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A Turn of Events

When I began this project, I set out to answer one question: Which methods of drug

education in schools are the most effective at preventing drug-use amongst the youth? Through

countless hours of research and interviews, I learned that many common methods of drug

education were in fact detrimental to the cause. The utilization of scare-tactics and biased

perspectives were shown to have a possibility of actually increasing the likelihood of drug-use

amongst the student population. This information, along with the help of experts and scientific

data, led me to determine that the most effective method of drug education was a neutral and

fact-based curriculum. While this answer may not be very surprising, it was certainly interesting

learning about all the different methods that have been tried in the past and just how much small

details can influence the youth.

What I was most looking forward to was my experimental project. I have always wanted

to try designing clothing, and this project gave my desire a purpose as well as a message. I drew

up countless designs, taking inspiration everywhere from D.A.R.E. to Rick Owens. I was even

considering taking it the next level by altering the washes of the garments using custom methods.

I was ready to pour my heart and soul into this project, but with COVID-19 it soon became

impossible to get the shirts shipped and manufactured. Even if I made the clothes myself, it

would have been extremely difficult to spread the message when there was a virus spreading

instead.

As for the community service aspect of my project, I was unable to participate in any of

it. I reached out to several organizations, but the time they got back to me a stay-at-home order

was already issued. After that, they cancelled all service days, preventing anybody from

volunteering.
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Through researching this topic, I have learned a lot about drug and alcohol safety. As

someone who is attending UCSB, a college notorious for partying, this information is bound to

come in handy. Not only do I know how to make the proper decisions to keep myself safe, I also

know how to respond in situations where others may be at risk.

My senior project experience was definitely not conventional. As a result of the

circumstances, I have learned to adapt to change. What the virus has shown me is that nothing is

certain. There is uncertainty in everything, and to prosper you must choose to manage the

uncertainty rather than resist it. We shouldn’t dwell on change, we should simply accept it and

keep moving on.