While Sandy Spring Friends School has many traditions, the “Junior Symposium” is a popular one that most upperclassmen tell you to look forward to. With that being said, a lot of controversy was sparked amongst my class after the most recent symposium. After talking to my peers I noticed a common theme: many questioned the authenticity of the speaker while also trying to weed out the idealism regarding teens and drug use.

Many people and their parents opened up about their own experiences with drugs and alcohol. But, more interestingly, after listening to stories and experiences, I realized that forcing communication between a parent and a teen – especially when the focus is on the teens and their “social life” – is a difficult thing to do.  That is not to say that if you do not have that strong communication with your parent, then you should stop trying. I do believe, however, that when we constantly have the “Drugs are bad. Do not do them” type of talk, it all becomes white noise.  I found many of my peers felt the same way regarding the speaker’s spiel.

While my mom was one of the few parents who failed to attend the Symposium, my family still attempted to discuss what was said during the event. With lots of time to think about what was discussed at the Junior Symposium, I have found no changes in the behavior of my peers. I believe that when you are more transparent with your parent, they truly will trust you more. But many kids do not feel comfortable enough to share this type of relationship with their parent. For many families, hopefully the communication was strengthened from the discussion in their house but, for most, it is a hard thing to begin as an eleventh grader. It would be difficult to begin something that starts so late. The importance lays in the early age and implications of the true consequences of drug use. Maybe we need to reconsider the age we have the symposium at and perhaps even the message we want to put forth.