We asked Boilermakers why they smoke

We see them around campus. They’re the Boilermakers with smokestacks. Some may think they look cool or edgy. Others may feel bad for them standing out in the cold.

At the end of the day, the smokers of Purdue are an intricate community on our campus. Why judge and wonder from a distance when you can just walk up to them and talk about their smoking story instead?

Elisha Kelly Saffen, freshman studying Biochemistry

I’ve been smoking since I was 13 years old. My dad has smoked cigarettes for as long as I can remember, and my parents used to smoke inside, so it was just one of those things I was going to own up to eventually.

Now I use an e-cigarette because it’s healthier.

Honestly, a lot of this is my dad’s fault that I’m addicted to this crap. He got mad at me for starting to smoke cigarettes but I told him, “Dad I’m an impressionable child.” So, he hooked me up with the electronic cigarette thing. Now it’s just a preference, it’s not really something I’m doing for health. I like being able to use it inside and at my discretion. It’s easier to carry around, it tastes better and it doesn’t make you smell like cigarettes.

I smoke the equivalent of a pack a day — about 20 cigarettes.

It’s a stress reliever, it’s a force of habit, it’s an addiction and it’s a social thing. I’ve made a lot of friends doing it. usually people who smoke have a certain personality type, it’s like a smokers community. We’re the ones always coming outside, we have the smoker’s cough, you just relate to people like that.

Maranda Kelley, freshman studying Engineering

I’ve been smoking since the sixth week of school.

I didn’t plan on smoking. When I got here I hated cigarettes, and I was like “I’m never going to smoke,” but all of my friends are smokers. One night I was a little drunk, and I said I’m going to take a drag or two, maybe another one. And they offered me a whole one and I was like, “okay.”

I’m actually quitting. I was at eight a day and now I’m at five per day. I’m trying to get down to three.

It’s a social thing, my friends have been smoking for a couple of years and I’m like, “Well, I might as well try it, why not.”

You come out here and you basically know everyone, if you see someone new you make friends with them. It’s like a little family, they have a GroupMe for it, too.

My sister and my biological father smokes.

Await Yazdani, freshman studying Engineering

I started around 9th or 10th grade. I just took one and started.

I have a couple of cousins who smoke but no one in my immediate family.

I prefer real cigarettes. I tried to switch to electronic cigarettes but the experience was different.

I smoke about three to four times a day.

It’s really hard to quit now, but I might in two or three semesters.

I live in a joint family system, so my cousins and I lived in the same home. We used to smoke together and it was really hard to quit.

Ashley Villars, junior studying Psychology

I was young and I was stupid and I just kind of started and kept going. I was about 16.

My friends smoked. I started out as just a social smoker around my friends and then it progressed to whenever.

I haven’t tried to quit yet, I say that I will later in life, but you can’t really predict that.

I smoke about three to four times a day.

I understand that physiologically it doesn’t make sense, but it mentally reduces my stress even though I understand it raises your heart rate. But for me it’s a coping mechanism for stress.

Justin Katz, graduate student studying Math

I started in high school, I was probably 17.

I’m in the process of quitting. I’m taking this stuff called Bupropion. It blocks the receptors that the nicotine binds to. I started three days ago.

I smoke because it feels good and it’s fun.

Minggiang He, sophomore studying Computer Information Technology

I’ve been smoking for a year. I started in my room and I was doing my homework and I felt like I didn’t know any of it, so I started smoking. It brings down the stress.

I smoke mostly when I’m bored or have a bad day.

I smoke 10 cigarettes per day.

Michael Woodruff, junior studying Entomology

I’ve been smoking since I was about 16, I’m 39 now.

I’ve tried to quit a few times but stress is probably one of the biggest reasons I haven’t. I’m also allergic to a lot of the patches and gum. That makes it more difficult to quit. I’m thinking of getting a vaporizer because a few people said they were able to quit that way, but the initial cost of it makes me think “Do I really want to do this?”

My dad smoked, he quit three times and then the third time he actually quit for good. He’s the only person in my family who smokes so he’s probably a big reason why I smoke.

I started when I was young and I think it just became a habit. Now i’m dealing with it. It’s something I don’t know if I can deal without but it’s something I know I should quit. But it’s really, really hard.