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The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Students leave lasting impression on local high schoolers

Published 2009-09-09T00:00:00Z”/>

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Joanna Hass

I was craving my fourthmeal around the time of night that reminds me how much freedom I have as a college student. It makes my value menu meal taste better knowing I can go out in the middle of the night and no one can stop me.

Despite the late hour, a few high-school-aged kids in a Taco Bell got me wondering about how my life choices can affect others. The way these girls behaved made me think I may be responsible for the way they act.

That night, there were a lot of high-school-aged people congregating at my late-night fast food retreat. It didn’t faze me until I saw four girls, just out of their “tween” years, at the corner booth, all of whom had the glazed eyes and glistening brows of someone coming down from a buzz. The sight of this brought reality to me on a plastic tray.

I had to sit and listen to a bevy of high school girls giggling and talking about beer pong, sex and hangovers. What I heard from these girls had the sobering effect of a cup of coffee and a cold shower. It was something I didn’t want to hear or even think occurred for people so young.

I would have pulled off my own ears and balled them up with the wrapper of my chicken soft taco to throw them away if it would have ended the pain of listening to them talk.

I wanted a parent, a nun or just anybody to jump out of the cracks in the vinyl seat and slap a chastity belt on those teenagers; if not a chastity belt for these blossoming vixens, then, at the very least, a muzzle.

I didn’t want to hear it because their conversation, their mannerisms and even their lingo were all so familiar. These girls were barely out of pigtails and not old enough to be talking about such serious topics. Even though I partake in the activities they were discussing, I didn’t want to think that, because I do those things it was OK for them, too. Most of all, I didn’t want to think that they were doing all these immature things thinking it would make them mature.

They were trying to live up to the standards by which my fellow Wildcats and I live. These girls thought, as I’m sure many people their age do, that the freedom enjoyed by college students was defined by their actions and not the consequences that follow.

Listening to those girls speak about such heavy topics without a care was like watching a tiny little hand inch slowly toward the glowing red stove.

In this case, they thought drinking and having sex was enough to make them mature. Not once during their high school hysterics did the consequences of their actions get mentioned. It was like no one ever told them they weren’t seeing the big picture.

Their conversation was like a replay of the worst decisions I’ve ever made. Only these girls weren’t making decisions based on their own curiosity, it was as if these girls were desensitized to their actions.

I think there is a lack of positive role models within our domestic culture and I thought that by going to college I was being one. I figured the little things along the way &- such as partying &- were strictly a part of my private life.

I think people in our generation don’t often look at other people and see themselves. This is because, personally, I don’t want to think who I am and what I do affects other people.

We are responsible for the examples we set forth everyday. We can judge the influence we have by things we witness within our community &- such as the conversation I overheard while in that Taco Bell.

We tend to think if we regret something enough it will go away, but there is no Plan B for bad decisions and this is especially unfortunate since we are in close proximity to such a large number of high school-aged people.

We forget that, no matter the age disparity, there are people taking our lives as an example &- a tidbit of what life will be like as adults. If that image is flawed, my good and bad decisions affect the ones made by future generations.

It’s important to remember we’re not too young to be role models, whether it’s by our choices or by our mistakes.

Joanna Hass can be reached at<a href= “javascript:void(location.href=’mailto:’+String.fromCharCode(106,104,97,115,115,64,116,104,101,111,114,105,111,110,46,99,111,109)+’?subject=re%3A%20Students%20leave%20lasting%20impression%20on%20local%20high%20schoolers’)”>[email protected]</a>

For ways to be a better role model check out: <a href= “http://managing-youth-workers.suite101.com/article.cfm/positive_role_models_for_teens” target= “_blank”>http://managing-youth-workers.suite101.com/article.cfm/positive_role_models_for_teens</a>

  1. Classroom harpies should quiet down
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