College Life

Cigarettes and alcohol aren't the only drugs you will come across in school.

Drugs

A psychology professor once convinced an entire class about the ill effects of cocaine use. He simply stated that he was never interested in trying the nose candy because it would make your heart beat faster and faster but it posed the risk that your heart would stop beating altogether.

The business cliché of the stockbroker sniffing on white lightning or using one substance or another is all too familiar. But a random sample of professionals would suggest that the proportion that use and abuse is consistent with the proportion in the general population.

You did not go into business to be told how to live your life. You should however, educate yourself on the risks involved in everything you do. A mind is indeed a terrible thing to waste.

If you wish to partake in recreational drug use, remember that your actions today may come back to haunt you tomorrow.

Not all drugs are created equal. Some are relatively harmless, while others are lethal. All are illegal so they may hinder your education and career (unless of course your name is Marion Barry).

Jokes aside, some of the most brilliant minds have been under the influence. The English poet John Keats penned ''Ode to a Nightingale,'' ''To Autumn,'' ''The Eve of St. Agnes'' and ''Ode on Melancholy'' at the age of 23 – at a time when he was under the influence of opium.

Nonetheless, just keep in mind that a drug need not be illegal to hurt your career, education and personal life.

Many of the tips that you should consider for alcohol (such as starting later in the day) apply to cigarettes.