Veronica R. Serna Composition 13 Nov. 2001 The Glorious Twenty-one Alcohol has been an issue in society for the longest time. Some people view it as a responsible means to relax and forget problems while others despise it for the effects that can occur if consumed irresponsibly. Regardless of how it is perceived, it is a constant pressure and confusion that is viewed by youths. Alcohol is an experience that can be a glorious stepping stone in life or your worst nightmare. Most teens have tasted alcohol before the age of 21. It is an adrenaline rush that makes them feel like a bootlegger. From sneaking around authority to fake identification, everything must be planned to perfection. Teens look forward to their 21st birthday. It is a time when they are baptized into society as being an adult. It feels like finally moving up from the small children's table to the adult table on Thanksgiving. Of course, what better way to celebrate this occasion than to spend an evening with friends and family while drinking the essence you were once deprived of. The first couple of drinks introduce you to Utopia. You begin your journey into your own highly intoxicated spirit world. Reality check occurs the following day. After you turn 21, you begin to notice that purchasing alcohol no longer has the adventurous bootlegger rush. It can be compared more to purchasing candy at a convenience store. All those times in school, all those commercials stating how dangerous drinking is, but not one emphasized some of the minor effects that occur when consuming alcohol. Alcohol taken in small or large amounts is a depressant. Utopia is no longer achieved every time your lips first taste it because your body has built a tolerance. You begin to notice the serene atmosphere is only your reaction time slowing down. Slured speech is another effect you may experience when highly intoxicated. The wonderful thought of spending an evening with friends and consuming alcohol becomes a crowd acting foolishly. Friends are not laughing with you; they are laughing at you. The best is yet to come. After a night of events you probably don't remember, dawn introduces you to Mr. Hangover. Like Dracula, a creature of the night, you too become sensitive to the light. The slightest sound such as a pin drop bouncing off a tile floor echoes in your ears ten thousand times louder. Your head throbs as though it is about to explode, as does a balloon when filled with too much helium. These are some of the minor effects of alcohol that one unconsciously looks forward to on their 21st birthday. Society advertises alcohol in different ways. It can symbolize the transition between two stages in life or the devil. Society has unfocused youth's perception to alcohol. The result is that alcohol can be perceived as a giant step for mankind or a huge drawback. |