Personal Narrative: Learning From My Mistakes

945 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Problem with peer pressure

There is a point in everyone’s life when they step back and realize “I can’t do this anymore, it’s ruining my life”. Many of my friends have started smoking cigarettes while drinking at a very young age, and continue to use this drug currently and don’t realize the affect it has on their future. While I have been smart enough to avoid smoking, I haven’t been as wise at making decisions when it comes to drinking. The amount of partying I’ve done in college has taken over my life, and has had a huge impact on my grades. Changing my drinking habits and continuing to avoid cigarettes will enable me to be the best I can be for the rest of my college experience. Eighth grade was the first time I saw my friends smoke at a party, and at first I couldn’t believe they were already addicted to cigarettes at such a young age. After being offered a few cigarettes and turning them down, I started to build up a curiosity about why cigarettes were so enjoyable to people. Eventually I confronted a friend, and she said she wasn’t exactly sure as to why she liked them but she assured me that she only did it when she was drinking. I figured I would try it thinking it must be something incredible. Turns out, it’s not great at all. I started coughing and it didn’t even taste good. While it caused me to have a ten-minute buzz afterwards, it seemed pointless to every smoke again. Another reason was that I was afraid of becoming addicted, and why would I ever want to pay that much money for something that would eventually kill me? It’s still hard for me to understand why anyone enjoys smoking, but after taking this course I can at least understand what initiates the addiction Most of the people I knew that smoked had begun their addiction by only smokin... ... middle of paper ... ...ult to raise my grades with a bad start to the semester. However, I’m glad that I realized it early enough that I can still make the best of my college experience. Drinking less will enable me to join clubs, make better friends (that don’t party so much), and leave more time for studying. Finally I can accomplish the goals I originally had for college, making the experience an overall better one. While I can’t change the decisions I’ve made in the past, I can certainly learn from my mistakes for a better future. I’m rearranging my priorities so that alcohol will no longer be included in them, and I will make sure that cigarettes continue to stay out of my life. My experiences at college along with the knowledge I’ve learned from this class have made me realize what’s most important to me and to always keep one thing in mind: focus on the good, eliminate the bad.

Show More
Related

  • Smoking Essay

    526 Words  | 2 Pages

    Smoking has became a major issue everywhere in the world. The effects of cigarette smoking can be really terrifying as smoking is dangerous not only to those who smoke but as well as the non-smokers. Tobacco from a cigarette contains nicotine, which is a highly addictive drug that makes it difficult for the smokers to stop smoking. (MentalHelp, 2005). They are not only physically addicted to nicotine but they also link smoking with many social activities which makes it hard to stop (American Lung Association, 2014). Smoking is a habit that causes many health implications that could lead to death (American Lung Association, 2014). Most of the smokers started smoking regularly at a young age even though there are various anti-smoking campaigns being run. (American Lung Association, 2014). Most teenagers start smoking because they are being exposed under friends and family members who smoke. They tend to be curious and say that they just wanted to try it or teenagers started smoking because they thought it was cool to do so (American Cancer Society, 2014). Quitting smoking requires seve...

    Read More

  • The Rhetorical Analysis Of The Nicotinell Anti-Smoking

    912 Words  | 2 Pages

    Every year in the United States, more than 480,000 people die from tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke; consequently, making this the leading cause of preventable death in this country. People are usually introduced to smoking at a young age; mostly around the preteen years. During this critical time preteen are transitioning from middle school to high school; teens at this age find it a little harder fitting in with others all while forming their own sense of identity. Preteens only pick up the habit of smoking to cope with these challenges. What these teens do not know is that smoking at an early age only increases their chances of suffering from a lifelong addiction. To help assuage the situation the Nicotinell anti-smoking organization

    Read More

  • College Students and Their Lives of Drinking

    3787 Words  | 8 Pages

    “80 percent of teen-agers have tried alcohol, and that alcohol was a contributing factor in the top three causes of death among teens: accidents, homicide and suicide” (Underage, CNN.com pg 3). Students may use drinking as a form of socializing, but is it really as good as it seems? The tradition of drinking has developed into a kind of “culture” fixed in every level of the college student environment. Customs handed down through generations of college drinkers reinforce students' expectation that alcohol is a necessary ingredient for social success. These perceptions of drinking are the going to ruin the lives of the students because it will lead to the development alcoholism. College students who drink a lot, while in a college environment, will damage themselves mentally, physically, and socially later in life, because alcohol adversely affects the brain, the liver, and the drinkers behavior.

    Read More

  • Personal Essay: Moving To California

    1212 Words  | 3 Pages

    I can understand why I found it cool, many people did, and still do. There’s some kind of dangerous and risky appeal to it. But, it’s place on my personal pedestals has definitely been replaced by other blooming trends and things I consider cool. There is no strong force still drawing me to smoking cigarettes and i’m thankful for that. Thankful that I listened to my parents and never smoked, and thankful that I wasn’t like some of those children from my hometown in India that actually got addicted. Before, I was drawn to smoking because it was strange and mysterious, yet it had some kind of elegance. Now that i’m more capable of understanding this thing and its side effects, therefore I feel no need to try it. More so, over the years it lost it’s power over me because as multitudes of facts and reports of its negative side effects were released and it became less idolized since more people realized how physically dangerous it

    Read More

  • Alcohol and the Causes of Student Binge Drinking

    1513 Words  | 4 Pages

    We've all heard it before: "Too much of anything is bad for us." The amount of binge drinking occurring on American college campuses today proves that college students do not heed this warning. Binge drinking, or drinking for the purpose of getting drunk, harms both drinkers and non-drinkers alike. As today's college students come dangerously close to being swept away in the sea of papers, exams, jobs, and interviews, they use bingeing as the lifeboat that allows them to escape the stress. It allows them to forget their worries, fit in with the crowd, and live on the edge in a fast-paced world that normally does not leave time for such activities. Teetering on the brink of adulthood, yet still trapped in childhood makes drinking decisions difficult for many college students. A desire to get away from our usual lives because of societal regulations and conformity, psychological and emotional problems, and the stress of everyday life causes college binge drinking.

    Read More

  • A Reflection On College Drinking

    1795 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the past few months I have learned a lot about myself. When the incident first occurred I was very angry. I know plenty of people that drink that are under age and they don’t get caught. I kept asking myself why me? At first I was hesitant to change, but the last few months have been eye opening. I have definitely used this situation to my advantage. There are so many things that I have learned about myself. I have used these last few months to really evaluate my life and set new goals for myself. I think this experience has greatly affected my life in more ways then one. I have done many things to change my life. I have seen changes in my personal life regarding my family and my friends. Many people talk about life changing experiences and how it affects them. I think that my life has changed for the good because of this incident. I’m glad that I have used this negative incident to better my life and to change the fate of my future.

    Read More

  • Binge Drinking Culture

    1521 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to a national survey conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “almost 60 percent of college students ages 18–22 drank alcohol in the past month, 1 and almost 2 out of 3 of them engaged in binge drinking during that same timeframe” (NIH). Binge drinking culture refers to the recent rise and normalization of college age students drinking excessively. The CDC describes binge drinking as “a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol level to 0.08grams within two hours” (CDC). For many young adults, college is one of the first times they will experience complete freedom. This freedom often leads to partying, which goes hand in hand with the consumption of alcohol. However, since the age at which

    Read More

  • Visual Argument Analysis: The Decrease Of Binge Drinking

    695 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is evident that binge drinking is common, but it is not known why so many students it is the only way to drink. The idea of moderate drink is becoming more and more uncommon on college campuses. This matter of contention is not about how it is being done or the statistical number it is being done, but why it is being done. What is most important is getting to the root of the problem. It is imperative to understand why moderate drinking is a no longer accpetable style of drinking. Even while knowing the health risk, it is more socially acceptable to engage in large consumptions of drinking for multiple reasons. Could this contention be the prequle to the expectations of college being damanding or are students pushing the limits? Is it possible that binge drinking is just now the “in-thing” to do or is there a deeper issues growing throughout

    Read More

  • The Consequences Of Binge Drinking

    988 Words  | 2 Pages

    Going to college for any incoming freshman can be quite different and very challenging, since this is probably their first time being on their own. College freshman are exposed to many different situations and new ideas where decision making is everything. As with everything else in life most students either pass or either fail the test that life presents you. Binge drinking is now a common thing to do and alcohol is now tangible. “Excessive drinking over a short period of time is known as binge drinking” (Binge Drinking in College). A lot of college students

    Read More

  • Risk Taking, Alcohol and Drug Use

    1294 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...y to increase their alcohol consumption during the first year of college, and those who drink before beginning college are more likely to continue drinking throughout college and into their adult lives” (Grekin & Sher, 2006; Hartzler & Fromme, 2003). The conclusions that were reached through this experiment by the authors help add to our current level of understanding about this specific topic. High risk drinking and drug use is an extremely dangerous thing that usually leads to addiction, over-consumption and in some cases the most unfortunate event, death.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Binge Drinking

    1268 Words  | 3 Pages

    The four years of college (or more depending on the major) are considered the pinnacle of any young adult’s life; from 18-years-old until college graduation, students go through changes day in and day out, learning about themselves in the process. While some of these changes can be looked at as a good thing (maturing the student into an adult) it may also be conceived as a negative change. In college, where parties are the norm, drinking is encouraged and drugs float around there is no doubt that students at one point or another in their college career will experiment with drugs and alcohol. Experimentation is fine; it’s very normal for any person at any age. However, these experiments could turn into a full blown addiction, if the students

    Read More

  • How Does Alcohol Cause Social Anxiety Among College Students?

    568 Words  | 2 Pages

    For many, drinking goes hand in hand with the college experience. Alcohol is nearly always present at house parties, sporting events and student get-together's. Because the use of alcohol during college is widespread and often accepted, many college students end up drinking more alcohol more frequently than their peers who aren’t in college. My drinking did lead to addiction and alcoholism. I never did get into trying other drugs, but my consumption of alcohol was beyond excessive. I did a lot of dangerous activities while under the influence, which I was lucky to survive and not get to injured by. I believe that one of the most dangerous and stupid thing was drinking and driving. I was not only endangering myself but others on the road. I did ultimately get a DUI, which was a huge wake up call for me. After having to pay the fines and do all the classes to get my license back I never drank and drove again, it just isn't worth

    Read More

  • Teen Smoking

    531 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the largest issues today is adolescent smoking. According to a heath based website, nearly 90% of adult smokers start while they are still teens and they never intend to get hooked. They may start by bumming a cigarette or two from a friend at a party, and then go on to buying an occasional pack. Soon they realize that they can't go without that pack. They've gotten used to reaching for a cigarette first thing in the morning, after meals, or during any stressful time. They become addicted, both physically and psychologically. According to the American Lung Association, each day 6,000 children under the age of 18 smoke their first cigarette. Almost 2,000 of them will become regular smokers – that’s 757, 000 new smokers annually!

    Read More

  • The Negative Consequences of Smoking

    877 Words  | 2 Pages

    Zickler, P. (2004, July 2). Early Nicotine Initiation Increases Severity of Addiction. Retrieved February 7, 2014, from drugabuse.gov: http://archives.drugabuse.gov/NIDA_Notes/NNVol19N2/Early.html

    Read More

  • Reflection on the Use and Abuse of Alcohol

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    Most people do not realize that alcohol is a drug that claims the lives of youth in college campuses across the world. In my case, it took the encounter with the ORL staff at UCLA for me to come to understanding that I am putting myself and those around me in danger through my risky drinking habits. With hours of self-reflection and the help of a cosmopolitan article called The Deadly Drinking Mistakes Smart Girls Make, I have found that there are several risks associated with alcohol that can put me at a quarrel with death. Even so, drinking does not always need to be deadly, and by keeping in mind the well-being of my fellow bruins and the skills mentioned in the article, I can find a balance between drinking for fun and drinking till death.

    Read More

More about Personal Narrative: Learning From My Mistakes

Open Document