'Manuela Almeida\r'

'The teenage age argon for well-nigh the most traumatic or rattling(prenominal) years they result ever experience.  umteen experiences through these years decide how individuals will act as adults, the paths they will reserve in life, the concerners they will choose, and if and how they raise their families.  I re portion a choice that I make as a adolescent that would forever change my life.  To this day, that choice salve affects me.\r\nChoosing non to go to a companionship with my friends saved my life.  My friends were in a stately car accident leaving the party, and iodin of them did not survive.  This experience has affected the choices I sack today.  Because of the loss of my friend, I do not strike unnecessary dangers, I monitor my behavior in genial situations, and I open a great respect for life.\r\nLosing my friend when I was a teenager has made me real unadventurous about getting into potenti in ally tremendous situations.  Just as the darkness I chose not to go to the party, I much opt out of celebrations that involve intoxicant or own the electromotive force to shot drugs.  I usually will go to the coffee shop or to dinner party with a friend or family member instead.  Potentially dangerous or volatilisable friends scare me as well.  I feign’t get close to risk takers for the fear of losing them.\r\nMy group of friends in racy school was a little composition wild, and since the night of the party that took my friend’s life, I have changed my circle of friends.  I don’t go to the clubs to drink, notwithstanding will go to dance all(prenominal) flat and again if I am expiry with another friend who is in like manner planning on staying sober.  Even when I stay in, I do not partake in risky behaviors.  I do not drink intoxicant or take drugs.  Unnecessary risks are just that; unnecessary.\r\nâ€Å"Going out” doesn’t mean the same thing t o me now as it did to me in high school.  Then, it was all about finding a fall out to party, listening to music, drinking alcohol illegally, and â€Å" draw” up with people.  Since that fateful night years ago, I monitor my behavior in social situations very carefully.  Before take down going out, I make real that I have a expert friend to accomp whatsoever me.\r\nI make sure that I am ever more prepared with a cell call up and extra money in fortune something happens and that someone in my family knows where I am at all times.  When I do go to a club to do some dancing, I don’t drink, and I leave well sooner 1 a.m., which is when people seem to be getting the most drunk and impaired.  Again, I try not to attract any risky people by line drawing myself as wild.  I keep a careful eye on what is going on around me at all times.  I can still have fun, don’t get me wrong, just my friend’s death is neer far from my memory when I am around alcohol.\r\nSince the loss of my friend, I think of life much more.  As a teen, I thought I was unbeatable and that I knew it all, as most teens do.  I snuck around behind my parent’s backs without permission to do the things I cute to do.  I knew it was wrong, save I didn’t care.  I did not see the encourage in my young life and the potential that I had for my future.  I did not care about my parents or family members’ feelings; I was very self-centered.  I just wanted to have fun and â€Å"live my life”.\r\nThe import I lost my friend, I effected that the only people who were guaranteed to be thither for me through my life were my parents and my family.  I glowering to them for sanction and guidance through the ordeal.  They became more additional to me than they had been in a abundant time, and I valued them.  I likewise valued myself more since I sawing machine how important I was to them.  I witnes sed the affliction of my friend’s family members and could not figure my family having to face the same fate unnecessarily.  If I could prevent something terrible from happening to me, I would do that not only for myself, but for them as well.\r\nTeenagers think they are invincible.  They take risks.  Part of this is just growing up.  I took some risks that could have ended my life, and so did my friends.  Fortunately, I skipped out on that night and made a better choice.  Since that night I have too made better choices and it has improved my life tremendously.  I watch what I do and where I do it.  I am aware(p) of my surroundings at all times.  I reach out to my family and keep in touch with them and let them know that I am OK.  I value my family and their support and love and realize what a special person I am in this world to them.  Because of tragedy, I have choke a better person.  My friend’s death still haunts me, but it also keeps me sober and aware of my own precious life.\r\n'