Wanting to be Cool
I remember when I 1st started smoking weed at 12/13 years old, I thought I was the coolest kid around. Growing up in LA during the time right before the legalization movement started gaining steam was fun. It wasn't hard for me to find bud especially once I told my older cousins that I smoked. For whatever reason, I decided to forget about my asthma and need of inhalers. My need to fit in and look cool outweighed my health issues. I wanted to be seen as the "foo from South Central who smoked and drinked" by my middle school friends. I was that kid always saying "Deam foo I'm faded" just to get a reaction from people. I thought smoking was going to get me girls too.
Reflecting back on all those times now is embarrassing and funny. I laugh because it sounds ridiculous. Working with middle schoolers the past couple of years and seeing how innocent most of them are makes me wonder why I wanted to grow up so quick. I was in middle school before the social media boom too. The extra mile I would go just to look cool. I don't regret anything and if I smoke now, I don't care if the world knows it or not.
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