Its estimated in 2011 one in three high school students will try drugs in their high school career. Teens are routinely seeing drugs, used, sold, or bought in school whether it is a stranger or a friend. Our nation’s youth has become a place where drugs and alcohol has become a common item in a student’s life.

Drug use is not only becoming popular in high schools but also universities and the young adult life. College used to be academically the highest point someone could go in ones career. Going to college once represented the most ambitious, lively, and energetic traits in a person and also shows the perseverance of who want to move forward with their lives. But since drug abuse has occurred college has changed and has now been a hot spot for teen parties, drinking, and drugs. Now the requirements to go to college have gone down and the acceptance rate has gone up for students who are only able to go to college for the sports they’re in.  Attitudes to go to college have changed significantly and beyond recognition. Students now blow off steam by going to bars or drinking with friends.

Many students have been suspended or expelled this year dude to serious drug offences. They’re either caught with possession or the use of the product. Not only are depressants and stimulants a problem in schools but also prescription drugs have taken a toll. Kids may not know it but handing out prescription drugs or anti-inflammatory drugs is illegal to hand out even to friends. Even if they say they have a headache or pain. Even though these drugs aren’t illegal they aren’t legal to be passed out during the school day. If a student needs any of these they can go to the main office or nurse and get some with parent consent. They can even have parents call the school and consent for them to have these anti-inflammatory.

Not only high school and colleges but even in middle schools drug use has increased a thirty nine percent increase from 2009 to 2010. Some students even as young as eight years old have tried illegal substances. All this started when the older students started to do drugs.  People mirror others because they think it is cool to be like someone older then them. High school students and college students need to set an example to correct this bad habit our world has adapted to.

In a building downtown that has served as a movie theater and several different restaurants is Soba Noodle. Soba Noodle is a local restaurant with several locations in Bend and Sisters.

Walk into Soba and you are greeted by dim lighting which somehow still manages to be friendly with the help of large windows in the front of the building. The brick walls are ornamented with Asian themed photos and paintings by local artists.

Judging by the customers at Sobas’ downtown location, the restaurant is popular with all types of people. There are trendy looking teenagers in skull caps and skinny jeans, young parents with small children and older couples who give you the feeling they once participated in more than one war protest.

One of the reasons for this is probably the prices at Soba Noodle which are much less than the average restaurant downtown and more than say, a slice of pizza at Pizza Mondo. The plates average around six dollars depending on sides and drinks. This makes it affordable for almost everyone and keeps Soba Noodle busy when other businesses and restaurants downtown are being forced to close their doors with the economy on the downturn and rents on the rise.

The quality of the food is pretty in line with the pricing. The meals are very tasty but not so remarkable that you want to jump on the table and start singing.

In my opinion the best part of Soba Noodle is the variety of things on the menu. There are noodle and rice dishes, salads and soups. The cool thing is many different ethnicities represented in the food. From Thai to Chinese to Jamaican whatever you are in the mood for you can probably find on the menu. Another great thing is they are more than willing to substitute any meat for tofu, making it vegetarian friendly.

If you have never gone in Soba Noodle then I strongly suggest giving it a try.

By: Tamara Lee