What’s with the teen vocabulary of party = alcohol? Why has drinking become the main attractions to young people in a party? Why does this illegal activity have to be involved in an event to make it fun? Call me a party pooper, but I’ve never really understood why. Or rather, what for.
It seems to me that teens feel the need to live up to a certain image: to live “young, and wild, and free” and flaunt an “I-can-do-what-I-want-and-I-don’t-care” attitude to prove independence. I blame the media for creating the accepted rebellious teen that apparently everyone wants to be nowadays.
Now I’m not trying to be self-righteous or condemning; I can see the appeal in such condiments, but shouldn’t the purpose of drinking be to enjoy it, not to get drunk? Besides, most of it is not the best tasting thing in the world and who enjoys a hangover?
In addition to the scary physical effects (I cannot imagine wanting to feel detached and unconscious of my existence), there is a reputation on the line when making these decisions. There is some sort of responsibility as a student or a family member to maintain a clean image, but most of all, we owe it to ourselves. Of course, nobody wants authorities to find out and place punishment, but of a bigger concern, nobody want to be disrespected or gossiped about. It becomes a question of identity…
This is another point: I find that most people feel some sort of guilt for what they know they weren’t supposed to be doing. Instead of the initial intents to be empowering, these actions are just harmful. Teens must justify their reasoning and feel under judgment of others when in truth they are really judging themselves. They care about what the world says or thinks about them because there is something bugging their own conscience. It is what happens when teens change themselves to fit a persona that goes against their values or their own identity. Don’t let society or others influence your personal choices and surround yourselves with good people, because “those that mind don’t matter, and those that don’t mind matter.”
Then again, what do I know? I just think that all this paranoia, stress, and side effects cannot be healthy emotionally or physically, or even fun. If you really, really, truly are happy doing this stuff, by all means go ahead and live your life. And if you are the kind left feeling unsatisfied with yourself after drinking and whatnot, remember you can choose to party without the recommended extras. Whatever your choice, you will have friends, it is a matter of whether you will continue being your own best friend.
Honestly, there are tons of ways to enjoy life and fun while remembering the moments you shared with friends. And even though we all love teen power and defiance, really, what is a couple years wait?
Party in the moment as yourself.
thebookybunhead
thebookybunhead 