This term in health, we learnt about alcohol and the negative effects binge drinking has on our physical and mental health. We showcased all our knowledge in an Alcohol and Binge Drinking Expo. As part of the task, we were required to research about the topic in groups, and come up with a creative and engaging idea to display our understanding at the expo (in the form of a stall). Jess and I were a pair, and our idea was to create a choose your own adventure where the viewer decides the outcome of the character. We focused primarily on the short-term and long-term consequences of binge-drinking and underage drinking. We also created a Kahoot for the viewers to play after watching our video to test their knowledge.
What were the biggest things you learnt while completing this task?
The biggest things I learnt whilst completing this task were the standard drink sizes in Australia, the effects of drinking, and why young people drink. Different types of alcohol have different strengths, so it’s important to know the recommended amount so we can drink safely and responsibly. Knowing the effects of binge drinking is also important so we are aware of what could happen and we know not to do it. Last of all, it is important to know why young people drink because then we can identify and prevent ourselves from being pressured into drinking or from being careless with the amount of alcohol we consume.
What one piece of advice would you pass on to young teenagers above all else? Why?
The one piece of advice I would pass on to teenagers is to say no to alcohol altogether until you are 18. The legal drinking age is there for a reason, because young people are often not rational, and many things can go wrong short-term and long-term if you do start drinking regularly. Young people should enjoy their youth instead of having it ruined by addiction.
How did you and your group members work together? What did you do well and what could have been improved?
Jess and I collaborated quite effectively to produce our end result. We brainstormed well and both listened to each other’s ideas. We also communicated well between ourselves and gave each other feedback. Something we could have improved was our distribution of the work. As there were only two of us, it was quite difficult to split the work load evenly. We were able to distribute the research evenly, but I found myself doing a bit more than her when it came to editing and creating our video. Another thing we could have improved was our organisation. We weren’t able to get together to film until quite close to the date of the expo, and as a result I was so stressed.