What were the main things I learned during this assessment

Some of the biggest things I learnt personally were how to manage time more effectively, and how to organise the group’s ideas and compromise to come up with something we are all happy with. I learnt to manage time through my group’s disorganisation, and since we were largely unprepared with a week until the presentation, I took control and gave people jobs and decided how we would do our presentation properly. I believe that this helped me as a person to understand time management a lot better, and think this will greatly help me in the future.

What is one piece of advice you would give to teenagers above all else? Why?

If you have the chance to drink, don’t. If you can avoid drinking as long as possible, it greatly decreases your risk of self-injury, embarrassment or other consequences.

I believe this is very important advice, and something I will try to stick to myself. The wide range of consequences from alcohol and the mitigation techniques can be completely avoided if you avoid alcohol itself.

Write down a pledge that you will commit to if you start drinking alcohol.

If I decide to drink alcohol, I will be responsible. I will always make sure there is someone I can rely on who is sober if I decide to drink, and I will make sure to drink low quantities. I will drink only in a safe environment, such as my home. I won’t take part in drinking competitions or the like, and I will avoid being pressured into drinking.

Why did I pick these things to commit to?

I chose these, as these are the main points that I feel reduce the risk of drinking. If there is someone nearby that I know will help me if I get drunk, I feel like this will reduce risks by a large amount. This also ties in with drinking in a safe area, as that way it’s almost certain someone I trust will be there. Being pressured into drinking is a large reason many people drink, although in the past peer pressure does not seem to affect me as much as others, and I will remember this and try not to be pressured into doing the wrong thing.

How will I stick to these commitments?

Well, I probably won’t drink. But just in case, I will remind my family/friends who will be with me at the time to help me stick to these commitments. I will also avoid brining alcohol to parties etc. as this will almost certainly encourage me to drink. I will avoid being around people (especially if they’re drunk) who I know will try to get me to drink, and I will avoid entering situations that will encourage me to drink.

Reflection

Overall, I think that this assessment taught me a lot about alcohol and it’s effects. I now believe that alcohol should be avoided where possible, and if not possible to drink in small quantities. Since it’s consequences can be so impactful on people’s lives, evasion is the best method of mitigation. This assessment has taught me skills as well, for example how to lead a group into effective work, and also how to spend an hour making cardboard tubes and then leaving them at home on the day of the assessment. This assessment was an insight for me, into how bad alcohol actually is. Previously I had not realized how dangerous it could be, since it is common tradition to drink at parties or the like. this has helped me to understand why many people choose not to drink, and I believe I will be one of those people.