collegegirlnay-blog1

[collegegirlnay-blog1]

Resist The Urge to Drink and Drive

My junior year of high school I was chosen to be part of a Drunk Driving Awareness demonstration by my principal.  The fire department, police department, and medical professionals helped me and other students at my school stage a mock incident of a prom queen who was killed in a drunk driving accident. The scenario was to show seniors of life's harsh realities and the consequences of driving drunk.  I am not the best actor at my school, but she chose me. I was chosen to play the prom queen whose intoxicated date causes the accident. I was chosen because of my relatability. I am known at school because of my involvement in sports and school spirit. If people were to see or hear of me dying it would affect them because of my good reputation. They used my social status as a leadership role to influence the students in my school to practice safe driving and not to entertain underage drinking.

When we started, it felt like I was on a movie set. There were scripts, make-up artist, and props. It was overwhelming and I was nervous to play the lead. There were two parts to the accident: the actually accident and the prom girl’s funeral. At the car accident which was in my school’s parking lot, were two cars that had crashed into each other. They had dents and busted windows. I was given a pretty prom dress which was destroyed with make- up, fake blood, and rips.

My part was to lie on the car with blood dripping from me and be as still as could to look dead. The scene started and all I could hear my friends say “Is that Nay”! The police department played a recording of an actually 911 call of a car accident. Then the fire department and police cars rolled down the street with their sirens pulling up to the scene. My principal played my mother and I could her crying and hollering at the prom king. I could hear my friends crying and saying it looks so real. The prom king screamed he was sorry as he was put into the police car. After I was put into a hearse all the students were instructed to go in the gym for part two.

           I was supposed to be acting, but everything felt so real. I instantly broke down crying after part one was over. The scene was dramatic and I had plenty motivation to help me in the next part. I had to do a narrative of my thoughts as I watched my funeral. It was so emotional and I had to keep repeating “I’m too young to die” in front of the whole school.

I believe I am too young to die. I have so many things I want to do. So many things I have yet to accomplish, but not everyone is fortunate to make it to see tomorrow. When I was doing my narrative I thought of all the stories I heard of a teenager dying. It breaks my heart because you never know when it is your time to go. I really wanted to do this scene because I knew my peers would feel the same way. At that moment it was more than drunk driving. It was that teen that got shot for nothing or the teen who committed suicide because of bullying. It was about how we are too young to die, but were dying more each day. It changed who I was being the dead prom queen. It made me value life more. It made me want to do something great in the little time I am granted in this world.

I attend Xavier University of Louisiana. In the future, I plan to open a pharmacy clinic for low-income families. I have seen too many of my own struggle with diseases and illnesses because they could not afford the right healthcare to help them live. If the patient receives healthcare, they are still unable to get better because they cannot afford their medicine. My mission is to help families struggling financially afford top of the line medicine to ensure a long, healthy life.