While going to college I have seen first hand how a anonymous group for students can help someone. While not an addict myself, I have addicts in my family, and my group of friends. One of my closest friends decided to try a 12 step programon campus three months ago and the results have been incredible. She has made a commitment to herself, and surrendered her decisions to a higher power alongside a group of supporters. This has enabled her to curb her addiction one day at a time. The anonymous group for students she is a member of gives her the courage to stand tall in difficult situations where her addiction could normally get the better of her. Within 90 days she has increased her metabolism, her energy level, her exercise pattern, and most of all, her happiness. She writes in her journal every night after doing her homework and before going to sleep, about the challenges she overcame that day. Every morning before class she calls her sponsor to discuss her plan for the day. The amount of resolve she has to this 12 step school of thought is admirable and makes me think about what I’m missing out on. I claim no dangerous habits of my own, but is that the truth?
Her newfound way of life brings me to question my own decisions while living on campus. I wonder if I could be happier, healthier, more mentally and physically fit if I figured out what my vices were and found a 12 step program of my own. I decided to do some research. What I found quite shocked me. There is literally a twelve step program on my campus for just about everything! From online gaming to workaholics! And if there isn’t one, then surely it could be brought up with the campus administration and arranged. I still don’t know which of my undesirable qualities of myself I’d like to attend to the most I think sometimes anger management may do me some good, or procrastinators anonymous. If there is a twelve step program for manic depressiveness, that would certainly be my group. It makes me wonder though, if a bunch of us manic depressives gather three times a week in the same place, would their cycles align? I can see it now. One month everyone in the room is ready to lay down and die, and then next week we decide to throw a party with a banner that says, “Life is Grand!!!” I don’t know. There are certainly things that I can improve on, and maybe I need some sort of intervention to find out what my main problem is. I suppose that if it’s a big enough problem, it will find me. But until then I continue to learn from from watching my best friend improve her life one day at a time.
But as well as making me question my own vices, her new ways have been rubbing off on me Because she is not only my friend, but my soon to be fiancé, and my roommate, her lifestyle has a profound effect on my own and we tend to mimic each other’s habits. In this case, because her lifestyle has changed for the positive and I am entirely supportive, I no longer eat as much. All said and done, I have an enormous respect for my college for providing a twelve step campus to help people overcome the things they do not have the strength to overcome alone. I have seen first hand the light that can shine as a result.
