This is the first installment in our new series on personal vices. NYU Local writers have plenty of them, but we know we’re not alone. If you have a personal vice story you want to share just email the editors at nyulocaleditor@gmail.com.
Before I left for NYU my parents made something clear: they would fuck me up if I started smoking cigarettes. They have no hard feelings towards weed or alcohol, but the idea of their niño paying a lot of money to slowly kill himself makes them freak. They also run a fitness/wellness company, there’s that. No one in my high school smoked tobacco, either. Why, then, is this freshman and supposedly strong willed person falling to the awesome powers of marketing/peer-pressure now?
When in doubt, I ask myself: what would Don Draper do? The answer is almost always look cool while casually smoking a butt. I knew that cigarettes would be big in New York, so I had to brace myself for some type of decision once arriving. It’s easy (read: a cop-out) to say “I’ll only smoke when I drink,” or “it will be casual, not a regular thing,” but not for me. I’ve got an addictive personality, and it’s either go all in or don’t.
As I left for NYU, I made a mental pro’s and con’s list, regarding the benefits of smoking. The result was that I believed I could easily get by and be social without spending twelve dollars on a pack that donkey punches my lungs. I even came up with options in which I can hang around cigarette smoker without feeling the need to smoke:
- I could just wall lean and talk to my cool-looking friends who smoke.
- I could smoke a huge, Winston Churchill-esque cigar to somewhat prevent the possibility of habit.
- I could hold a lit cigarette (as an acquaintance used to do) but never actually take drags from it.
- I could be the kid who’s always got a yo-yo instead of a cigarette.
- I could always have a joint on me.
But no, I’m slowly evolving (devolving?) into a user. It’s a slow progression (I am yet to smoke more than two cigarettes in a day, and I have not bought a pack myself), but I still notice that it’s happening. I find it even more interesting that direct peer pressure has not really been an issue. A lot of the time a friend will leave whatever place we’re at to go outside and smoke. If previously engaged with said person in an interesting conversation, it is so hard not to go outside and continue to shoot the shit with them (whilst smoking, of course). It is way less likely that I will be offered a cigarette, being that cigarettes are fucking expensive.
Not to mention, it is still only week three of school, and everyone is still searching for a group of friends. I will take any chance given to continue a conversation and form a bond. So far, the majority of every real conversation I’ve had in Hayden dorm has been outside, bumming a cigarette off some other freshman. I catch up with people about what they did in a night while outside leaning against the brick building, American Spirit in hand. After asking a friend why she started smoking here, the response was that “not only is asking for a cigarette the easy conversation starter, it gives me something to do with my hands so I don’t look nervous or awkward when talking to someone new.” That sounds like a solid argument to me.
While countless parents, teachers, and those guilt-tripping Truth commercials have warned me about the dangers of smoking, I really just don’t give a fuck. Sure, I could save myself the health damages and money if I stop now. On the other hand, I’m young and will probably live forever.
Smoking makes you look cool, duh.
Well, Bloomberg just banned smoking in city parks/ beaches, along with 15 feet in front of a building/ inside/ courtyard/ “public spaces”/ basically everywhere, so there goes that.
Just constantly have a Rubick’s Cube to be working on with your hands. Seriously. Don’t smoke kid.
@May – Now, smokers are rebels and outlaws! More reasons to smoke.
Don’t smoke, kids. Just….don’t.
it’s okay. we’re invincible.
This is funny, because most of my friends and I think that smokers look.. disgusting.
i like the article, man
I actually have wondered why someone would start smoking knowing how bad it is for you. thanks for edifying me!
@Laura While cigarettes are obviously horrible for you, I always have trouble stomaching the “why start when you know how bad they are for you!” argument, since inhaling tobacco has “benefits” (a nicotine rush, for example) in addition to the social aspects discussed above, kind of like eating some fries or drinking a lot make you feel good, also — though no one demonizes those activities nearly to the same extent.
I mean, frankly, any one of us is doing any number of things on any given day that will negatively impact our health in the long run (maybe you don’t work out, or maybe you live in a city where you’re inhaling air pollution constantly), so I don’t quite grasp the “tsk tsk” attitude that people take towards someone who has a cigarette every now and again. And maybe this is splitting hairs, but I do think there’s a difference between smoking *a* cigarette (or in this case, two) with people and smoking a pack a day that should be appreciated. Certainly it is a better idea to never smoke, but again, it feels good. You might as well say it’s a good idea to never drink coffee or eat chocolate because of how addictive that can be, too. *shrug*
i think just about every freshman tries a cig in the name of looking cool at some point
@Damon – I definitely agree that it’s not a big deal to have a cigarette once in a while. I’m sure that I do things that are far worse for me from time to time. I was thinking more about the people who start smoking socially and end up becoming addicted to it. Unfortunately, it seems like that happens fairly often – Zach himself said he’s “slowly evolving… into a user.”
I’m not trying to pass judgment on anyone because I have tons of my own vices, but regular smoking seems both unhealthy and really expensive to me. You can make a similar argument for something like drinking, of course, but to me the difference seems to be that I can have my “OMG IT’S COLLEGE LET’S GET WAAAaaAAASTED!!!” moment on the weekend and then not drink during the week or for a couple weekends or whatever, whereas once you start smoking it becomes a daily habit (and, therefore, more harmful).
if you’ve never bought a pack, you’re not dabbling in smoking. You’re dabbling in mooching. Try harder.
Zach, you can smoke, but if you die, I’ll kill you.
Much love.
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If you start smoking you will just have completed your destined stereo type of being a cat owner in the city with an extensive black clothing collection and a smokey, stale apartment. But on the cereal tip, if you smoke I’m never kissing you again.
Moocher status my friend. join the club.
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