Be sure to visit our other Teenage Drug Abuse Articles below! Want updates? Enter your email on the right side of this page.

What percentage of college kids are addicted to drugs and alcohol?

Here is a statistic for you. Of people 18 to 25 in college, over 55% admit to having used drugs and nearly 32% have used them as recently as within the past year (Office of National Drug Control Policy.) Although this statistic doesn’t answer the above question, it does shed some light on how many kids are using drugs in our nation’s colleges.

Drugs as well as the abundance of alcohol in college is a very real epidemic. In fact, drugs and alcohol are so prevalent that not knowing about them and their associated risks is serious health risk for this increasingly vulnerable age group. It’s important to know a few basic safety facts that will help you protect yourself and others in any situation where drug use and drinking is taking place.

So if you do decide to drink, here are some tips to stay safe:

Be in control of your beverage at all times. Never put your drink down and walk away. Date rape drugs can easily be put in a drink without you even noticing.
Don’t drive if you have been drinking and don’t ride with someone else who has been drinking.
Don’t play drinking games such as “beer pong”, “flip cup”, “power hour”, etc. People tend to drink just to get drunk while playing these games and end up consuming a lot more alcohol this way.
If you feel that you have a drinking problem or if your friends are commenting on your drinking, see a counselor for help.
Here are some other key points to consider:

First, understand that drugs and alcoholic beverages are in colleges everywhere. They are in the cafeteria. They are in the study rooms. They are in the library and in the locker rooms. They are everywhere because A LOT of our youth are using them for a multitude of reasons. They are everywhere and you might be surprised how they find their way into these places that they don’t belong. College dorms are like little first homes for young adults and for many, it’s the first time they get to be out of sight from their parents. Some of the things that they might have thought about trying, including experimenting with drugs, can now be done without having a mom or dad breathing down their neck to hand out consequences.

Second, drugs and alcohol, whether used together or alone continue to have the capability to kill you. College aged young adults are old enough to understand that using drugs and drinking is a health hazard. It doesn’t matter if they are regulated drugs (legal with prescription) or contraband. Drugs in any form, including alcohol can kill you and you don’t need to be addicted to have death be a reality from drug or alcohol use. By the time you have found the link to this blog and read it to this point, someone else in this country has died from a drug related incident.

Third, doing drugs is ILLEGAL. This not only makes it a crime to use but a hefty charge comes with possessing them as well. Kids go to college to learn and become educated about a certain subject matter in the hopes of graduating and getting a job related to their curriculum. Many smart kids have gone to college to earn an education and found themselves with something else they might not have thought about. A felony drug charge. Thanks to background checks, all those hours of studying won’t mean a thing to most employers. That job you wanted will be filled by someone else who doesn’t possess a felony.

Many young adults turn to drugs in college because they feel it helps them deal with their daily stresses. The stressors however of using drugs always outweigh the stressors of trying to fit in at school or trying to get an “A”. Drugs and the related consequences equal a life full of problems that are difficult to rebound from. There is help out there for you to avoid these problems all together. Counselors and others professionals right on campus are there to help you and most likely are a free resource to you. Utilize their expertise and allow them to help you through your challenges instead of turning to drugs for relief that will never come.

Using drugs and drinking has the potential to take away all of your hopes and dreams. An addiction to these substances can not only cost you a life full of misery and wasted time, but also your education, your friends, and your life. If you have the amazing chance to go to college, don’t throw it away for the sake of a quick high or buzz. Get help and overcome your struggles. Drugs and alcohol can kill you, but your education in college won’t. I choose the latter!

Got a question for me? Enter your email on the right side of this page.

About me: I am Super Star (yes, that is my legal name). I have earned that name – and accomplished what many people would consider impossible – because I chose to stay sober one day at a time. I left the crack houses to mingle with Hollywood’s elite, ending up working with all of my childhood musical heroes, and have now found my purpose in life after surviving an almost 15-year battle with the disease of addiction.

Why does the cast of Jersey Shore get more press than our teachers?

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Why does the cast of Jersey Shore get more press than our teachers?

It’s good to see someone like Tony Danza out of his element on A&E’s Teach: Tony Danza. It’s a show about his role as a teacher in an at risk neighborhood in Philadelphia’s and follows his trials and tribulations as he instructs a 10th-grade English class with 26 students. I know Tony personally and I think he has done a lot more here than just earn a paycheck. He is showing many of us how difficult it is to manage a classroom full of kids. He is also showing us how much kids need teachers to help guide them to their future successes. Although the show is full of unrealistic and scripted moments, it has at times captured some rather difficult situations that our real teachers face everyday both in and out of the classroom.

This makes me think….

Teachers have a lot of hats to wear. Not only do they need to understand how to teach, they also need to be our kid’s role models and babysitters.  Teachers are the early leaders for our youth.  They are our nation’s leaders. Our temporary parents while our real parents are at work.

Lady Gaga and the cast of Jersey Shore are not.

An interesting thing happens as we get older and drift farther away from the teachers that held our hands through thick and thin for so long. We eventually grow to appreciate them. We realize just how much they had done to shape our lives. We may not have enjoyed all of our teachers but I imagine each adult has a couple of teachers that to this day, stand out in their minds as the ones that had the most positive impact on them during those early childhood years. I know I do.

One teacher in particular had such a profound impact on me that I often dreamt of the day that I could finally go back to my old school and tell her THANK YOU for all she had done. To let her know how much I appreciated her being there for me when no one else was. To tell her that if it wasn’t for her staying with me that extra five minutes on that challenging problem, that I might never have been able to eventually enter into an entire career that I had chosen for myself.

My being part of the Rockstar Superstar Project allows me to interact with teachers and students across America through the internet. We use a program called Skype. Skype allows me to see the students I talk to and vice versa through a webcam. Thanks to this amazing tool, our message of sobriety can be conveyed directly to any school, anytime. Pretty amazing stuff really.

Recently, I had a chance to skype with my alma mater. During the sessions, a teacher walked into the room that looked familiar but because of the not so bright lighting, I couldn’t be 100% certain as to who it was. The woman picked up the microphone and said “Hi Kris.” That’s when I realized that the moment I had been waiting for all those years was happening right now, and in front of a classroom full of kids! This was my chance to say Thank You, to my very favorite teacher for everything that she had done for me. All those times when she went above and beyond to make sure I left knowing what was right from wrong. My eyes quickly welled up with joy. It was hard not to get caught up in the wonderfulness o f it all, but I had to. The clock was ticking and I had a message to convey to those students.  After choking on my most sincere words of thanks, I regained my composure and carried on.

The importance of the moment for me was significant. After 20 years, I was able to say thanks to my favorite teacher for all she had done. I was also shown once again that through my sobriety and my own willingness to stay clean, I was able to taste pure redemption and trust me, it’s sweeter than sugar.

I love my sobriety and all of my former teachers but will always dislike the TV show Jersey Shore.

Got a question for me? Enter your email on the right side of this page.

Super Star

About me: I am Super Star (yes, that is my legal name). I have earned that name – and accomplished what many people would consider impossible – because I chose to stay sober one day at a time. I left the crack houses to mingle with Hollywood’s elite, ending up working with all of my childhood musical heroes, and have now found my purpose in life after surviving an almost 15-year battle with the disease of addiction.

Currently, I am an advocate for kids in recovery from substance abuse (and prevention as well) in Malibu, California, as well as from my home in Chicago, a sober companion to many, director of a non-profit that helps those struggling with recovery, and passionate speaker to kids about the issues of drugs and addiction.

I am also an author and musician. I am currently finishing my work on the book, “The First 30 Days to Serenity: The Essential Guide to Staying Sober,” which can be pre-ordered here. I have also just wrapped up the recording of Serenity, a first-of-its-kind CD created in conjunction with my twin brother Rock Star solely to combat addiction. “Serenity,” was produced by a Grammy-winning producer and features many of our musical heroes, who have come together to help us tell our story in an effort to help others through their own addiction struggles. Guests on our CD include current and former members of bands such as Kiss, Heart, The Goo Goo Dolls, Dokken, Trans-Siberian Orchestra as well as many more. It rocks – musically and inspirationally – and can be found here

Pass this on if you feel it can help someone and feel free to visit us at www.rockstarsuperstarproject.com

Mommy, are you drunk?

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Mommy, are you drunk?

Alcoholism and other drug addiction have genetic and environmental causes. Both have serious consequences for children who live in homes where parents are involved. According to the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, more than 28 million Americans are children of alcoholics and nearly 11 million of them are under the age of 18. This figure is magnified by the countless number of others who are affected by parents who are impaired by other psychoactive drugs.

Alcoholism runs in my family also. Being born predisposed to something so difficult was made even harder by the lack of education that I had received surrounding the disease of addiction growing up. The school programs we were almost null and there was no talking about it at home either. I know now this was one factor that contributed to my own submission to addiction.

It’s a fact that Alcoholism and other drug addiction tend to run in families. Children of addicted parents are more at risk for alcoholism and other drug abuse than are other children. That’s why if you are a parent who suffers from substance abuse disorder; you need to pay extra special attention to your children’s behaviors and even more attention to yours. Kids are very intuitive, trust me, they generally have an idea when something isn’t right with mommy or daddy.

Recently I had an email come from a man in Florida. His wife’s erratic behavior, nights out at the bar, and frequent glasses of wine immediately after work has led him to believe that his wife may have a serious drinking issue. He had always felt that she was hiding and sneaking her drinking but has never been able to prove it. There are no empty bottles behind the couch or Vodka bottles filled with water, just his gut telling him something wasn’t right. He asked me if I think their kids, ages 6, 10, 13 had any clue themselves as to what might be going on with mommy. So I answered him.

“More than likely.” I said. “If your gut is telling you something is wrong, usually it’s because something is wrong and it’s not just you who senses it.”

Research has shown that adolescents who perceive that a parent is using are more likely to abuse drugs themselves.  My advice to him was to continue digging and asking the questions. I know he will find what he is looking for sooner or later and then take the appropriate steps to try and help his wife regain control of her life.

Here are the tools that will help you or your loved one beat addiction!

Use of substances by parents and their adolescent children is strongly correlated; generally, if parents take drugs, sooner or later their children will also. It’s just the nature of the beast. Kid’s aren’t as unaware as we sometimes we would like them to be. They observe understand, and absorb like sponges, especially at those ages as mentioned above.

If you are a parent and suffering from substance abuse disorder, please be aware that your kids probably know, are internalizing it, and trying to make sense of it all by themselves. This is bad because it leads to self-esteem issues, resentments, and bouts with depression. All this of course will most likely lead your teenage child down the same path you’re on now. So get help, because it’s time.

About me: I am Super Star (yes, that is my legal name). I have earned that name – and accomplished what many people would consider impossible – because I chose to stay sober one day at a time. I left the crack houses to mingle with Hollywood’s elite, ending up working with all of my childhood musical heroes, and have now found my purpose in life after surviving an almost 15-year battle with the disease of addiction.

Currently, I am an advocate for kids in recovery from substance abuse (and prevention as well) in Malibu, California, as well as from my home in Chicago, a sober companion to many, director of a non-profit that helps those struggling with recovery, and passionate speaker to kids about the issues of drugs and addiction.

I am also an author and musician. I am currently finishing my work on the book, “The First 30 Days to Serenity: The Ultimate Survival Guide to Staying Sober,” which can be pre-ordered here. I have also just wrapped up the recording of Serenity, a first-of-its-kind CD created in conjunction with my twin brother Rock Star solely to combat addiction. “Serenity,” was produced by a Grammy-winning producer and features many of our musical heroes, who have come together to help us tell our story in an effort to help others through their own addiction struggles. Guests on our CD include current and former members of bands such as Kiss, Heart, The Goo Goo Dolls, Dokken, Trans-Siberian Orchestra as well as many more. It rocks – musically and inspirationally – and can be found here

Pass this on if you feel it can help someone and feel free to visit us at www.rockstarsuperstarproject.com

From our friends over at GreekForMe.com :

So you’re about to choose who you’ll be living with for the next few years of your life, the house you’ll be living in throughout these years, and a great deal of the activities you’ll be participating in for these years. It’s an easy decision right?

We didn’t think so, either! Choosing the sorority or fraternity that’s right for you is a major decision, and getting it right the first time is a lot easier. We have a wealth of Greek experience here at GreekForMe.com, and love being able to not only supply Greeks with Sorority Apparel and Fraternity Apparel, but also helping them with Greek life tips and advice. Here’s some tips to put you on the path to the right fraternity or sorority front door!

1. Attend All Rush Week Events – Rush week is your chance to get to see the inside of the Greek houses, and get to know the vibe of each house. It’s important that you feel comfortable in the house you’ll be living in – if you need a quiet environment to study, and find that the house doesn’t accommodate this well or the members tend to be on the louder side, you may want to choose another house. Rush week can be very busy, coupled with the beginning of your college semester, but it’s important you attend as many rush week events as possible. It’ll only help in the long run!

2. Research All The Chapters – Most Greek organizations have an online presence these days, so visit their websites and take a look at their mission statements, and see which you best align with. Remember, you need to feel comfortable, so choose a fraternity or sorority that best fits you. Check out their academic requirements to ensure you’ll be able to consistently meet or exceed them, as well as any community service requirements they have. Review their activity calendar from the past year, as they’ll likely have similar style activities this year. Many Greek organizations participate in philanthropic endeavors, so be sure to also read up on how you can work with the fraternity or sorority chapter to meet their philanthropic goals!

3. Meet And Greet – One of the best ways to choose the sorority or fraternity right for you is to simply meet the current members. Don’t just shake hands – attend the rush events, ask around about them, and do your best to get a glimpse of their personalities. If you can easily see yourself friends with these people, you’re in the right place. Trust your gut – if something doesn’t feel right, it’s time to move on!

Choosing the perfect sorority or fraternity for you is a major decision, but if you discover that the house you chose may not exactly be the right one, it’s completely fine to change your mind, be open that you would prefer a different chapter on your campus, and of course leave the house on good terms. Here’s to discovering the sorority or fraternity that you’ll always feel a part of!

Alicia
http://GreekForMe.com
http://Blog.GreekForMe.com
http://Twitter.com/GreekForMe

Help us get as many fans as we can by suggesting our fan page to all your friends!

With this “hack,” it’ll only take you 5 seconds to suggest the page to ALL your friends with one click!

But first, why should you suggest this page to everyone on your facebook?

-We’re going to be giving a kickass prize this summer, so make sure you follow us!

-We have sales–For example, this past Christmas, we were giving our guides away for FREE! (Bet you wish you hadn’t missed THAT sale!).

-This is a cool hack.

Here’s how it works:

1. Go to our facebook fan page http://www.facebook.com/RealCollegeTour

2. Click on “Like”

3. Then click on “Suggest to Friends” on left side below the page logo

4. Suggest to friends box will pop up with the list of your friends to invite

Normally you have to manually select each friend one by one. However we will use a script to select all the friends automatically.

5. Look at the URL at the address bar of your browser

Delete whatever is in there, and paste the following script in there:

6. Hit Enter key on your keyboard, All your friends in the “Suggest to Friends” box will be selected, now hit the “Send invitation” button

An invitation will be sent to all you friends asking them to join the fan page. This completes the procedure.

]]> http://blog.realcollegetour.com/2010/05/16/hack-to-suggest-our-page-to-all-your-facebook-friends-in-5-seconds/feed/ 0 http://blog.realcollegetour.com/2010/05/14/do-you-really-need-a-college-education/ http://blog.realcollegetour.com/2010/05/14/do-you-really-need-a-college-education/#comments Fri, 14 May 2010 15:48:32 +0000 mattmatt7 http://blog.realcollegetour.com/?p=372

So, you’re whole life you’ve probably had this drilled into your head:

“Go to college so you can make a lot of money.”

Well, even though I’m the owner of a college review website (RealCollegeTour.com), I’ll be the first to agree with a recent story hot off the AP wire:

Many economists and academics say more Americans should consider technical training or two-year schools, which have been embraced in Europe for decades.

I consider my liberal arts education at Northwestern University to have been a waste of money. Other than learning “about life,” the $200,000 education didn’t teach me a single job skill.

But as long as you choose a “real major” like engineering, business, or even film, then you can use your education to make some money after you graduate. Otherwise, you might be S.O.L.

My recommendation is to start your own business and focus on creating several rental streams. FYI, if you work FOR someone after college, then you’ll have a hard time making the big bucks…

That said, most people have great college experiences that they consider to be the best times of their lives. People even try to re-live their college days when they’re in their 40s and 50s by attending tailgates and watching every college football game of the season.

Every college is different, and your experience will vary by location. Think about what you want out of life and let us help you with your college decision. It’s a decision that will affect you for the rest of your life.

-Matt

Dear Grandma,

Thanks so much for the care package you sent me-I was so excited to get it! With second semester coming up and book-buy right around the corner; the generous gift you enclosed will definitely go to good use. Thanks also for the yummy food you sent-it’s a nice break from the cafeteria!

Things at school are going well. Classes are challenging but I’m budgeting my time well to study. I also joined a fraternity since we last spoke. Even though I’m still a pledge the guys already consider me a full-member and good friend.

I hope that things are still going well in Key West. My Dad says that we’re going to visit you in April–I can’t wait to see you! Send my love to Grandpa and CiCi as well.

Love,

Peter

Translation:

Dear Grandma.

When I first saw the large box at the student union post office I was excited. The box was probably big enough to comfortably house a small child-so I naturally thought it would be jam-packed with home-made cookies, precious jewels and useless war memorabilia from grandpa.

My boyish hope was put to rest, however, when I opened the box to find only: six boxes cup noodle, one Tide to-go pen, and an envelope with five dollars. How could I forget that you and grandpa are so cheap you’d use a large box left over from your move to Key West in 1968?

In regards to the money-thanks so much! Your petty contribution will go a long way to settle the $100,000 debt I have with the university. Well, probably not, but at least your gift can be used for the cover fee for a party. Who knows, I might go to such a party and find a totally wasted girl and end up sleeping with her. So in a way, you may have helped your grandson get laid-how thoughtful of you.

The cup noodles will definitely go to good use. The cheapest meal plan here only gets you 10 meals per week so maybe if I eat the noodles really sparingly I can support my body’s metabolism on such a meager diet for a few weeks.

I joined a frat last week and it’s only because I told them that you’d died and that I had to write sympathy emails to my parents that they let me out of the putrid basement where they keep pledges locked up to develop “brotherhood.” Speaking of which, the three minutes they’re allowing me to write is almost up. So I’ll make my goodbye.

I have heard it through the grape vine that plans are in order to visit you in Key West during April. While the thought of being in Florida during Spring Break is at first appealing- sipping tonic water on your porch while listening to you talk about your recent bowel obstruction is thoroughly unappetizing. Let it be known that I will do anything I can to avoid such an excursion. Even if it means taking a last-minute “foreign exchange trip” to free me from any obligation to see you.

I hope all is going well with you and grandpa-for god’s sake don’t die! Send my love to grandpa and that annoying dog you’ve recently adopted as a way to feel needed.

Love,

Peter (I’m Catherine’s son).

Literary London is a six- week program for English students to go study in America’s estranged homeland. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Mainly at this stage its all questions. I tend to love this phase. The part of the story when no one quite knows what will happen.  Everything I know is followed by a question.

I know we are staying in apartments. Will I get along with the other girls who will be in mine? What if they only want to go to bars and clubs and never do anything else?

I know that I have to get on a plane for the first time ever. How should I best go about not having a panic attack? Medication to make me sleep the whole time or maybe a good book that I have already read so I can fall into a nice comfortable story? Anyway, I just need to keep from gripping the seat and screaming.

I know we will have a lot of free time to explore. Will I be fine to explore solo? I should maybe look into the crime rate…and invest in pepper spray. I tend to like to wander around. It’s my favorite thing to do in a new place.

I know I don’t want any travel guides. Is this really a good idea? Really, none? Maybe. I don’t want to be too caught up in trying to see what everyone else thinks I should see.

The truth of the matter is right now is a perfect time to study abroad. With the economy’s downturn in the past few years the number of students applying for study abroad programs is down. Also, due to the economy it is easier to get financial aide for school of any kind, and yes that includes studying abroad. I have wanted to do this for a really long time and am finally getting the chance…in a way, because of the terrible economy. So give it a try, talk to your financial aide advisor and pick a program.

By Leslee Horner

Blog: “Waiting for the Click”  http://lesleehorner.wordpress.com/

Follow Leslee on Twitter: http://twitter.com/lesleeHorner

My sophomore year of college started out just like my freshman year…living in a dorm room with my friend, Amy.  That second year, however, I played 3rd wheel to Amy’s boyfriend.  After a couple of weeks of it, I became intolerant and moved into a single room a few floors up.  It was the first time I had truly lived alone and to celebrate my new found privacy I started sleeping topless.  It soon became a “must” part of my sleeping ritual…well at least until the night of the shower curtain.

In my third year of college, Amy and I lived next door to each other in single rooms on our sorority’s floor in Sanford Hall.  Because our hall was made up completely of sisters, we rarely locked our doors.  The catch though, is if the doors were locked, they only locked from the outside.  If you exited your room and wanted it locked or unlocked you had to be sure to check the knob on the outside.

During Spring Break of that third year of college, I stayed in the dorms while most of my friends went home or to the beach.  As always, I found someone to party with.  Upon returning to the dorms one evening, I was impaired.  Just like every other night I stripped down to my night time uniform and went to sleep.  But seeing as I’d had a lot to drink I woke up to use the restroom.  Since my room was directly across from the bathroom (and the hall was inhabited by my closest friends) I had made a habit of hopping into the bathroom at night while simply shielding my chest with my arms.  It had never failed me, until this particular night.  I left my dorm room, heard the door slam behind me, and instantly froze.  OH SHIT!  I knew the door was locked.  The door was locked and as far as I knew EVERYONE was gone!  I was standing in the middle of the bathroom, wearing nothing but my panties and completely panicking.  Eventually I noticed the shower curtain and my only solution to being without clothes.  I took it down from the bar and wrapped it around my body.  Once I was fully covered I proceeded to go door to door (at about 3AM) knocking and praying that someone would answer.  Eventually and luckily, one of my sorority sisters (an older sister who rarely partied) came sleepily to her door.  I think by then I was crying and honestly don’t even remember her reaction.  What I do remember is that her solution to my lack of clothing was to give me a small, satin bathrobe.  I put on the robe, while wishing it was sweatpants and a t-shirt, and she escorted me across campus to the other dorm to get a spare key.  Signing out that key while wearing a silk robe that obviously had nothing under it was almost as embarrassing as going door to door wearing a shower curtain.  But I did get back into my room that night and put on clothes.

Moral of the story is never leave your dorm room without clothes on!

An Ode to the Branch Campus

Oh, branch campus. I am sorry for all those times before. The times when I would wander around the parent campus aimlessly and the brief and reckless incident of actually living up there just to feel like I was a part of it all. I am sorry for saying your name with a sneer and dismissive eye roll. The list could continue but why waste this time on the painful past?
Miami Hamilton, I love you. I love the way you are so accepting. Walking down these foreign halls and being lost in the crowd of Ugg boots, skinny jeans, and North Face I miss your individuality. You accept us all, regardless of ethnicity, weight, style, sanity, and well, GPA.

I love your classes. How reassuring it is to have the same people with the same major in the same classes semester after semester. Really, what could build a better since of community? The tight knit “all for one and all for (insert major of choice)” attitude is as close to a secret club as socially acceptable. (Real life secret clubs could either be incredibly awesome, or incredibly creepy.) The Professors who know everyone’s name and don’t need those fancy new photo rosters.

I love the way you are so coy with your coffee sales. I never know when I will be able to enjoy a hot beverage and when the coffee shop will be unceremoniously closed at two in the afternoon. Not at all like this easy, quick to please, gauche corporation coffee shop.

I love your food. The food of middle class cafeterias all over America; French fries, hamburgers, pudding from a can, oh the joy! They have sushi here. Can you believe it? Oh and don’t even get me started on the amount and variety of salad.

To say that I miss our time together is an understatement. If I could come back to you, I would. The main campus has the pre-nup on my education now. I will visit, from time to time. I want you to remember the good times we had. The time I spent in your library or in the commons. Remember that time there was a random horse on campus? Or that time someone cut the power to get out of taking exams? Remember all of the snow days we had together? All the classes I skipped, all the classes I went to. All of the crazy and the good and the weird. This is how I will remember you, Miami Hamilton.