Recently, I overheard a conversation between some of my peers about a party. They talked about who showed up and what happened — all the normal gab regarding high school parties.

But then I was caught off guard one of them said, “I swear I got so drunk I literally don’t remember going home.”

Drinking at parties is not unheard of for most high schoolers. Either by raiding their parents’ wine cabinet or illegally buying from a seller, some students show up to certain social gatherings with alcohol in hand. Hollywood has helped to glorify the act as a way for young people to have even more fun at social events. 

It’s not my intention to sound preachy, but I honestly don’t see the appeal to drinking alcohol. Whether it’s because my parents don’t drink or that I’ve never really been exposed to alcohol, I just don’t see how the risks are worth the very brief enjoyment.

There’s no need in this article to detail every damaging physical effect alcohol has on the body — after all, we’ve all had health class. Yet even after learning how alcohol affects our organs and brain development, many teenagers still drink.

It’s therefore worth thinking about the ways that alcohol can affect teenagers’ lives.

One of alcohol’s prime targets is memory and cognitive functioning. Adolescence is a critical time for the brain’s development, so a teenager’s experience with alcohol can be especially costly. With the potential for blackouts and memory loss resulting from alcohol intake, the risks are real.  Even if a huge mistake is made as an adolescent, it can affect someone for their entire life.  All of the effort we’ve put into preparing for the future can be squandered by a single bad decision or the formation of a lifelong bad habit. 

Poor social judgment from alcohol can lead to emotional outbursts, like fights or violent actions, engaging in criminal behavior, and unwanted or unsafe sexual encounters.

So I ask: why would someone want to put themselves in a situation where they could make a horrible choice and possibly ruin their future? 

Drinking and driving is another serious issue, no matter the age of the driver. I had a friend who was recently in a car crash. A drunk driver ran a red light and t-boned her car, leaving her with a broken wrist, bruised ribs, and a totaled car. Most people in accidents caused by drunk driving aren’t nearly as lucky.

Drivers don’t only hold their lives in their hands. They also hold the lives of their passengers and other drivers on the road. When driving under the influence, slowed reaction time and impaired sight significantly increases the risk of injuring or killing someone else. 

Some students may say, “Oh I don’t drink enough to be irrational,” but even the first drink changes the way our brains perceive whatever situation we find ourselves in.

Hangovers, a favorite Hollywood subject, are yet another cost associated with alcohol consumption. When the body tries to cope with the ingestion of ethanol, the alcohol component in alcoholic drinks, the toxin causes severe dehydration, headaches, nausea, and fatigue that can take effect as the party rages on.  Also, throwing up or passing out in front of friends is sure to become the juiciest gossip by the end of the weekend.

Drinking may appear to be a fun way to fit in, but the next morning is never worth it — and neither is ruining the rest of your life.