The bonfire is engulfed in twenty foot flames, the hottest its been all night. Youre standing on center stage with four of your best friends, and there are over 200 people partying, waiting for the band to start. This is it, you think, Here we go again! Your night consists of live music, making new friends, confirming old ones, drinking, partying, and just plain having fun. But this type of lifestyle isnt all that its cracked up to be. A Rock-n-Roll lifestyle can be extremely harmful to ones social and family life, their responsibilities as they grow up and mature, as well as to their physical and mental well-being. One common trait that many people with the Rock-n-Roll lifestyle share is the I dont care about ANYTHING attitude. I started to develop this attitude early on in life, originating in eighth grade at Houston Jr./Sr.
High School. The school itself was an enormous influence because at that time the majority of the students were pot-smoking stoners. Coming from an elementary school atmosphere of about 100 people where everybody knew my name and being dropped into a 1,500 person high school didnt help matters much either. I still wanted everybody to know my name. Leather jackets, flannel shirts, baggy pants and multiple chains of all different shapes and sizes was what my wardrobe consisted of (the primary color being black).
I strived to be different.
I wanted to stick out in a world of millions of people. Even after 5 years of band, I quit because I felt not that I was a percussionist, but a drummer. I didnt want to play the bells, I wanted to be a drummer in a heavy metal band. The greatest influences in my life, besides Houston, were mainly family and friends. Chrissy, my older sister, was always a grade ahead in school, so typically she was exposed to things first. She then would take the honor of exposing those things to me.
School Time Wanted Home
The day was coming, my feelings were getting nervous, scared, more like terrified. Mixed feelings were coming alive in me when I thought about going to school also how I felt about experiencing a new and different life. At the age of twelve my life was shifted. First day of school came walking onto the campus it was a whole different feeling than what I was used to. New and different faces turned ...
Many of my friends were also more than willing to help me along the road to rebellion. Zach, who was my best friend, lived only a couple blocks away from me. He introduced me to heavy metal music and lots of partying. Then the day came, the day I had waited for for many years. My 16th birthday and the day I got my first car. A vehicle was always more to me than a way to get from Point A to Point B. In my mind, a car equaled freedom.
And I used that freedom for everything I possibly could. The consequences of a Rock-n-Roll lifestyle, however, are tragic. A high school education was my most difficult challenge, and I very nearly didnt make it. The only reason I graduated was because my mom refused to let me give up. I whole heartily regret all those times when my mother, looking out for my best interests like any good mother would, attempted to persuade me into a slower pace of life, but I wouldnt have anything to do with it. That caused more hateful, hurtful fights between my mom and I than I could even count. Also, I have spent thousands upon thousands of dollars of which I have nothing to show for it.
Every bit was thrown away on partys. I have even lost more than one job because I couldnt get to work on time, usually the contributing factor being the party the previous night. It is horrible to wake up aching painfully from every muscle, loosing eyesight gradually over time, ruining your family relationship, losing money, and neglecting work and school. After living this lifestyle, and having that attitude for so long, I can say that it is not worth the consequences to me. A Rock-n-Roll lifestyle can be extremely harmful to ones social and family life, their responsibilities as they grow up and mature, as well as to their physical and mental well-being. Is it worth it to you?
