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Friday, 20 April, 2007 10:26 PM
College Students: A Lesson on
Risk Management
I looked
up a dozen quotes on risk and they all say go for it, take chances,
explore. But when your life and longevity is on the line, I say
why risk it?
Since 1993,
the number of college drinkers has remained the same. It’s
the intensity of excessive drinking and rates of drug use that has
increased dramatically. The trouble however, is not just in the
glass. It’s the risk-taking attitudes formed that hurt us
the most.
I say us
because I enjoyed college most for the lifestyle. I put partying
before needed sleep, schemes before real studying and a fantasy
life before reality. I made decisions on a whim and was always uncertain
of the outcome. People could count on me to be curious, spontaneous
and explosive. I welcomed any challenge and invited all attention.
In 2003,
I got my first DUI and it hurt, but not bad enough. By 2005, I got
another one and that’s when I started to feel the pain. Not
just the pain pounding in head and rumbling in my gut, but a disappointment
and a shame that I could see even in my mother’s eyes. If
I was not affected by the pain in my pride, Granholm would be sure
I felt pain in my pockets.
The penalties
for drinking and driving are unforgettable. You are instructed to
pay a “Driver Responsibility Fee” for two years in a
row. Then there’s court costs, attorney fees, probation expenses,
community service, counseling, AA. Just when you think you’re
done, here comes the reinstatement fee, the points and increase
in insurance rates. When I got tired of paying fees, I stopped.
Then my wages, checking account and state refund was garnished.
I had spent a life savings on risk.
Never again.
As I mature, gambling doesn’t seem as attractive. The personal
wager is too high and the odds of success are slim. I see the instant
gratification I yearned for as temporary while wise choices can
be beneficial for a lifetime.
Of all the
advice and all the lectures, one quote I stand behind is by Charles
Dubois. He says the important thing is to be able to sacrifice who
we are for what we could become. When we manage our behavior and
control our wild side, we leave room for something better—ourselves.
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