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UNION PLANS SHUTDOWN
Chicago Teachers Union leaders plan a walkout on April 1, and condcuct a citywide walkout.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MARCH 16, 2016
GOOD STUDENT
Typical teenage behavior: drinking, drug
Drinking temptations in high school
Just under half of school drinks, 20.5 percent of which drink weekly JULIA GAWORSKI ‘17 Deputy Editor, Sports JACOB NASZKE ‘17 Lifestyles Staff It’s a Friday night, and you’ve had a long, stressful week. The music’s thumping, you’re kicking back with your friends, and somebody hands you the infamous red Solo cup. This is the defining moment. To drink or not to drink? For some, drinking underage is exciting, “liberating,” and mature. For others, the risk of breaking the law or becoming impaired deters them from participating. Teen drinking has made an appearance in the saloons of the late 1880s, in the clubs of the roaring twenties, in the fields at Woodstock, and in the basements and backyards of houses all across America. In American society, high school is made out to be a time full of anxiety and the desire for acceptance. According to Principal P. Joseph Powers, drinking is a type a gateway for social interaction and making teens feel like they “belong.” However, alcohol as a catalyst for social interactions poses a real threat to young teens who yearn for the appreciation of their peers. “They [students] want to be part of groups of friends and do things outside of school. For example, going to parties or going over to people’s houses, ” Powers said. “There’s way too much emphasis on some kids wanting to fit in.” In addition to peer pressure, curiosity about alcohol and its affects on one’s body is a type of unchartered territory worth exploring in the eyes of some. One Jones senior, who will be referred to as Jessica, believes the high school atmosphere and experience turns drinking into less of a big deal, thus, it’s easier to say yes to. “I didn’t expect to drink in high school, but I also wasn’t against it.” Jessica said. “I was so innocent and uncorrupted in grade school, and I think high school definite-
ly made drinking more tempting and casual.” As accustomed as students become to drinking, it’s often not until the cops “pop” a party or until someone gets alcohol poisoning that the serious consequences of drinking are evident. José Cuellar ‘17 has chosen not to drink out of fear that his actions under the influence could endanger his reputation, educational future, and lead to trouble with the law. “If you make one mistake,” José said. “it could be a burden that will scar you as you go on [in] life.” When students enter high school, they are 14 or 15. That would mean that a student who starts drinking their freshman year is drinking roughly six years before it is legal. A majority of the students interviewed agreed that 18 is the ideal age to start drinking. A Jones junior, who will be referred to as Charles, began drinking during his freshman year of high school because of peer pressures he faced. Though he continues to drink about every weekend now, he wishes he had started when he was a bit older, but doesn’t wish he hadn’t started at all. “When you’re 18, you’re more mature than freshman year. I don’t feel that freshman year was the correct year for me to start drinking.” said Charles. “I was young. It’s just not something I think kids should be doing when they’re freshmen.” High school brings about all kinds of new changes and maturity, which makes it perhaps a little more understandable why teens would begin to experiment with alcohol and partying in general. Jessica did begin drinking her freshman year; however, in contrast to Charles, she had a fairly positive experience. “I was with good friends outside of Jones. The idea of a party and being able to try new things was pretty exciting.” she said. “It’s kind of exhilarating to do something that’s not allowed.” The feeling of invincibility that goes along with drinking illegally and getting away with it instills
a sort of confidence in teens that has the potential to be dangerous. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, in 25 percent of teenage deaths in car crashes, the underage driver is inebriated. “People don’t realize just how impaired they are,” said Powers. “A lot of people will say they’re fine and that they can drive when they can barely stand up, because their perception of what they can and can’t do are completely skewed.” For some students, drinking is a way to “test the water” and discover their limits before going away to college. Getting over the initial excitement of drinking for the first time and learning what you do and don’t enjoy is key, according to another Jones junior, who we will refer to as Parker. “At first I did feel pressured to drink. They [my friends] were bugging me to start,” he said. “Now it’s more of a choice. It’s just something that I’m going to do if I feel like it.”
Jones students
Just Over 1 in 10 S A Part of The
Can I see some ID?
Students take advantage of overseas production for access to 21+ events, alcohol MAGGIE BEDORE ‘17 Deputy Editor, School
It takes 21 years to enter a bar, but high schoolers shorten the aging process to about a month using just a picture and a relatively small amount of money. Aiden, an anonymous junior student, wanted a fake in order to purchase alcohol. “If you have friends, and you’re having a party, let’s be honest, you need to step up and [purchase alcohol],” said Aiden. Besides the ability to purchase alcohol, students use their fakes to get into concerts with age minimums, and bars, which many students claim will be helpful for college. “You can’t really do a lot of stuff when you’re 18, usually a lot of stuff you need to be 21, so why not have a fake?” said an anonymous female senior we will refer to as Emma. After deciding to obtain a fake ID, Aiden talked to his friends who had fake IDs and was referenced to a vendor. “Some guys on my team who
have them said they work really well, so they gave me the email for the guy who is like a middleman,” said Aiden. Students can also conduct a simple search online to find several vendors of fake IDS. “I did research online and found the best website. It’s pretty legit; the guy lives in China. We ordered them about a week ago and the guy said they should be here in about three weeks,” said Madison, an anonymous female junior student. After establishing contact with the vendor, Aiden was instructed to email a headshot, his information, and a picture of his signature. Headshots must be on a white or solid background and can be taken with a camera or a cell phone camera. “You want it [the picture] to look like a state ID and when you do it for a state ID, you don’t look flawless. You take a picture that’s not horrible but not flawless. Sometimes they have to Photoshop it to make it look more like an ID picture,” said Emma. Fake IDs range in cost, with larger or-
ders often being cheaper. Payments are made through a variety of methods including Bitcoin, PayPal, Reloadit, or in cash through Western Union or MoneyGram. Aiden had to save some money before starting his process of obtaining a fake. “It was $120 for two IDs, and I paid the middleman in cash [through a mutual friend],” said Aiden. Most fake IDs take about two to eight weeks to arrive in the mail depending on the vendor. Aiden has waited about four weeks so far. Students who already have their fake IDs claim they work well and have rarely been caught. When students have been caught, they were simply denied entry into a bar or told that they couldn’t purchase alcohol. “I was trying to get into a bar and he [the bouncer]knew it was fake, so he just said no,” said Jacob, an anonymous male fresh-
men student. Illinois is tough on fake IDs, if caught possessing one, a student could face up to $25,000 in fines and one to three years in prison. Most students believe that if they get caught they are just unable to purchase alcohol or their parents were notified. Aiden claims he is not at all worried about getting caught. “They just take it away and tell your parents, but my dad’s cool with it,” said Aiden.