High school is a time of experimenting and testing one's limits. Sometimes, however, teens make decisions that lead them to where they never thought they'd be. In high school, I often witnessed first-hand how risk behaviors are linked. Unfortunately, I have a lot of memories of watching friends and acquaintances make decisions they would come to regret.

The most prevalent risk taking I saw involved alcohol. I've seen alcohol use end in drunk driving and, in many instances, unintended sexual activity. I wish all young people like myself could understand that alcohol is a deceptive drug because many don't view it as dangerous as other drugs. In reality, however, alcohol makes it much easier to make bad decisions. Lots of acquaintances I knew would top off a night of drinking with "hook-ups" or other sexual activities they wouldn't have engaged in otherwise. The next day they would regret drinking and partying, but usually they just repeated their mistakes. It's hard to break a habit.

Sometimes, though, friends of mine would drink just so they would have an excuse to make out. Drinking gave them a ready-made excuse for their sexual behavior. "I was drunk, and I didn't know what I was doing" is a convenient excuse for those who don't want to be known as sexually promiscuous. So, whether or not alcohol led to sexual behavior or vice versa, the two very risky behaviors were linked.

One thing leads to another and then another and then another. Before you know it, you've made a bad decision based on the bad decision you made before that one. Risk behaviors are linked. The odds are against anyone who thinks that he or she is the exception to the rule.

By Vi Nguyen, 19-year-old college student

Copyright 2004
The Institute for Youth Development
P.O. Box 16560, Washington DC, 20041 703-433-1640