<p>I am curious as to people's feelings regarding drinking in High School. This is something I really know very little about- I am a senior and have never been drunk or around my friends when they are drunk. I used to be opposed to it altogether, but now I'm not sure anymore. I've been invited to some parties where there was alcohol, but my efforts to attend have been in vain, due to rather protective parents.</p>
<p>I guess my feeling on it is that it is dangerous in excess, but not if it doesn't interferes with other things. And few people seem to do it in excess- most of the people I know who tend to go get smashed on weekends still have near-4.0s and high test scores (and much more laid back and less anal demeanors than the other near-4.0 kids).</p>
<p>I also sort of feel as if everyone should get drunk at least a few times in high school, if for no other reason than to be more educated. How can you support or condemn something you have never experienced? Isn't high school all about trying lots of different things so once you enter the world you can back your life decisions on some hard experience?</p>
<p>Such a hard topic to discuss and still keep your dignity...</p>
<p>I know LOTS of kids that have 4.0+ and get completely drunk/high each weekend. I am not one of these students but will not lie and tell you that I have never gone to a party and drank. At the end of the last school year I had a big pool party and when everyone was leaving at the early morning hours I go inside to find our valedictorian
passed out on a couch near the bar. Now, understand that although there was a bar, alcohol was not being served but obviously people must have brought some without my knowledge. I really felt bad for the girl because she not only looked like an idiot the entire night she must have felt like crap the next morning when she was, well, purging her insides out.<br>
I guess I have been in too many situations like this one to ever have the desire to get drunk. I never want to look like an a$$ while I'm drunk and never want to wake up and regret(or not remember) what happened the night before. </p>
<p>Some say that it is better to get the drinking thing out of you in highschool that be exposed to it for the first time in college and I agree with this. It seems safer when you do it in highschool- its normally with people that care about you. </p>
<p>I don't know, I say do whatever you want but don't come complaining when the consequences come and get you.</p>
<p>I worry about kids who don't drink at all in high school, because then they go to college and don't know how much they can handle, and that can be dangerous.</p>
<p>I don't really drink because a) I'm always doing a sport, b) it's hard for me to get away with it because my parents are crazy. It's not really worth the energy or the consequences for me; I'd probably be shipped off to rehab the first time I get caught. </p>
<p>But I go out with people who do and it's fine. I have some friends who hold it against kids personally if they drink which is ridiculous. They have this complex that they're better than everyone else because they don't drink, which is stupid. Espeically when around here where everyone drinks.</p>
<p>It just all depends on how you handlie it and yourself.</p>
<p>I agree that waiting until you go to college for your first experience with alcohol might be dangerous. First, knowing your tolerance level is important, and also, in high school, your friends are generally there to look after you and make sure you don't do something stupid. In college, at say freshman orientation or something, you have no such friends. You need friends to cut you off before you puke, take away your keys before you drive off, and steer you away from sketchy rapist guys. Even if your friends are drunk, they're much more likely to notice something wrong than you yourself are.</p>
<p>I think a lot of kids go through high school never partying and then they get to college and go crazy. That's a formula for something bad happening.</p>
<p>For kids who don't plan on going to places like BYU, I would almost recommend some drinking in high school, as crazy as that sounds. There's nothing wrong with drinking in moderation, but it <em>is</em> illegal in high school.</p>
<p>At a party isn't the mentality that drinking in high school should supposedly shatter - "Oh my god alcohol, I'm drunk hehe let's drink more" especially prevalent? I drink wine like once a month because I like it, but I've never been sick and I see no reason to get sick because there's no mystique & i can destress fine with addictinggames.com thank you very much. :rolleyes:
It's like in elementary school the cool girls drank coffee and pretended to jump around and be hyper all day. I remember one girl took six caffeine pills and had to go to the nurse and everyone thought she was either so rebellious or just felt bad because everyone's moms told about how it was so bad for you and don't drink it till college, etc etc.</p>
<p>I never drank in high school and luckily my roommate never did either. We both agree someday just the two of us are going to get drunk together by ourselves.
In our case underage drinking where we are at is a huge deal, that if someone gets caughts they're not allowed to go out on weekends.</p>
<p>I've never had anything to drink, but my parents are pretty conservative Christians, they're really overprotective. I think it affected my sister, because she drank all the time when she got to college because my parents would have freaked out if she did it in high school. Well, she drank a little in high school, but it's harder when you're avoiding parents. Like most things, moderation is the key!</p>
<p>My problem with drinking when in high school isn't that its bad for you, or that high schoolers aren't responsible, or anything like that. However, regardless of whether or not you agree with it, drinking underage is illegal, and that should be reason enough not to do it.</p>
<p>Good point Kit416, but why is that any different in college? The overwhelming majority of college kids(undergrad) are under the legal drinking age anyway. When I graduate(assuming in four years) I will not be of legal drinking age. Although illegal, it is a definite option in college... TONS of kids who are not of age drink and the college, their parents, and in some cases the police think nothing of it. Why is it any different in high school?</p>
<p>... not agreeing or disagreeing just thinking.</p>
<p>Well, I personally don't think you should drink under the age of 21 regardless of whether you are in high school or college. Since its not that strictly enforced, I feel its up to each person whether or not they want to break the law. I will choose not to, though I realize that is the less popular choice.</p>
<p>Kit416- I agree that it should not be openly condoned as the right thing to do. It is illegal and the law is the law. Personally, I have had numerous opportunities to drink and for the most part, left that to others. Morally, I, like you, have a hard time knowingly breaking the law. BUT, hey, they could be doing worse things so I guess I'm not going to bash on anyone who drinks. Just be responsible.</p>
<p>While drinking is illegal for those under 21 in all states now, for many of our parents (the baby boomers) the drinking age was 18. A federal highway bill essentially mandated a drinking age of 21 in the not too distant past. Anyway, my point is that many professors/parents/even police officers grew up in the day of the drinking age being 18, and while they know the law says 21, they might feel that 18 is more fair. I think that's a big reason why drinking on college campuses (and even by seniors in high school) is so accepted.</p>
<p>Do you welcome adult input in this discussion? We live in a country where there is no drinking age, so our family deals with this primarily from the health perspective- rather than as a legal issue. I will only go on if you think it useful/interesting....will check back.</p>
<p>Robyrm-I've always been fascinated by the way alcohol is treated in other countries. I'd love to hear your opinions on the health issues (and the social issues too).</p>
<p>I am conflicted about the legal side of it. The conclusion I come to ordinarily is that underage drinking is like going 5-10 over the speed limit, or jaywalking. It has to be illegal, otherwise people would get hurt. But everyone knows that there is nothing wrong with it in the right circumstances. The fact that the law forces people to try not to get caught, and if they don't get caught, they're probably not doing any of the thing that would make it dangerous.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I am inclined to think that people should treat the law as inviolable, whether they believe it is correct or not, simply because such uniformity is essential to the smooth operation of society. Even small exceptions to this rule crack the system and lead to chaos.</p>
<p>Of course, some might argue that the law should just be changed to allow a younger drinking age. I am undecided on this issue, as there is evidence on both sides from countries with younger drinking ages.</p>
<p>Legal issues aside, though, I agree with what people have been saying about college. Everyone drinks in college. Well, okay, maybe some people don't, but MOST do. It seems to me that when kids are in high school, they are worrying about whether they have to drive home, not getting caught by their parents, and many other things that would force moderation upon them.</p>
<p>One of my friends is an exchange student in Spain right now and made a point that there kids drink younger, but don't drive until much later than we do. They first learn to drink responsibly and THEN drive, which makes sense on many levels. Plus they "learn" from their parents and have a much better tolerance.</p>
<p>I think the treatment of alchohol in other countries is much more sensible than that of America, as is their treatment of other vices (nudity, violence, etc). It all all goes back to the Puritans. Those damn Puritans.</p>
<p>Well, except when I was in Bilbao sitting in an some old Square and there were parents and grandparents teaching their 7 and 8 year old children how to smoke. I was pretty suprised by that.</p>
<p>I have never drunk alcohol in my life, and I don't plan to until well into college. And even when I am an adult, if I do drink I'll probably stick to the occasional wine and champaigne, not to beer. For one thing, I hate the idea of being addicted to anything (and yes, although most people are not addicts, why take the risk?). For another, I am not fully in control of my body, which is scary.</p>
<p>And lastly, this is a question to all of you: WHY DO YOU DRINK? </p>
<p>Is it because it makes you feel powerful or happy, because I don't need booze to feel either. Is it because you want to fit in, because it is a social thing? I can understand that, but I have many good friends, none of whom drink, and the friends I want to have in college arent the kind who would be constantly having hangovers. Does it taste good? I know beers and hard liquors dont at first, so why drink them until it is an "aquired taste"?</p>
<p>I'm not being accusatory, I just want to know your reasoning behind underage drinking, and drinking in general. If you guys want to drink, go ahead- it's your body, your life. Each to their own. Call me naive, say that I will eat my words once I reach college, but as of now, I believe that alcohol is not for me.</p>