hands, clothes, hair; hell,
it was everywhere. He looked over at the totaled car, he saw
Selina's slumped outline. If he stayed this far from the car
he couldn't tell, couldn't see that her face was gone, but
he knew. He knew as soon as it happened, as soon as her head
hit the vinyl and slid, her face was ripped off, she was
gone. It happened so fast but so slow all at the same time.
Andy sat with his head on his knees, his left eyebrow
hanging down the side of his face, a tooth and some blood in
his hands; his smashed cell phone sat next to him. Patrick
stood pacing, Lydia was no where to be found.
Patrick stood pacing
until the sun came up, he then walked as well as he could
towards town, fifteen or so miles away. He reached the first
house he saw and called the authorities, he was arrested
within the next hour. When the car and kids were reached
Selina was officially pronounced dead, Lydia was found and
hooked up to life support, and Andy stayed sitting;
traumatized for the remainder of his life.
That night in 2007 I
lost all of my friends, the friends I'd grown up with since
preschool. I couldn't function anymore, I couldn't stand to
drive down that road to head to school, or walk past the
houses of my dead, incarcerated, and institutionalized
friends. It was killing me slowly day by day, so we finally
moved out of Washington and came to this little beach town
my family believed would be safe, be clean, be clear of
worry. A place where I could make friends and not have to be
scared and worry constantly about losing them, but we were
wrong; it's just as bad if not worse here. I've been here
for three years now, watching nearly everyone I have come to
know partake in drugs and alcohol. Due to the consumption
there are accidents, fights, pregnancies, and someday there
will be death. It's time for some serious change.
__________________________________
Anonymous
24
______________________________________________________
It's dark. I can't see
anything. My head hurts and my legs burn. Where am
I? It's cold and I hear people breathing. Sleeping
maybe? Am I in a sleeping bag? Then it hits me,
well part of it anyway. I came up river with friends to a
party. There was a lot of people and drinking. I'm starting
to remember a little, but I still don't remember last
night.
Think, I tell myself.
Ok, I remember getting picked up by Eric, Lisa, Larson,
Jessie and Jake. Eric was driving and we stopped somewhere
for Jake to buy alcohol. Then we started to head up to the
party, right? Yea, because that's when Jessie turned up
the music and Larson jumped in the back. No, wait, we
stopped at Eric's house first to grab the tent and stuff and
then we headed up.
Someone starts to move
around. I can't tell who it is. Where is everyone I came
with? What time is it? Wait, where's my
cell? I can't find it! Calm yourself, I try to
tell myself. It has to be around here! I start feeling
around for it. I found it! Where are the
buttons? This isn't my phone. I open it up and it says
it's 4:35 am. What time do I remember last...7pm? No, I
think it was almost 8pm because it was getting dark and
Larson got off work at 7pm.
When we first arrived,
there were a bunch of people I didn't know. I
introduced myself and they seemed nice. Jake comes up to me
with a 40 oz. and tells me to loosen up. I think about it
and take a sip. What could happen I tell myself.
So where's my
cell? I'll call it! Of course, there's no
service! Great, just like in horror films right before
they die. No service, perfect.
I remember talking to
someone in the dark. Someone I didn't recognize because his
voice was raspy. I remember not being able to stand up and
falling to the ground. Oh! That's when I hit my head. I
tried to get up but he told me to just stay before I fell
again. He started to move closer to me. I wanted to
leave.
So what do I do
now? It's starting to get lighter outside. The person
to my left looks like Lisa and by my feet is Jessie and some
guy? I hear people outside, so I slowly stand up. Wow,
my leg really burns and so does my arm. I lift my sleeve up
and there are scratches all over. Where did I get them
from? I don't remember. I unzip the tent and step
out.
He wouldn't let me
leave. I remember him grabbing my arm.
Larson's out by a fire
and he keeps ignoring me. Why is he mad at me? I go
back inside the tent to look for my stuff. I see my purse in
the corner; good my phone's in it! I walk out to the
truck to Eric. I feel nausea and I just want to go home. I
can't believe I blacked out last night, I think to myself
feeling the pain of my legs. I'm scared of not knowing. I
feel violated.
__________________________________
Kassandra
Rhodes 25
______________________________________________________
Alcohol...Alcohol...Poison
to our generation. Poison to our past generations. Poison to
our future generations. It corrupts the minds of the ones
who consume it. It also corrupts the minds of the ones that
are tied to the ones that consume it. It's a kind of poison
that destroys who we are as a person as well as physical
deterioration to our body. It destroys us mentally yet we
still do it. We might as well dig ourselves a deep dark hole
to lie in and rot.
From the looks of it
and from observing a little bit, there is an alcohol problem
in this town. No doubt about that. From personal experience
living in two totally different states, I kind of have an
idea why we have an alcohol and drug problem here. Living in
somewhat of a big city with a lot of things and activities
to do, there was not that big of a drug and alcohol problem
there. There was still a problem there tough. No denying
that. Almost anywhere you look now days, there's some form
of substance abuse problems. Being a teenager, we don't like
being bored. This is a small town, and it definitely does
not have that many things to do or activities to do to keep
all of the teenagers occupied. So, therefore, some teenagers
resort to alcohol and other drugs and some even
partying.
"Going to parties and
getting hammered is way more fun that going to Rock N' Bowl
every weekend." A statement like that only shows more
evidence to why we have an alcohol problem in this town. It
is so small that teenagers get bored of doing things that
they have done a few times. I know for a fact that I would
not want to go bowling every time I go hang out with my
friends. Teenagers feel threatened when or if they get in
trouble. So, therefore, they rebel causing them to want to
do more illegal things like drinking and doing
drugs.
We need teenagers to
get together to think up some activities to do in this town
that are legal and don't involve substance abuse. Some teens
are pressured to drink because their friends are doing it
and don't want to be left out. A majority of the teenagers
in this town drink because of straight out
boredom.
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