*Name changed for privacy of those interviewed.

By the time teenagers turn 18, more than 70 percent have had their first drink of alcohol, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Many researchers on teen drinking describe the dangers of this habit, but *Jenny sees this as a positive.

Jenny, senior, said when teenagers drink in high school it is a way for them to discover their boundaries with alcohol. She said finding these boundaries in high school is more beneficial because they are in an environment surrounded by family and friends, whereas in college they may be on their own.

She said when she drinks with her friends, they all make sure to take care of each other. When someone is irresponsible with alcohol, however, Jenny said it can be hard to watch.

“One of my friends has a lot of problems with alcohol and is kind of dependent on it, so that’s a bad thing [and another] has gotten an MIP. There’s a lot of bad things that happen if they get stranded and I have to come pick them up sometimes,” Jenny said.

Another problem with teen drinking is running into the police or unhappy parents. Jenny said her experiences with this have been frightening.

“I had been driving my friend home who was drunk and got pulled over, so that was a really scary moment,” Jenny said. “I know I’ve driven around with alcohol in my car and that’s always scary to be pulled over with that and [also] the parents issue, too. Some of my friends’ parents found out we were drinking and they threatened to take us to the police and that is definitely scary.”

If events do take a turn for the worse, Jenny said she has a strong support system at home. She said her parents know she drinks and though they do not agree with these actions, will be there for their daughter if something bad happens and they trust she will be safe.

“They have told me numerous times if I’m at a party and something’s bad, to [not drive] and call them and they’ll be there at any time of the night,” Jenny said.

Jenny stands firm with her opinion on teen drinking, but she said it comes with judgement from peers and parents. She receives remarks such as she is ruining her life and how she is not a responsible child.

“I’m a fine kid. I have good grades, [I’m involved and] I have work. I’m fine. I feel like people get the wrong opinion of you if you say that you drink,” Jenny said.

Despite the judgement, Jenny remains positive about how teen drinking develops the valuable lesson of learning alcohol boundaries. She said it is acceptable for teenagers to drink on occasion, but she strongly disagrees with those who drink every weekend and get themselves in trouble.

“I feel like it’s really stupid when people you love do such dumb things like that and get themselves in trouble with the law and ruin their entire future because of that stupid mistake,” Jenny said. “I definitely think you need to be safe about it.”