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Peer Pressure & Alcohol May 23, 2024

Written by Sydney Parker, a senior at CSUCI.

I am currently a fourth-year college student, about to graduate with my Bachelor’s degree. I have noticed that throughout my college years, I have become less inclined to drink alcohol. In high school, I drank a lot more than I do now. I was that girl that would peer pressure my friends into drinking with me, which I regret deeply. A...

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An Educated School Girl May 01, 2024

Written by Lucy, age 17, a Ventura County high school student.

An educated school girl like me carries a backpack that holds all of the knowledge she owns which forces her spine down to the ground. An educated school girl like me carries books, pretty pencils and highlighters that mean nothing but for some reason it matters that they are pretty, an iPad, the clothing that she contemplates over...

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Reality Parties for Parents: A Parent’s Perspective Apr 15, 2024

By Sandy, a local parent and CSUCI student.

I admit it, I avoided this “Reality Party” idea when my three kids were in high school. My role this past week was to play the cool mom, letting the kids drink and have fun. This wasn’t a stretch for me. Even my kids made a joke about me playing this role. The horrible things that could have happened at my house while kids were...

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What Are We Thinking? Jan 12, 2024

By Kai Yi Wang, a BRITE youth spokesperson.

“I’m gonna hang out with a few friends this Friday and smoke a little weed.”

I ignored him, working on my global paper in front of me, mumbling to myself about what I would write. I never really paid much attention to comments like these because jokes about drugs and sex were rampant at school. Despite only being in the 8th grade, it...

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Peer Pressure in School Sep 29, 2022

This post was written by a CSUCI student.

Peer pressure in school is a very widespread issue affecting young people, myself included. Going to school every day throughout my life, I was able to see just how widespread it was and still is today. The biggest issue was the use of drugs. 

I have memories back in middle and high school of drugs being discussed. This was somewhat intimidating...

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How Did We Become Strangers? Sep 28, 2022

Written by a senior at CSUCI.

My parents divorced when my sister and I were young. (I will refer to my sister as Janet). My mother, several years later, began dating a new man, let’s call him Dave. Dave had two children – I will refer to them as Samantha and Tom. Samantha was my sister’s age, and Tom was my age. We all became fast friends (we were 8 at the time) and enjoyed...

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It’s Who You Know Aug 30, 2022

This post was written by a senior at CSUCI.

I think when I was younger, and I was given drug education in elementary school and middle school, I already anticipated a man dressed in all black with a trench coat on trying to force drugs upon me. Obviously now, as someone in their senior year in college, I know that not only is that not the case, but far from it. In every instance I have been...

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Solitude Jun 13, 2022

Written by David Zecua, a CSU Channel Islands Service Learning student.

Solitude. What comes to mind when you hear that word? Do you picture yourself being alone in a particular setting or do you picture solitude as an internal sensation? I imagine that we all have heard about or have experienced loneliness at some point in our lives. Loneliness can happen when hanging out with...

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5 Signs Your Teen Is Using Opioids and 5 Factors That Put Them at Risk Jun 10, 2022

This article is from Opioid Help, one of our community partners. From their website, “The world is facing an Opioid Epidemic that is unlike anything seen before. For this reason, Opioid Help has sought to be an extensive resource and community for information and support for people who have been affected by the prevalence of Opioids since 2019.” Visit their website and sign up for...

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Exposure to Excessive Drug Use Apr 27, 2022

By Stephanie Escobedo Tirado, local CSUCI student.

It’s easy to say, “You’re young; live a little!” Or, “That stuff only happens in the movies.” What are the effects of these words on young people? 

Here’s the impact that many don’t want to admit: it’s hurting teenagers. 

Now, I don’t mean all teenagers have that one person...

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Stick With Your Passion, Even If It Changes Apr 01, 2022

This post was written by a CSU Channel Islands Service Learning student, featuring art from Pacific High School students.

It almost always feels like everyone around you has something they are very passionate about. Whether your peers are amazing athletes, or musically gifted, to other random hobbies, it can be very easy to feel lost if you do not believe you have a passion. In getting lost it...

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Even in Middle School Apr 01, 2022

This post was written by a CSUCI Capstone student featuring artwork from Ventura High School students. 

It was sixth grade History class, and we were about to end our day and move to our next class. There was this one kid named Jeff (not his real name, but for the purpose of this story we will call him Jeff), I knew Jeff was a kid who was a big trouble maker. He was always picking fights...

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