Underage Drinking in High School

Underage Drinking in High Schools
by: Brandon Mitchell

Why is it that those who are not allowed to drink actually drink the most? This is the question many school officials and government officers have tried to figure out. Underage drinking in high schools has been a problem for many years, and will continue for many more unless something is done. The United States says that a citizen is not allowed to drink until their 21st birthday, but this law is disobeyed every day. A survey from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health states, “In 2006, more than one in four persons aged 12 to 20 in the United States, or about 10.8 million persons, drank alcohol in the past month.” A Connecticut School Health Survey conducted in 2005 states “more than half of 12th graders, or 59 percent, said they had used alcohol during the month, along with 48 percent of 11th graders, 42 percent of 10th graders and 35 percent of 9th graders” (Silverman). As shown by the statistics, this problem is getting out of control. Yet, before you can solve any problem, you must be able to discern the root of the problem. Three particular motivations serve as an impetus for underage drinking: the need to act out that rebellious nature that is inherent in all teenagers, the need to escape reality, and the need to fit in socially.

When you were young and your mother said that you could not get into the cabinets, what was the first thing you did? You probably made it a point to sneak into that cabinet. You knew your actions went against what an authority figure dictated, but your curiosity outweighed any loyalty you previously had. Yearning is described as “a tender or urgent longing” (Merriam-Webster) which implies that the desired act is prohibited. In understanding this psychological precept, we may also understand why so many American high school students engage in underage drinking. In making it illegal to consume alcohol under the age of 21, we have created this forbidden aura that naturally causes those who are forbidden to drink it to want it even more. When you are told over and over again by parents, school officials, police, or anyone else that you are not allowed to have something, then you wonder why you are not allowed to have it. The student’s mentality naturally is to wonder why the substance is forbidden in the first place. The students have heard from their friends that drinking is a lot of fun and it does not harm you, but adults just make it that this is something that is life threatening and could potentially ruin their lives. The need to experiment and figure things out by oneself is endemic to the process of becoming an adult, thus entailing that alcohol consumption is naturally associated with establishing ones individuality.

While the forbidden aura associated with alcohol is one reason so many high school students engage in underage drinking, another plausible cause is the need to escape reality. Just being a student in high school can be complicated which can make it difficult mentally to handle for an inexperienced student. Learning to deal with problems as you begin entering into real life can be a difficult process, and for some, it can seem practically impossible. So how does a high school student deal with the feeling? For some, alcohol is the easiest way to cope with the problems typically associated with high school; it is an easy way out. Most teens tend to take the easy route to solve the problems when other methods should be implemented. “Alcohol use disorders have been linked to psychiatric illness such as depression and anxiety, resulting in a potential ‘self-medication’ phenomenon” (Deas, and Clark 679-680). As the quote above states, alcohol becomes the medication that the student consumes in order to temporarily maneuver around the problem(s) facing them. Instead of dealing with their problems head on, many students result to alcohol because it alters their reality by changing their perception.

So what problems can a student have that would cause them to drink alcohol? Well, a few examples of issues that high school students may face which would possibly result to the consumption of alcohol include but are not limited to: problems at home, abuse, peer pressure, low grades, and self-esteem. High school students think that when they consume alcohol they will magically escape reality when in fact alcohol only temporarily sets aside the problem at hand while simultaneously endangering the students.

Yet, while some students use alcohol to cope with stress others use it as a bonding tool. What is a party without a keg or a refrigerator full of Bud Light? Some high school students would answer this question by saying that it is not a party at all. Alcohol becomes necessary at parties as it allows for a sense of unity. Thus, many high school parties are centered on the consumption of alcohol. Alcohol creates a more relaxed environment allowing the students to have fun and bond. Who wants to go outside and play football or play the newest video game sober when you can do it even more relaxed while drunk? This is the philosophy of students who want to fit in or want to have the reputation as a “partier.” Some students only drink at parties to fit in with their peers. When you are at a party and you do not drink, people begin to questions your “coolness” or “reputation.” You start to drink because you do not want to be labeled as the chicken who is scared to drink a small sip of beer. On the other hand, the growing mind of another student may say that since everyone else is doing it, then it is okay if he or she does it. In their mind it becomes okay to drink thus allowing them to drink alcohol because everyone else is doing it. No one wants to be the individual that never gets invited to any of the parties. So what started out as a temporary aid for socialization can potentially result in becoming an alcoholic.

Some may argue that underage drinking is not the ramification of various psychological phenomena but more simply linked to taste buds. Is it so difficult to believe that some students are consuming alcohol simply because they like the taste? A student does not necessarily have to engage in underage drinking due to a psychological defect but simply because it is a pleasurable experience. In the end, this explanation does not explain why someone would result to alcohol consumption in the beginning; the need to act out, the need to escape reality, and the need to be accepted, better explain why students engage in underage drinking.

The problem of underage high school drinking can trace its roots to many motivations. For some, alcohol is the easiest way to maneuver around difficult situations. For others, drinking is more of a manifestation of their inner teen. And even still for some, drinking is merely a way of fitting in. Ultimately though, all three motivations fail to take in account the future and solely consider the present implications. What started out as a drinking game with two friends or as just one bottle to sooth the nerves before a test quickly spirals into an addiction. Underage high school drinking is a serious problem that can have serious consequences. If a high school student anticipating a scholarship gets caught drinking, everything they would have worked for have become futile. The student then sacrifices thousands of dollars and a hopeful future for a $2.50 bottle of Bud Light and an ephemeral happiness.

Work Cited

"Underage Alcohol Use: Where Do Young People Drink?." National Survey on Drug Use and Health. 28 Aug 2008. The NSDUH Report, 20 Oct 2009. .

"Yearning." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009. Merriam-Webster Online. 20
October 2009

Silverman, Fran "A Different Kind of Student Exam." New York Times 30 Mar. 2008: 1.
Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. 20 Oct. 2009.

Deas, Debra Dr., and Andrew Dr. Clark. "Youth Binge Drinking: Progress Made and Remaining Challenges." Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 48.7 (2009): 679-680. 20 Oct 2009.

Analog Games vs. Digital Games

From the day when the computer was first invented, there have been many changes that the world that can’t be reversed. When the computer was invented it was just a new invention but it wasn’t known for a few years. My guess is that people thought that it was amazing but they most likely didn’t believe that they would become a dependant source for the future.

My opinion of analog versus digital is unbiased. I personally prefer whichever one is better or makes life easier. Not because I am lazy just because it will give me more time to do something else. When I think about the comparison of analog to digital, I think about games. I remember when I was young I always played card games like solitaire and euchre because they were fun and amusing. Well, now many people have stopped playing the “analog” version of card games and play them on the Internet with the rest of the world. I cannot say that I have not done this but I still love the social aspect of the “analog” card playing.

Video games have evolved a revolutionary amount ranging from the original Atari to the newest XBOX 360 or Playstation 3 (http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101050523/console_timeline/). In today’s society, people would rather have the digital games that are played on the television or should I say, the 72” high definition, plasma television. I play the XBOX 360 all the time so I am not going to be hypocritical but I sometimes prefer the analog aspect of video games because you get more of a personal appeal compared to digital where it is more fun but you lose a lot of social interaction. I read a quote once from a Christian book that was comparing objects and it said something along the lines that when the television was first invented, people thought that it was going to fade away in six months or less. Well, they were more than just wrong in that aspect.

Early Morning SRSC Visit

I want to start off by saying I love the movie Rocky because it is a story of a man who becomes a professional boxer because he has the dedication to win and be the greatest. He had to train everyday to become the best both mentally and physically. Rocky went through vigorous exercises to gain his strength and will to survive in the boxing world. In reference to that statement, I had a flashback of my own on September 1, 2009, when I walked up the stairs to the Student Recreational Sports Center (SRSC) which is about a block north of my residence hall, Ashton. I remember the scene at the end of the movie where Rocky runs up the many stairs to where the monument was located. As I was walking up the long stairs of the SRSC I felt that I was doing the exact same thing that Rocky did but without everyone following me; well there was another guy but I don’t think he was there for me though. During orientation, we were given a tour of the facility and I remember them saying it was paid for solely by parking tickets alone. To my amazement, I could see how this was possible because my first day on campus, I received a parking fine because a parking officer told me I could park somewhere that I really couldn’t.

To start off with, when I entered into the SRSC, I was once again amazed by the enormous size of the facility. I looked to my left and I saw an Olympic size swimming pool which instantly reminded me of the Michael Phelps and his eight gold medals. I began walking down the hallway where I was checked in using my student ID. Remembering my days from orientation, I proceeded up the staircase directly to the right of which the check-in counter was located. For nine months out of every year 12 years, I had to get up early for school not only because I was forced due to the educational laws, but because I wanted to. So as I was walking up the staircase at 9:00 am, I was very tired and not fully functioning to the point that I had to grab the stair railing because I almost lost my balance. You could see the treadmills from the top of the stairs so I proceeded in that direction. One thing that I had forgotten was that you had to sign-up to be able to use the treadmills but since it was pretty early in the morning, it had slipped my mind. So, I ran on the treadmill for a mile, and then a girl came and told me that she had signed-up for that half-hour block. I just didn’t understand that why she waited so long to tell me since I was about 10 minutes into her time block.

Secondly, when I was kicked off the treadmill, I decided I would go ahead and lift some weights since that is one of my favorite things to do. This is one of my favorite hobbies because I use to be overweight and as a result of my unhappiness with my body, I decided to lose 80 pounds in 6 months. I stopped regular soda pop cold turkey one day and I have not had one for a complete year now and it was probably one of the best things that I have ever done. While I was working out and losing all the weight, I joined a gym to help the weight loss process. The weight equipment at the gym I attended was very nice and made me want to work out all the time. I would go to the gym at 5:00 am in the morning and go back when I got off work around 9:00 pm. So the equipment at the SRSC reminded me of my old gym and really made it feel like home.

To sum it up, the SRSC won my heart over when I first walked up those long stairs during my two days of orientation but the fact that it is free to all students won me over the most. My walk up the long flight of stairs and the early morning tiredness was all worth it when I got the satisfaction of working out; making it feel like home away from home. I look forward to many trips to the SRSC because I love to workout but I also saw that they have a Wii that is available to be played while you relax.

Thoughts on Informatics

I think that informatics is the study of computer with the human interaction. There is not a set definition as to what truly stands for because it involves many different aspects of the computer field. Informatics deals with the relationship between the users and the creators. What does that mean? Well, if you own a dental company and the dentist says he wants a certain application to be on the On-line Registration Form, then with the knowledge of informatics, you will be able to see if it is possible or not. With the knowledge of informatics you will be able to go to the programmers and tell them what they need to do. Since you know whats possible and not, then the programmer cannot tell you something that isn't true. For instance, if the programmer says that its going to take a month to build the website, then you will know that isn't true giving you the option to negotiate it.

When the knowledge of informatics, not only will you be able to work with society in a business approach, but you will also have an understanding as to what is possible and not because you will have experience in the field. Informatics uses its resources to make everyday technology better like the medical field, biology, sports, and many other field that are growing everyday. Informatics is what combines the human interaction with the virtual reaction. This is a very essential part of the computer field because society wants things to be easy and wants it done here-and-now but a lot of times, it just isn't possible. You can say something along the lines that it can be done a certain way now, then as technology grows we can incorporate what you want at the moment.

Virus Galore

A lot of people have some knowledge to what a computer virus is but they have a very limited amount on the subject. I think this is something that many people need to know about and they should read this to better protect themselves because I am going to go in depth about them and how to prevent them as best as possible.

To start off, a computer virus is like the flu. It enters into your body without your permission and sometimes with your permission. A computer virus can enter your computer through an Internet website that you didn’t know contained it, and the flu can enter your body from walking by someone. The other method is that you may bring it on yourself when you open an attachment in your email which will load the virus into your computer. You can get the flu by going to a country that has been established of being flu-like. Viruses can spread from computer to computer in some form of an executive code. Most viruses have an extension of .exe which executes code that set several functions into motion. For instance, when someone clicks an executive file that is a malicious, the program can run for hours and even days recording every keystroke that you type which makes everything you do on the computer at risk. So if you have a virus, it has the potential to copy your passwords, bank account information, emails, and anything else that you do. A virus is also referred to as malware, adware, and spyware.

Viruses can be transferred from any removable device like a floppy disk, CD, DVD, or even the most common, a USB drive. When someone thinks of computer worms or Trojan horses, they think it is a virus and it is technically different. These are more of a computer worm infection which can exploit security vulnerabilities which spread itself to other computer without needing to be transferred as a part of a host. But a Trojan horse is a program that appears harmless but has a hidden agenda that can cause much damage to the computer.

A virus can attach itself to an actual software program that is legitimate. So when the program that you think is safe is run, it will start the virus. For the virus to replicate itself, it must be permitted to execute the code and write it to the memory which is done by clicking on an executable program. So how do these viruses hide themselves so we cannot just see them on our desktop or in one of our Document folders? Well the virus can attach itself the unused areas of the executive program; this is called a cavity virus. Some of the examples of cavity viruses are the CIH Virus or the Chernobyl virus. The name alone says that they cannot be a good thing. Sometimes when you go to the task manager by clicking “Ctrl + Alt + Del” you can see the process that is running on your computer at that moment. Well, a virus can avoids being detected by killing the task that is attacking. People who create viruses try to make sure that they are never found. Many viruses use stealth technology which trys to trick the anti-virus program by intercepting its request to the operating system. So it hides itself by intercepting the anti-virus software’s request to read the file and passing the request to the virus, instead of the operating system.

The best way to get rid of a virus is to do a system restore which restores the registry and critical system files to a previous checkpoint. Many people think that just because they restart the computer when a problem happens that it will fix it and this is in no manner true. The system restore feature saves the files to a separate partition on your hard drive so when you can load the operating system from a different part of the hard drive that doesn’t contain the virus. But like I have said earlier, many people develop viruses that make it difficult to get rid of like the “CiaDoor” virus. This virus will disable important tools and resources like the Task Manager and the command prompt. The only way that you can fix this problem, is just to reinstall the operating system. It reformats the operating system hard drive partition and installs everything back to the way when it was purchased. It is like a brand new computer then. This method is guaranteed to remove and viruses, spyware, and malware. But the con to this is having to reload the software programs, reconfiguring everything, and restoring the users preferences.

Here are some really good virus programs. This information is taken from here:

• Norton Internet Security 2009

Symantec's antivirus products have historically always provided excellent detection and removal of malware. On the downside, that protection came at the price of often crippling system performance. That's now a thing of the past. Performance overhauls are the hallmark of Norton Internet Security 2009, which features 'pulse updates' to deliver more frequent and thus smaller signature updates, whitelisting to streamline scan times, and a lighter, sleeker footprint that installs in mere minutes.

• Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Premium

AntiVir is a consistent leader in independent antivirus tests. Avira's AntiVir PersonalEdition Premium is a low-impact, easy to use virus scanner that also the ability to make an antivirus rescue CD for your system. Also includes WebGuard to protect against malicious or compromised websites. Five euros of each purchase is automatically donated to the Auerbach Foundation, a non-profit that supports various charity and community-related services. AntiVir PersonalEdition Premium should be used in conjunction with a firewall.

• McAfee VirusScan Plus

McAfee VirusScan Plus is an ideal candidate for those seeking an antivirus/firewall combination without all the bloat of traditional Internet security suites. McAfee VirusScan Plus makes an easy job of removing adware and spyware, something not all antivirus products deliver. SiteAdvisor service is including, helping to guard against malicious websites.

• Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal

Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal offers excellent antivirus protection, perhaps unsurpassed in its ability to unpack and scan compressed files - something that trips up a lot of other vendors. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall.

• Panda Antivirus Pro 2009

Panda Antivirus Pro 2009 combines antivirus, antispyware, antiphishing and a firewall with its highly touted behavior-based TruPrevent Technology. License covers use on up to three computers and includes free tech support via email (telephone support options are also available).

• BitDefender Antivirus Plus

Softwin's BitDefender Professional protects against viruses, spyware, and instant messaging threats, as well as offering firewall rules to block undesirable traffic and a privacy gateway to keep your identity and preferences private while surfing the Internet

• Eset Nod32

Nod32 features a small footprint, low performance hit, and fast scan speeds, providing focused virus protection ideal for gamers or those with an older PC. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall.

• AVG Anti-Malware

AVG Anti-Malware combines traditional virus protection with adware and spyware scanning, in a low impact footprint ideal for resource-strained PCs or those who just want the best performance possible out of their computers. Free tech support is available via email and the standard license includes two years of protection. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall.

• G Data AntiVirusKit (AVK)

AntiVirusKit (AVK) provides a double layer of protection, bundling two of the best antivirus engines - Kaspersky and BitDefender - under a single, easy-to-use console. You'll want to bolster G Data's AVK with a firewall.

• F-PROT Antivirus

F-PROT Antivirus for Windows offers a feature that's increasingly harder to find - it includes a command-line scanner that can be used to create a rescue CD for scanning the system in Safe Mode. This is a particularly effective way to remove stubborn resuscitators. Firewall not included.

Those are some really good programs but I use Trend Micro PC-Cillin and I think it is the best. It finds the viruses very quickly and removes them without slowing down the computer.

If you have any questions then please send me a comment or email.

Tip of the Day: Customize Internet Explorer Title Bar

I love to personalize my computer and make it my own and this is a great way to do it.

When you go to yahoo.com you the title bar will say “Yahoo – Windows Internet Explore” You can change the text from “Windows Internet Explore” to whatever you like. Example: “Sam’s Internet.” Complete the following steps to see how you can personalize your Internet Explorer title bar:

1. Close all Internet Explore windows open
2. Click “Start”
3. Click “Run”
4. Type “regedit”
5. Expand the HKEY_CURRENT_USER” folder
6. Expand the “Software” folder
7. Expand the “Microsoft” folder
8. Expand the “Internet Explore” folder
9. Expand the “Main” folder
10. On the right hand side find the “Window Title” (if it is not there then refer to the “If file is not there” section below)
11. Right click the “Window Title” folder
12. Click “Modify”
13. In the box type what you would like to see in the Internet browser (as explained above)
14. Click “Ok”
15. Open your Internet browser. See that the name has changed from “Microsoft Internet Explorer” to what you just put.

If file is not there:

1. Do steps 1-9 from above
2. Click “Edit”
3. Click “New”
4. Click “String Value”
5. Name the file “Window Title”
6. Right click the file you just made
7. Click “Modify”
8. In the box type what you would like to see in the Internet browser (as explained above, example: Tom’s Internet)
9. Click “Ok”
10. Open your Internet browser. See that the name has changed from “Microsoft Internet Explorer” to what you just put.

If you have anu questions then please send me a message or an email. I am not responsible if you make a mistake. Just follow the directions verbatim and it will work great.

Tip of the Day: PC Shutdown Prank

Do you like to pull pranks on your family or friends? Well this prank shutdowns the conputer when they click on the shortcut that you created. Do the following steps to complete this prank:

1. On the desktop screen right click it and click “New”
2. Click “Add Shortcut”
3. You will have a pop-up box that says to enter in the location of the shortcut. In the “Type the location of the item:” box type “shutdown -s -t 0”
4. Click “Next”
5. You will have another box pop-up box that says, “Type a name for the shortcut” you can type any name that you want. (To make this a really good prank, type in something that the user uses a lot like “Internet Explore” or “Recycle Bin”. Don’t forget to hide the original file somewhere where you can find it later.)
6. The Icon goes to your desktop so right click the Icon and click “Properties”
7. Click “Change Icon”
8. Click “Ok”
9. If you are making an actual shutdown button the choose the Icon with a box around it with an “I” in the middle with a circle around it. If you are going to make it good pranks then choose the Icon that cooresponds with the application you are switching it to (either it is Internet Explore [the “e” Icon], Recycle Bin [the trashcan with the two arrows pointing at each other], etc…)
10. Click “Ok” when you have choosen the Icon that you want to use
11. Click “Apply”
12. Click “Ok”

Now you have created a shutdown button. Once you have pulled this prank off, let the person know and if you have moved any of the files please put them back. Note: Do not put this file in the start-up folder because everytime you turn on your computer it will shutdown automatically.

I have many more computer pranks if you are interested. :)