Hey teens, sliding into adulthood can be a jungle so here's one of the animals that could eat you up: drug abuse. Drug
abuse is not a new term to many and it's found in every nook and cranny
of the globe. It is simply the illegal intake or consumption of any
drug. This means that even a simple drug as aspirin can be abused. According
to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's
survey on drug abuse, about 23.5 million people in the USA aged 12 or
older need treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol problem in 2009 and
the numbers are just skyrocketing. Teenagers are a troubled bunch and the rapid change in our lives could make us feel there is solace to be found in drug abuse.
REASONS FOR TEEN DRUG ABUSE
1) Depression
Depression is like a disease that plagues many teenagers and even adults. It could result from school stress, social anxiety, problems at home and sometimes, it just comes. It's that feeling of sadness that just won't go away. Many teenagers experience this and then use illegal drugs as an escape route. That's why anti depressants are getting higher on the list of abused drugs.
2) Curiosity
Everyone is guilty of that moment when you just want to know what the forbidden fruit tastes like. Teenagers know the dangers of drug abuse but still fall prey to it for the simple reason that their curiosity got the better of them.
3) Peer Pressure
The
kind of company you keep affects every part of the lives of people
especially teenagers and if you keep friends who are into drug abuse,
there's are high possibility of you falling off the wagon too.
4) Ignorance
It's
safe to say almost every teenager has abused a drug at one point in
their life with varying lethal levels. For example, I have taken more
than the required dosage of aspirin before hoping for a quicker relief!
Unfortunately, the ignorance of many other teenagers has more fatal
consequences.
The number of drugs that are being abused are numerous. Some of them are:
-Alcohol: Yes it is a drug. -Marijuana
-Heroin
-Cocaine -inhalants like emulsion paints -Meth -Sedatives -Anaesthetics -Anti depressants. The list is endless. Drug Abuse is not a walk in the park. It comes with many negative consequences and below are some of them.
1)
It leads to a serious health deterioration:
The human body is very
fragile and a continuous intake of all these drugs could prove fatal to
health. It weakens the immune systems making the body vulnerable to
diseases, it causes an abnormal function of the cardiovascular system
which could lead to heart attacks in the long run, it overworks and
eventually weakens the liver, etc. Drugs had also been known to reduce
the reproductive ability of people. I know many teenagers are not
planning for children now but best not ruin our future chances.
2) It reduces brain power
Drugs
can alter the function of the brain by causing the whole body to flood
with dopamine thus messing with the brain's reward system thus making
drug addicts have a feeling of euphoria (highness).
3) Drugs change our behavioral system
Some
drugs can make scoundrels even out of the most decent people. They
usually cause aggressiveness, paranoia, hallucination, poor self
control, etc. Drug abuse can change who you are.
4) Drug abuse could lead to addiction
This
is the most dreaded of them all. At this stage, the drug becomes you
and it is usually difficult to stop these drugs. Addiction makes taking
these drugs like breathing. You just can't stop it and the more you take
it, the more serious the above mentioned consequences and your
addiction become. Becoming a drug addict is not always by choice
but finding help and getting better is something that is placed in our
hands. Addiction is a very fiendish problem and getting over it is very
tedious but worth the trouble.
Ways to recover from addiction
1)
Diagnosing the problem:
The first step to any form of treatment is
diagnosis. As an addict, you need to know and accept you have a problem
and go for help.
2) Specialized treatment:
Lucky are those
who go for help with the experts. These treatments take a while to
complete and may sometimes seem hopeless. However, as an addict, you
need them. They will not just help you with the addiction but also help
to manage any damage it may have caused to your health. This form of treatment can also involve mental therapy.
For the longest time, I have always wondered why creative artists are seen as dumb (especially in Nigeria – my country). There is this popular belief that those who turn out to be musicians, actors, painters, sculptors, and so on do so because they were too dumb to make it to college. But just before you begin to hate, wait a sec. They believe so for a very good reason. 3 out of 5 Nigerian musicians dropped out of either high school or college. See why the stereotype exists now?
However, I think otherwise. I think that artists are some of the smartest people on the planet. How can you explain how an artist heads to a studio, records an album. When we listen to the magic produced, we find ourselves moving our bodies (a.k.a. Dancing) without being physically forced to move? How can you explain how people who make movies ‘addict’ us to them? Game Of Thrones FANatics can resonate with this. That’s pure magic and brilliance.
However, the sad thing is that the people who make this magic are being ripped off. The Nigerian entertainment industry is structured such that the artists who own the talent do not gain the full benefits of their art. Musicians only get roughly 40% of the total value of their work. Why? My hypotheses are: the artists are nothing more than artists; the system is one which is built in favour of the non-artistic executives who eat from where they did not plant; artists do not know how to create value from their art; should things go South, artists are lost because all they knew was their art; and of course, there is a LOT of piracy.
This is a problem I am dedicated to solving. With a couple of elite scholars who happen to be friends, I am building a new model to revolutionize the entertainment industry. One that would tip the scale in favour of the artists themselves. We are building the MusArtt Group: a group of companies dedicated to developing the next generation of – not artists – but Artrepreneurs. These would be the people who would redefine the meaning of being an "Artist". The first project would be the Camp MusArtt which is scheduled to kick off in Nigeria by 2017. After that, we would lead the rise of the MusArtt School of Artrepreneurship. Later developments are still somewhat clandestine.
"I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples." - wise words from Mother Theresa. We are looking for elite scholars who are passionate about and skilled in the performing arts, visual arts, technology, business and - of course - Africa.
If you feel this is something you’d like to work on, hit me up (arinze_obiezue@yahoo.com).
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
So I know that this would be a very touchy subject for most of you who may identify as Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, or even atheists, but I believe that religion is overrated.
Most people nowadays quickly fill themselves under some religious umbrella. In most cases, one which they did not even get to choose. What do I mean? Most of the religious people today, identify with a religion, not because it was their choice but because it was the religion of their parents; so much for ingenuity.
So traditional agnosticism is the belief that man lacks the capacity to either prove or disprove the existence of God or the Supreme Being. More like:
Person A: Did you know that God exists? Agnostic Person: Lol, okay. *smirk* Person B: Did you know that God does not exist? Agnostic Person: Lol, okay. *smirk*
Get the picture now?
However, I'd like to prick the theory of traditional agnosticism a bit. If there is anything I know; anything at all, it is that God exists.
Nature, like any other thing in the world, would fall into utter anarchy if there is nobody or nothing guiding, or controlling it. Therefore, I choose to believe in a Supreme Being who holds all the forces of the universe together. A Being who creates life, a Being who nurtures life, a Being who takes life.
You must have deduced it by now. Neo-Agnosticism is the belief in the existence of a Supreme Being without having to be closeted under a given religious umbrella.
With the direction the world is taking, we are gradually experiencing the drowning of religions. Religions all over the world, rather than sticking to their faith and worshipping their gods, are going at each other tooth-and-nail; the most popular being the centuries-long brawl between Christianity and Islam.
The globalisation of the world, as well as the rapid rise of pop culture, would eventually lead the phasing out of religious doctrines.
The only thing left standing would be neo-agnosticism.
[Share your thoughts and comments on this in the comments section below]
Hello Teens, Our favourite guest writer is back with a bang! She has a few words she would like to pass across to the rest of the teenage community. Enjoy the read: Being a teenager is not a day's job (well obviously) but the trick isn't impossible to pull. I know it has its ups and downs but hopefully, this guide helps. Teenagers face so many challenges like dealing with the awkwardness of puberty, personality crisis, power struggle with parents and so on. All these contribute to the making of our personalities. To define a teenager in the most basic terms: it is someone between the ages 13-19. Every period of life has its hurdles but today we shall be looking at the weaknesses and strengths of us teenagers.
STRENGTHS OF A TEENAGER
High Energy Levels:
It is true that the tiny tots beat us down when it comes to adrenaline boost but we are at an advantage compared to the adults. Teenagers can take a lot of stress and keep standing. You can call it youthful energy and because of this, we are armed for all the academic stress that comes with teenage life.
Sharp Mind:
teenagers have a very sharp mind with the highest sensitivity to rewards. We learn a lot faster with rewards. So fellas, if you don't get rewards for you good performances, don't fail to give yourself one.
BEGINNING OF INDEPENDENCE:
Teenagers mostly have the tendency to desire to fly out and make their own nest. It is the beginning of a sense of responsibility. We have the need to prove ourselves and if this energy is channelled the right way, we can be very productive.
INCREASED CONFIDENCE:
Being a teenager comes with puberty and I've got to say it is usually one of the times we look our best. Although looks don't always matter but looking better is a very good confidence boost.
So those are just a few of our strengths and as much as you don't wanna hear it, we'll take a look at some of our shady weaknesses too.
WEAKNESSES OF A TEENAGER
Vulnerability to manipulation: Teenagers are more open minded to the suggestions of peers. The need to keep our friends and be among the cool kids might cloud our judgement and lead to bad decision making.
Sexual Weakness:
yup!! It's the awkward point. Out hormones are all over the place and keeping them in check might be a little tasking. This may lead to temptations to have teenage sex. Trust me, guys, your best years are yet to come.
Distractions: it's not like those distractions weren't there when we were younger. They just have the attention of those in the teenage age range. There's the internet, boys/girls. The list is endless.
Making the Most our of Our Teen Years Leaving all the weaknesses to grow would only affect our strengths. It's like putting a bad apple in a basket full of good ones. It'll make us one heck of a mess. Some ways to deal with these weaknesses are:
Exercise:
I can't really think of a teenager without stress. I'm not asking you all to become jocks. Maybe a little walk or some yoga could wonders.
Discipline: we are fully capable of handling any challenge that is thrown at us with diligence and a stout heart. With this, we can gradually discover our real identities.
Don't forget to always seek the help of others. Discern those who are good for you.
(no I'm not talking about robots. At least, not yet!)
I know that at this point, most of us already have an idea of the university we would like to attend (that's if we are not already in one). However, there is a revolution going on which most of us are not aware of - the universities of the future are HERE! The future is a very difficult thing to predict by the way. However, some universities have taken a bold step at presenting to us a glimpse of what the universities of the future should look like.
During a meeting attended by nine very experienced and influential figures in the world of education, there was a debate on what the top universities of 2020 would look like (though that's just too close to be called 'future'; by 'future', I'm talking about from the year 2060). Most of what they said was that those universities would be more specialized, leadership-centred, entrepreneurship-centred, technology-based, skill-building, and employer-focused. That is to say that the top universities of 2020 would be those that have a specific need they are addressing, are focused on not only building graduates but leaders, are not bent on producing job seekers but job creators, function on state-of-the-art technology, are more focused on developing skills than issuing degrees, and are in close partnership with various leading employers.
One truth I just discovered is that we already have universities that run on ALL those philosophies. If you are someone like me who is not looking to attend an already crowded, living-on-past-glory Ivy League university, but one that suits your personal needs and is structured to build you for the vicissitudes of life, then I think you should give the universities I'm going to list out a look. I'm so glad that two out of three of these universities are right here in Africa (the supposed 'dark and hopeless continent'...amazeballs!!).
At this point, most of you would leave this page seeing that most are in Africa, well that's your loss. For the rest of you still reading down this article, you've proven to be curious fellows about to get their reward!
So here you go:
(I'll just list them alphabetically so you can...never mind, just read on. <(^_^)> )
1. African Leadership University (ALU)
African Leadership University is 'weirdly', not the name of a single university. It is the group name of 25 universities which are to be located at different parts of Africa to provide world-class education to students all over the continent. ALU started operating in 2015 with the first cohort of its inaugural class arriving in October on the beautiful island of Mauritius from over 30 African countries.
ALU is listed among the 'Universities of the Future' because it thrives on an unconventional yet effective philosophy. ALU's major vision is to produce leaders who would be able to transform the continent and create jobs for Africa's fast-growing population. ALU uses a novel curriculum which was developed by some of the best educators in the world. ALU's learning model is built around the philosophy of peer learning where students learn from not only the teacher, but also from one another. The Curriculum
ALU realises that most people are able to master certain concepts when they teach it to someone else that is why ALU leverages technology to provide that for their students. Students learn on a world-class online platform where they read articles, take part in MOOCs, take quizzes, reflect on what they have learnt through structured assignments, review and give feedback to other students' work and also teach other students who may have been struggling with some of the topics. This allows students to learn at their own pace while grasping every detail of the course. ALU's learning model allows the course facilitator to know how the students are performing individually and collectively by just glancing at his computer screen, or tablet. This allows for immediate feedback and assistance to students who appear to be struggling without having to wait till the end of the school year for the final grades to be out; this allows no student to be left behind. ALU's foundational core which students take in their first year of enrolment allows them to explore courses that are aimed at building skill sets and not just 'nerdy nerds'. The courses include: Communication for Impact, Data and Decisions, Entrepreneurial Leadership, and Projects. Each course has a particular skill or set of skills it is targeted at building in the students.
ALU partners with UK's Glasgow Caledonian University in issuing of its degrees and preparing its learning curriculum. Other universities which partner with ALU to present this world-class education include: Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, Stanford University, and MIT.
ALU also makes sure that every student is prepared for the workplace after graduation by partnering with some of the leading companies in Africa and in the world to provide a four-month annual internship for each student during his/her stay at ALU. That is to say that each student graduates with at least one-year working experience before graduating from ALU. Some of these top companies are: Coca-Cola, IBM, BCG, McKinsey&Company, Tiger Brands, Cellulant, Equity Bank, Tendy Corporation, and so many others. Tuition
Attending ALU, doesn't cost much if you compare it with other universities in Africa and in the rest of the world. Attending ALU cost a total of about $10,000 which includes tuition, accommodation, a laptop, flight to and from your country, feeding, medical insurance and so on. Admission
ALU's admission process is unlike the mainstream. ALU employs a round-by-round elimination method of admitting students. There are two rounds in the application process. In the first round, you fill the basic application form which contains your personal details, family information, academic record, activities and achievements, and a few essays. You also get to take an online math and reading test. After this round, is the second round. This is the most exciting! In this round, you participate in an online course known as the 'Africa Rising Course'. This course exposes you to ALU's learning model first-hand. You get to learn several exciting things about Africa while taking the course. Participating in module by module assessments where you take quizzes, write reflection essays and discuss ideas with fellow applicants from all over the world. You are also required to submit recommendations and other documentations for you travel to the campus should you be admitted.
ALU currently has an admittance rate of 3.28%. [ P.S. I had to type this long because this is my university, you get? I guess you enjoyed it. by the way.] 2. Asheshi University College (Asheshi)
Asheshi University is a one-of-a-kind university. As you may have guessed, it's in Africa! The country of Ghana to be precise. Asheshi University's major mission is to produce ethical leaders for the 21st century. Asheshi was built by a native Ghanaian who went on to the US to study. He graduated with degrees in engineering and economics. He then went on to work for Microsoft for 8 years, until he resigned to attend the Haas School of Business at the UC Berkeley. He graduated with his MBA in 1999. He went back to Ghana alongside some other graduates of the business school to do a thorough market survey for the starting up of that form of university in Ghana. Asheshi University started in 2002 in a rented house with just 30 students. Today, Asheshi university boasts of a world-class permanent campus worth $6.4million with extra multi-million dollar pledges from various organisations to support its growth. Asheshi is currently home to about 600 undergrads.
Asheshi is dedicated to building some of the most revolutionary entrepreneurs on the continent. The curriculum at Asheshi is also technology based as students do most of their course work electronically. Asheshi employed an Examination Honour Code which is more like an oath students pledge to be honest in taking their examinations. For this reason, examinations at Asheshi University are not supervised by any invigilator. Asheshi has one of the best and most sophisticated libraries among other institutions of higher learning in Ghana. Asheshi also has a foundational core course which students take during their first year. This course aims at improving their critical ability and cognitive processes for a better and better prepared life of leadership.
Asheshi University also makes sure that all its graduates are prepared for the workforce as soon as they graduate. 100% of Asheshi graduates have received job offers as soon as they graduated. with about 90% choosing to work in Africa to develop various industries across the continent. Asheshi boasts of several alumni who have gone on to start up their own companies and create jobs for other people all over the world.
This is a university worth enrolling in!
3. Minerva Schools at KGI (Minerva)
Minerva is one of the most dynamic institutions in the world. Minerva started off in 2014 with its inaugural class of about 69 students. Minerva’s founder, former Snapfish president Ben Nelson, has referred to it as "the first elite American university to be launched in a century." Larry Summers, former Harvard University President and United States Secretary of the Treasury, chaired its first advisory board, joined by Bob Kerrey, former Democratic senator from Nebraska and president of the New School. Minerva in just a few years of operation has already proven to be one of the universities of the future.
P.S. I'm going to be very brief.
At Minerva, there are no classrooms. Students get access to everything online via online lectures which come in the forms of written text, audio tapes, or video recordings. Minerva also makes use of Mass Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to provide first-year education to its students from some of the top universities in the world. Minerva systematically applies a 1972 study that shows that memory is enhanced by “deep” cognitive tasks. Such tasks include working with material, applying it and arguing about it instead of rote memorization. All classes begin with a pop quiz, with potentially a second one later in the class, that is claimed to increase retention. Furthermore, courses are conducted as online seminars capped at 19 students and traditional lectures are banned. The automation allows fine-grained tracking of student progress. Professors have much less discretion over teaching methods than at traditional universities.
Minerva has a residence hall currently in just San Francisco. However, later in 2016 campuses would be set up at Buenos Aires and Berlin. In later years, more would be set up in Istanbul, London, Seoul, and Bangalore. Students get to study in seven different cities of the world before they graduate. That's a good deal, if you ask me.
So there's a lot of information on these universities which, by observation, would lead the other universities of the world in the nearest future. The question is: "How ready are you for the future? Would you rather go to an Ivy League college where they teach you some 300-year old concept that is now obsolete, or would you rather prepare for the future?"
Here's a talk about the future of universities by Dr. Jacob Leachman at TEDxWSU 2014. You would see the reasons why the above mentioned universities as well as some others not mentioned are the best fit for you today in preparation for tomorrow.
The Choice is yours. However, as you make your choice, may the force be with you.
The Teenager is a blog designed by a teenager to meet the need of the teenagers. This blog was built to answer questions which Teens may have but may not be bold enough to ask their parents or older people. Through this blog, I hope to present various opportunities to the teens, from admissions to scholarship programs as well as fun camps, etc.
Have fun!
