I don’t need drugs to have a good time at university

Drugs are commonplace at university and many of us have dipped our toe into the drug culture not knowing what to expect and sometimes even why we’re doing it.

But I for one have never tried drugs and have no intention of doing so while I’m at uni. Here’s why.

They’re just too expensive

Seriously, how do people afford it? I know weed and some other substances aren’t the most expensive drugs in the world but with food, alcohol, clothes and sports where do you find the money to fund an extra habit? I can hardly justify buying an extra tin of beans, let alone £15 for a couple of grams of weed.

I am literally counting the pennies

Maybe if you cut down your alcohol consumption to make the money available it could work perhaps, but for most students, giving up alcohol just isn’t an option that we can justify whilst at uni, even if it is much more dangerous. After uni? Who knows, but while I’m a student crippled by debt I’m counting every penny and it certainly isn’t going towards drugs.

There’s too much danger surrounding them

I’m not talking about weed here, obviously it’s not as bad for you as some legal substances *cough*alcohol *cough*. I’m talking about the hard stuff, your heroine, cocaine and your meth, the really nasty stuff that can seriously fuck you up.

If this is you, you may want to rethink your choices

I just don’t know how people can justify it to themselves when nobody is unaware that these drugs can be deadly. You got to university because you had potential to go further in your life, why cripple that future by getting permanently messed up, seriously addicted or worse, dead.

Also, not to generalise but some of the people in the drug scene are not to be messed with, whilst under the influence these people are seriously dangerous. Why put yourself in unnecessary jeopardy? I know alcohol is a culprit in this behaviour too, but why add an extra variable to the mix, isn’t one enough?

They can be really anti-social

Gone are the days when smoking made you look cool and was a social thing to do. Gone are the days that doing drugs makes you ‘edgy’ and ‘trendy’. Face the facts that unless you’re talking to other drug consumers, people are going to judge you for doing drugs.

This just really doesn’t appeal

Not everybody will turn their nose up; I for one couldn’t care less what you do to your body but it seems a pointless reason to alienate people who may well be great friend but don’t want to associate with people who do drugs. Not only that, its well reported on that doing heavier drugs will ruin your relationships, I’m talking both romantic and friendship. It alienates you from people who genuinely care for you, but you’re too blinded by addiction or image to notice.

They’re illegal for a reason

Yeah I’m going there. Drugs are illegal, like it or not. I know university age is when we’re meant to be all rebellious but you are paying through the nose to be here, why would you risk it all just to get high? It’s not cool to break the law, this isn’t Grease. Anyway, the way things are going, weed will be legal soon anyway. Just wait till after uni when its legal and go crazy.

I’ll pass on that thanks

All this means drugs have just never appealed to me, I grew up in an area where there were lots of drugs and I’ve seen the horrific effects it can have on people, their lives and the lives of people around them. Maybe one day after uni I’ll pop by drug cherry and have a dabble, but it is certainly not happening while I’m in Aber.