The Stupid Things We Do
By Kristin, age 13, California
So much to say ... all the things we teenagers do that we know we shouldn't. Like drinking, doing drugs, having sex, having babies, and dropping out of school. Did I forget anything? Anyway, I feel so sad for teen girls I know who are lured in by boys who say they love them. Just because he kisses you first doesn't mean it's the most romantic "losing your virginity story" you could ever tell. Please, girls, don't give in because he says those three little words!
Do you drink? Do drugs? If so, why? What's your excuse for polluting your body and mind with drugs and alcohol? Some kids I know say that it's because they're stressed or under pressure, and getting high or drunk takes their problems away. Of course, it doesn't. It only adds more problems, like brain damage from drugs, alcohol poisoning, and so on. Drugs and alcohol impair your judgment, and you make some really bad decisions.
I'm sure that your parents have had the "Don't do drugs, don't drink" talk with you, but maybe you don't listen to your parents. Many of us don't, so their saying it isn't going to make you change your life. I mean, what the hell do they know? They're old and out of touch, and all you need to do is convince them that you're good, right? Yeah, parents can be drab, boring, and annoying, but they know what they're talking about when it concerns our safety.
No matter whether it concerns our taste in music or our curfew, our parents are always gonna bug us. Today, it's our curfew ... later, it's what we name our kids. Our parents bug us, our friends want us to wear different clothes, our boyfriend wants us to go further than we want to. Life is hard and confusing, and as a teenager, we go through a lot in a short amount of time. But once we get through this, and if we play our cards right, it will be sooo worth it.
Here's where you start - start with this article. Don't try to make it through these years with drugs and alcohol, and don't drown your sorrows in "love" that's really just sex. Relish the cool stuff and get through the crappy times. There's nothing else productive to do, is there?