A Dad's Blog

The human body is a paradox; in many ways it is very strong, but in other ways it is fragile. It only takes a single accident to kill a life, or a continuous barrage of some other kind of damage. Drugs are one of the many things in this world that destroy lives, both by ruining and ending them.

The thing about teenagers is their bodies have not fully developed yet. People generally are growing, both physically and mentally, until the age of twenty-five. Due to this, teenagers need to be especially careful around drugs.

It is easy to forget that our time as teenagers is short compared to the rest of our lives. Assuming that we will live to around eighty, that is sixty years from the time you turn twenty. If you have already irreparably damaged your body before, then all that time will be less rich than it could be.

As for how exactly drugs damage the body, there are many mediums. When smoking a drug, you have to deal with the damage from the actual smoke. For example, tobacco smoke permanently damages the alveoli and leads to the development of emphysema. While it takes many years for serious problems to develop, other problems can show up sooner, such as difficulty breathing or frequent coughing. Smoke can also lead to infections, or in the worst case, cancer, which is something that nobody wants to have to battle with.

The damage caused by smoke is absolutely nothing compared to what is caused internally by more destructive drugs. Narcotics like heroin, opium, and pain killers can depress the central nervous system to fatal levels, while doing damage to the liver and other organs. Stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine can lead to heart problems, as well as permanent brain damage.

As important as the body is, the mind is even more so. The physical, psychological, and emotional damage done to the brain by drugs is unable to be comprehended by those who are not addicted.

With all the consequences that are waiting for those who use drugs, it is surprising that so many people use them. It seems that is just human nature, and it is up to each individual to learn what the truth is.

One cannot cite a lack of knowledge as the reason for their experimentation, as there is more than enough information available to satisfy any desire for facts. Armed with the right resources, anybody can overcome the challenges that we face in this drug-filled world, and make the correct decisions while staying strong and healthy.

The time to start thinking about college is no later than your junior year of high school and sooner is better. If you only have few years before you say good bye to high school, to your comfort zone and to where you’ve learned all your firsts, you better start preparing for your future in college.

Preparing for college is something that should be carefully planned upon. The first year of your high school is not too early. Why? Majority of schools in college generally base admittance on a student’s GPA, academic excellence, overall performance and even on extra curricular participation.

Preparing for college at the earliest years in high school is of the essence and could determine your future choices of colleges. The moment a student begins focusing his attention on getting a good and reputable school in college, all necessary requisites and academic excellence will certainly follow. Not to mention, an opportunity of bagging an academic scholarship.

College preparation requires the consideration of three most essential factors: First, financially, second is academically, and third is emotionally. There is still a fourth one (socially), but you can easily learn this as you go through and experience college life.

Finances are crucial to college success and the sooner the planning begins the more money that will be available to pay for school. The financial stability of your parents is likewise considered a determining factor. With global crisis continuing to batter economic growth, one significant way on how to prepare for college is by saving up for your future education. As early as high school, learn the value of saving your allowances or you can also take on a part time job as a preparation for your college education.

Preparing for college academically is of equal weight. Most colleges require admission exams and one way of preparing for these admission tests is by taking either SAT or ACT. These are preparatory exams usually taken by junior high school students as a way of preparing them for college admissions tests.

The third one is emotionally. This is also crucial as you need to embrace a lot of changes in college. Are you willing to leave your parents house and live on your own? Are you willing to take few part time jobs, if your schedule permits? Are you up for the challenge of taking one step further to the real world? Those are just few of the things that you should prepare yourself of come college days.

Preparing for college may be a bit challenging at first. There will come a time when you feel like going back to your old high school ways. But remember that you have to be brave enough to face the world. College is a good stage in life where you?ll encounter more mature undertakings that will gear you up once you enter the circle of professionals.