What happened to my HS friends? (vent)

[ctnsupra1]

Okay, I need to vent here. Just been talking to a close high school buddy of mine who is back home in MD at school. We've just been talking about different people and stuff and it really is quite upsetting to me. Now I may be a stiff or old fashioned, call me what you will, but I'm a straight up guy who doesn't drink, smoke, do drugs, have sex. I go to church almost every week and try to be as good a person as I can ( As my friends say, I'm 20 going on 35). Moving along....

He tells me that my best bud from high school was involved in a scuffle on New Years with former class mates (who were also friends of my best friend and I) and afterwards, smoking large amount of marijuana. Thing is, this kid was bright and going places. He came from next to nothing (his parents had zero post high school education) and would have taken the world by storm. 3.9 GPA, Advanced Placement classes and 1500 SAT score. But beacuase of the "cool" kids he started hanging out with our senior year, he now lives with other pot heads, smokes weed all day and doesn't attend classes (did have a scholarship to UMD). But that's just one person. The cool group did that to countless of good, intelligent people who were going places. But now, I hear of them using cocaine, acid, and other awful things. Has anyone else gone through this? I mean, I'm kind of glad I'm 2 states and hundreds of miles away so I don't have to see the destructiveness that's going on. Maybe I just should move on and try not to think about it because that's a big downer. Well, thanks for listening to my anger/venting spell, I'm going to take a walk

Conor

 

[NSX/MR2]

Yeah, i wondered about them myself. Most have disappeared. I know two or three have done some times. Two graduated. Two are still my best friends. hell, nothing I can do, save for the two best friends but just wish them all the best.

 

[KGP]

Thing is, this kid was bright and going places.

Who says he still won't go places?

 

[hlweyl]

He came from next to nothing (his parents had zero post high school education)

Conor

Sorry to hear about your friend Conor. Don't give up on him yet, many times young people go through tough times but they pull through somehow. Oh and just because his parents don't have a degree doesn't mean that they did not give him the love, nourishment, and support that he needed. A college degree does not make a good parent. Remember, HE is making the choices, not his parent or his friends.

 

[ctnsupra1]

I'm not saying you can't do anything without a college degree it's just he wanted more than what his parents had. He saw that he could have what ever he wanted. He still may make something of myself but from what I've heard, his grades were going downhill fast and he is badly addicted to drugs. It's just upsetting to see such a good friend like that. I hope that maybe I can be of some help to him again, he was the first person I met when I moved to MD when I was 5. I've known him longer than some of my siblings.

 

[Da Hapa]

I'm not saying you can't do anything without a college degree it's just he wanted more than what his parents had. He saw that he could have what ever he wanted. He still may make something of myself but from what I've heard, his grades were going downhill fast and he is badly addicted to drugs. It's just upsetting to see such a good friend like that. I hope that maybe I can be of some help to him again, he was the first person I met when I moved to MD when I was 5. I've known him longer than some of my siblings.

I'm not being a smart ass or sarcastic but maybe its time for you to reach out to him.

It's obvious to me, at least from your story, that he could use someone in his life that actually gives two craps about him. I'm not that much older than you (31) and I've seen plenty of friends and associates get trapped in the downward spiral of drugs. Thankfully, most of them were able to pull themselves up and out. In most cases, that only happened when they either (a) bottomed out or (b) had someone who cares (such as yourself) intervened.

Just a thought.

 

[ctnsupra1]

Da Hapa-

Maybe I am seeing more obstacles than opportunities here. I think the initial shock has settled yet so I'm still trying to plan a course of action. I really hope he can get himself together. I'm not pscych major or anything but it's my guess his drug use stems from many family problems (seperation, divorce, substance abuse) as well as hanging with the wrong crowd. But you're right, it is time I got involved. I appreciate all the guidance and wise words from everyone.

Conor

 

[Joel]

It's a common tale that some straight-shooters have a tendency to rebel against the "Pleasantville" world that they live in. I don't know, call it human nature. Also vice versa. I know of former slackers that have gone on to become doctors.

Box of chocolates, man. You never know.

 

[PHOEN$X]

it is time I got involved.

Best of luck with your efforts.