He was tired, tired. He could barely keep his head up during class as it kept bobbing up and down, and his eyes were red and bloodshot like he hadn’t slept in days. This is the typical Monday morning student after having a big weekend. I am a senior in high school, and I know for a fact that many of my classmates drink alcohol and do illegal drugs. I feel that this topic of, high school kids using drugs and alcohol, fits well with Anatole France’s quote, “If 50 million people say a foolish thing, it’s still a foolish thing.”

I know that in high school teenagers go to parties, and may feel pressured to drink or smoke, because they just want to fit in. Just because friends or classmates are taking these actions does not make it okay. Drinking may seem cool and glamorous at the time, but everyone knows the consequences it can have. For most people it only takes a few drinks until a person shows symptoms of intoxication. While intoxicated a person cannot function normally, and is a potential threat to others around them.
In 2005 statistics reported that nearly 58% of 12th graders were drunk at least once in their life, and that 50% of teens had tried an illegal drug prior to graduating from high school. It seems senseless to me that teenagers look forward to weekends, so they can go out and party and, get drunk or high.
Fortunately, I have never had any interest in drinking or smoking, nor have I ever experienced a situation were I have felt the need to do it to fit in. Personally I believe that as a teenager there are so many other ways to have fun without alcohol or drugs. For example: I nanny for three year old twin babies that I absolutely adore. When I am with them I have such a great time: doing the silliest things. When with the babies I do “kid stuff” that I haven’t done forever, and it is just a blast. We walk to the park and go down the slides, play with building blocks, and play with sidewalk chalk. While with the babies I realize that I don’t need to drink, or smoke to have a “good” time, simply acting silly and doing something I love is so much more rewarding.