Alcohol
Drinking has always been a problem for teenagers, particularly for the past few years. Research shows that over 60% of high school seniors drink at least once a week, although the law does not make drinking legal until age 21. In reality, kids are drinking at increasingly younger ages. The question is why do teens use alcohol when they know it's forbidden? Students give various reasons; with most saying they drink for enjoyment, to be accepted by friends, to forget problems, and to reduce stress in their lives.
During my sophomore year at Garden Grove High School, there was a friend of mine named Toni who was different from everyone else. Gifted with a photographic memory, he concentrated all his time to study and helped out other people. Including his looks and being favored by all of his teachers, he was sure that he would be very popular and well-known in high school. Unfortunately, Toni found it was very shocking to learn that he was despised by all the football and basketball players whom he longed to befriend with. Never been so disappointed in life, he went out for a walk; suddenly, the idea of drinking just popped into his tiny head. For once, everything seemed so bright again as if Toni found a fortune, he had finally known the solution how to fit into the crowd and become the most popular guy in school. After following the other students’ ideas to drink and use drugs, he ruined himself by partying out all night. His goal of going to Harvard started to fade away and was slowly replaced by the urge to have a few cups of beer everyday. Instead of choosing a better path by using his talents, he chose to live more idly rather than going to a well-known university. Many students, favoring lying on their backs and drinking, became worthless individuals. Other teenagers, on the contrary, pushed themselves to the edge of their limits; caused themselves more stress than they can manage, turned to alcohol to relieve their worries, and hoped for their...
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