"I'll probably just take Adderall and study all night."

This is what I hear the girl sitting one seat away from me say when referencing an upcoming test. This casual reference to drug use would have never been a concern for me had I not watched "Take Your Pills" on Netflix two days prior.

The documentary explored the avid ADHD and ADD medication abuse among people of all ages in The United States. However, there was a huge emphasis on the increasing abuse by college students. 67% of current or former young adults have tried a prescription stimulant without a prescription. The documentary covered students with and without these disorders, how mainstream drug use has become, and the long-term effects of taking this medication, as well as an in-depth history of the formation of these types of drugs. The increase in dosage by those who use these drugs long-term was quite alarming.

As said in the documentary, Adderall is methamphetamine without a methyl group, so you're essentially taking a smaller dose of a very addictive drug. Luckily, most people can get away with taking it only during finals week and not develop a dependency.

I wasn't truly concerned for our generation until one graduating student at the end of the documentary said, "Maybe when I have a real job I will be better at managing time." This immediately reminded me of a TED talk I had watched called "Why 30 is not the new 20" by Meg Jay. Dr. Jay states that you cannot wait until you are 30 to decide who you're going to be, you have to make those decisions now. If you wait until you're 30 then you will be stuck with the person you have been for the last decade.

This echoes a generation of 20-somethings thinking they can put off being responsible until they're ready. Many of our parents and teachers would say that they were never ready to be an adult. It's not like you graduate college and wake up a completely different person. You have to make decisions now to create who you want to be later. That's not to say you need to have it all figured out in college, but at least make some attempts. A failed attempt can only be reframed as a learning experience.

20-somethings have been taught an unrealistic expectation. They put their health at risk and learn bad coping habits. We all have the ability to do well in school without drugs. It's easy to put off studying when you know you can buy some Adderall from your friend the day before the test.

This mindset dominates because it's drilled into students that all that matters is how you perform on a test. It's important to realize the grade is not the only thing that determines your self-worth. I've fallen into that trap many times and it can be stressful; it feels like there are no other options. We can't change our societal expectations, and this pressure will continue to persist.

Adderall is a temporary solution for problems in front of us now and we should all be looking to better our future.

If you or someone you care about is experiencing Adderall abuse, please call 1-800-888-9383