Issue #1- Alcohol

This week in beginnings, we talked about the issue of Alcoholism. We got the opportunity to hear testimonies of people who have gotten sucked into the party scene and others who have been on the outside of it, the dangers that encompany it, and the consequences that can come from it as well. We were shown the importance of staying strong to your values and beliefs, not being influenced by peer pressure, and not being judgmental toward others. Because many people use alcohol as an escape, it is essential that we hold back our judgments and be there for these people who may be having hardships in their life the issues they are trying to run from. I thought it was neat that our group was able to be honest about their outlooks on the issue. It was interesting to see people’s different views.

Through the personal stories and our alpha group discussion, I was reaffirmed with my decision to not drink. I have just seen so many people hurt by it through my relatives, friends, and others. I have also personally been hurt by it from friends, so it has never been something that I have wanted to be involved in. I have been blessed to have a parents who have been great examples to me and have always encouraged me with my decisions to not drink. I chose to surround myself with people who have the same morals as me so that I would never have to worry about temptation when I was with my closest friends. Because I have stood strong in my values, I have sometimes been seen as judgmental. But I was reminded that I need to not focus on what others think, and just continue to be strong and make an effort to be there for the people who are struggling. Because the judgments of others have been discouraging for me at times, I made an effort to reach out to more people my last year of high school- I didn’t want to look down on them for things they were doing but befriend them while being an example to them of what I believe. Through this I was able to make some really good friendships, grow in my life, and maybe even make an impact on those around me.