Do young people rely on drinking alcohol and smoking to have a good time?

I would answer yes to that question in general, although it is not my case. I don’t smoke and when I hang out with my friends, alcohol is not a must. As I see it, it is true that most of young people tend to associate an enjoyable time with their friends with alcohol, and that is a pity, because getting used to those habits may lead you to future problems of addiction. However, as you grow up, you usually get rid of them and you give more value to a nice conversation or trip with your friends rather than just getting drunk.

Apart from this kind of “soft drugs”, another problem that I see in modern teenagers is the high dependence they have on social networks. I have seen 4 or 5 people around a table having a drink and every one of them hooked on the phone without even talking to each other. Furthermore, kids are eventually going less to the park or other outdoor locations and are more stuck at home playing videogames or spending time with a tablet.

In order to stay healthy, young people should try to get away from bad influences that may come from, for example, some groups of friends, where one can unconsciously copy bad behaviours. Another good idea is to try to focus on good habits such as practising sports like football, running, going to the gym, etc. Getting into a sport team can substantially improve not only your fitness but your mind-set and your attitude towards new challenges.

Anyhow, sometimes young people just have to make their own mistakes and learn from them, no matter how many times they are given advices or warnings about anything, because that is how we grew up and get experience in life.