An Open Letter to my Fellow Teens by Ben Haworth, MADD Teen Influencer
Being a teenager is tough. But I don’t need to tell you that. We’ve all had moments where
we felt like we didn’t fit in. We’ve all made countless mistakes and will most certainly make
more. These will be the some of the best (and worse) times of our lives. Trying to figure yourself
out is hard enough, but when you add in the pressures of school and a social life, it makes things
even more complicated. It seems that everyone wants us to act like responsible adults, but really,
some days we still feel like kids. Then there’s the negative peer pressure we all have
experienced, along with the influence social media has on us. Our parents are busy, and there are
moments when we can’t help but feel alone.
How do we begin to make the right choices when everything is coming at us so fast? Our
future is determined by the decisions we make today. Many of us don’t know how to resist peer
pressure when it comes to underage drinking and drug use. Often we lack the tools to say “no” or
we simply make impulsive choices based on what our friends are doing. The truth is, we have
more power than we think when it comes to saying no to alcohol, drugs, and refusing to ride with
an impaired driver.
Having open conversations with your parents is the first step. Choosing friends that
support you and help you make good choices is equally important. After serving nearly three
years as a MADD Teen Influencer, I have not only been given a great opportunity to learn more
about educating the public about the dangers of impaired driving, but I’ve also been able to
develop my skills as a peer-to-peer educator in my community. Calling attention to the
importance of having these conversations with peers around substance abuse can help stop the
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