“Just one time, come on, loosen up!” At a party, you hear the taunting voices of those you thought were your “friends.”

“I don’t drink, I told you guys already,” You urge them to understand.

“Just one swig,” they chime in together.

“Oh, all right. Why not,” as you reluctantly give in.

These are frequent conversations between high school and college kids when it comes to drinking. A form of brutal peer-pressure, but one drink could send your world spinning in the wrong direction. Grasping the alcoholic drink in your hands and drinking it is only an outcome that will lead to trouble. Then, after what you thought was a thrilling idea only ruins your life and others for the worse. Drinking can cause excruciating pain beginning with hangovers, serious addiction, alcohol poisoning, and possibly ending in death.

One thousand four hundred students between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four die each year from alcohol related accidents. Five hundred thousand students are injured each year while driving under the influence of alcohol. I strongly believe the lives of many should not be risked for the sake of alcohol. Citizens in our society should not drive under the influence.

Think of the hurt one’s family must cope with when they lose a loved one to someone’s selfishness to drive after drinking. If you are driving under the influence and you kill an innocent driver and/or passenger, you will be charged with vehicular homicide. You would spend a large portion of life in jail that you would never get back. For example, the organization of Moms Against Drunk Driving (MADD) gives their testimonial of the hurt that their family has suffered when losing their loved one. One mother told a story of her only son, Peter who was killed in a drunk driving accident, leaving their family in a state of confusion and loss. Alcohol causes death in poisoning and wrecks. A person can become ill from alcohol poisoning and damage their organs affecting their life for the worst.

A common reason people drink is that they think it helps them “loosen up” or become more outgoing, and people will respect them. Of course, everyone wants to be popular. They hope that hosting parties where alcohol is available will assist them to becoming the “it” person at the campus. Truthfully, most classmates just find drinking bizarre. People also drink to escape the worries of life, thinking it will make them forget entirely the pain of it all. However, the feeling of oblivion is only temporary and you only feel worse in the end. In addition, peers may insist that one drink will not cause addiction or will not kill someone from driving under the influence one time. They will insist the chance is one in a million, but that is useless information to the person injured in a wreck.

Third, consuming large amounts of alcohol can cause hangover the next morning. A person will feel horrible with a hangover. A feeling of nausea overtakes, and you feel like death is near. Too much drinking makes your breath smell bad, gives a bad impression, and makes you character questionable. Mistakes and errors seem evident in your actions too.

Driving under the influence causes harm and guilt about what occurred. Just like the scenario in the beginning of the story, you may feel peer pressure when it comes to drinking. It is your choice, however, if you will stand your ground or play chicken. Which will it be?

“Su, zu leavin’ da purty?” You hear a complaining, slurring voice.

“Yesh,” you nod; unable to understand them clearly.

“Why?” They stumble into a chair trying to stop you.

“I goota gew, pash curfuuw,” you breath heavily. Why did you drink? At first, you swore to only one sip, but that plan failed.

Jumping into your new convertible, you begin to drive unsteadily. The road seems blurry and then... “BANG!” you rear-end a car.

“No!” your voice screams, you sound distant. Tears stream your blood shot eyes, you are desperate for an escape, but there isn’t one.

“Miss, have you been drinking?” Questions the officer at your car window. “I saw you swerving on the road, have you been drinking?!?” he persists.

“Huh, just a couple,” you sob hysterically.

Suddenly, you pause to think. Is drinking going to make you well-liked? It only brings trouble when you consume this much and drive behind the wheel. Is it wise? What can you afford to lose?