Drug Use

Drugs are another matter altogether. First of all they're illegal, and yes, while it is illegal to sell liquor to someone underage, you're unlikely to go to jail for being drunk just because you're not 21. But mere possession of drugs can send you to jail for a long time, and ruin any chances of graduating from college. Drugs are also habit forming. Now I know that so are tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol, but I don't have to tell you all the horror stories there are about people addicted to cocaine or heroin. I'm sure you've been given that message in high school. What's different about you now is that you're older and that should make you wiser. You should be better able to appreciate the long-range consequences of both becoming an addict and going to jail for possession. You're forced to go to high school, but college is voluntary and you should start realizing that you're working for yourself and your future. Putting all that at risk because of peer pressure is really silly. So if you're not already into drugs, don't start while you're in college. Marijuana is the most common drug found in college, and usually it is in the form of a cigarette that gets passed around. There are many excuses you could make up to avoid taking a "hit" when it is your turn. You could say you have a cold that you don't want to pass around. You could say you suffer from asthma. Or, since nobody is going to be closely watching you, you could just fake inhaling. Hard drugs, like cocaine and heroin, cost too much for people to force it on you. If there is no pressure on you to use these substances, then it really would be foolish to risk becoming an addict by going along voluntarily. If someone is really trying to force you to take a particular drug, tell them that you had a close friend who died from drugs and you took an oath at his funeral never to use them.

Dorm Life 101 | Morning Larks Versus Night Owls | Noise and Other Distractions | Alcohol and Cigarettes | Drug Use | The Sexual Side of Drugs and Alcohol | Food Issues | The mixing of the Sexes | Dorm Alternatives | Work Life | Your Residential Advisor