JADE’S DECISIONSBy: Ariel Harris

THIS IS JADE…

• Jade is a twenty-four year old college student who’s spent the majority of her freshman and

sophomore year hanging out with her closest friends, Lonnie and Jasmine who she met at a frat party, and was intro duced to alcohol due to her attempt to fit in with the pretty/popular crowd.. Although Lonnie and Jasmine were not in school, Their Idea of fun consisted of frat parties, and tons of procrastination when it came to priorities. While hanging with Lonnie and Jasmine, Jade had her fait share of ignoring responsibilities, missed homework assignments and hung over mornings as well.

• As Jade approached her Junior year of college, began dating an amazing guy who shared her goals and dreams, and started realizing how much of an impact her partying and procrastination had on her job, school work and related activities, she’d began to settle down, eventually losing interest in these activities.

• One night, during Spring Break, Jade decided that she’d reward herself with a night off. After all, she’s been working pretty hard this semester and missed her friends dearly. Lonnie and Jasmine unexpectedly arrived at Jade’s place, blowing the horn, and signaling for Jade to come outside. Jade agreed, dressed quickly and hopped In her own car to follow behind the girls (Jade wanted to leave on her own time).

• As Jade drives up next to Jasmine’s vehicle to find out where they’re headed, she notices two red cups full of clear liquid and assumes it’s water. Jade gets the address, walks to her car and off they go…

• As Jade follows behind Jasmine and Lonnie, she takes notice to how loud the music is, and how Jasmine is having a hard time staying in her lane. Before Jade could call Jasmine, the police swerved around her and pull Jasmine and Lonnie over. Jade discreetly pulls into the gas station a few feet away from the police and walks into the station to “buy gas”. When she comes out she sees Jasmine and Lonnie miserably failing their sobriety test.

• Jade’s heart suddenly drops when she realizes that both Jasmine and Lonnie are being arrested for driving under the influence. As the police search Jasmine’s car, to Jade’s surprise, the police found a small bag of what looked like pills. As the police drive away, Jasmine and Lonnie look back and make eye contact with Jade as she turns, shakes her head, hops in her car and drives away.

• As Jade arrives back at her place, she reflects upon what just took place, the fact that she regrets not listening to her conscience after noticing the red cups and the fact that her friends’ partying habits have officially gotten out of control.

• Jade then calls her boyfriend, Cam to tell him all about what just took place within the last hour and a half. Although Cam likes Lonnie and Jasmine, he feels like Jade should distance herself from them for awhile or maybe break the friendship off completely. Although Jade is not fully on board with this idea, this is something she’s been contemplating for awhile seeing how Jasmine and Lonnie have no real life goals or plans; at least not to Jade’s knowledge.

• With all that she’s been through, Jade finally decides to lay it down and call it a night

NEXT MORNING….• Jade’s phone rings and It’s Jasmine and Lonnie calling on three way, happy to be out of the holding cell on bail by Jasmine’s father, a

police chief (luckily working in the department they were detained in). As Lonnie and Jasmine share their experiences, Jade can only think about the fact that these two are all too happy and jokingly speak on their experiences. Jade’s anger secretly came about when they mentioned redoing the night since the police “interfered” with their fun. When asking Jade if she was interested in going, Jade angrily declined and hung up the phone.

• After hours went by with several missed calls from Lonnie and Jasmine, Jade came to the conclusion that she clearly needed to make some decisions in regards to this friendship.

VOLUNTARY DECISION MAKING• To make a voluntary decision in regards to her friendship with Lonnie and Jasmine, Jade can use several sources:- Credible sources-(trust worthy individuals): Jade could seek advice from other friends, her boyfriend Cam, and even a forum where

others are or were once in her shoes- Authority figures- such as Jasmine’s father and mention her concern for his daughter, a school counselor, or a family psychologist- Peer influence- taking notice to how you are the company you keep. A drug addict can’t become sober while keeping the company of

other drug addicts - Groupthink- gathering a group of friends or classmates, keeping Lonnie and Jasmine completely anonymous as you all come to a

conclusion on what they thing you should do.

PURPOSE• In order to make a decision, Jade must recognize what type of outcome she seeks or will expect. The purpose will come from her

interpersonal needs or seeking fulfillment:-The need for affection- because her friendship with Lonnie and Jasmine are strictly platonic, the need for intimacy is unnecessary. - The need for inclusion- Originally, Jade became friends with Jasmine and Lonnie because they were the most popular and prettiest girls at the party and wanted to fit in. At this point in her life, Jade would rather gain the type of acceptance that will be beneficial to her career. - The need for control – Jade has felt time and time again that she feels as friends that their ultimate goal is to better and encourage one another to build and recreate a tighter bond. She feels if she can influence her friends to walk down a similar path of wanting success their friendship will have more meaning than just partying

INVOLUNTARY DECISION MAKING • On the other hand, if Jade wants to involuntarily end her friendship with Lonnie and Jasmine, she’ll continue to keep herself busy with

school, work, and extracurricular activities. If she stays dedicated to her work and constantly has to remind her friends that she’s unable to hang out due to obligations she is subconsciously pushing them away or motivating them to do better.

• The act of subconsciously push them away or motivate them to do better would be known as Hidden persuasion (pattern of thinking, acting, or feeling made out of repetition, reflex or habit)

PROBABILITY OF EFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING

• In order to spare her friends the hard feelings behind the break up, Jade unknowingly keeps herself busy. A year later Jade graduates with her B.A. in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. Her family, friends, and Lonnie and Jasmine cry as she approaches them with her tassel turned and degree in hand. As Lonnie and Jasmine approach Jade with open arms, they reveal to her that they’ve enrolled themselves in school and will begin school next semester.

• Jade knew in some way her actions would influence her friends to hop on a similar path or that she’d have to cut ties with them. Either way, the decision she chose, she knew would somehow affect their mindsets and relationship with her.

• She knew her actions had the power to negatively or positively affect their relationship. In the end, Jade’s choice to subconsciously ignore Lonnie and Jasmine’s invite had a positive affect on their mindset.

TODAY…• Lonnie and Jasmine Are a year and a half from Graduating with their B.A.

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•TO BE CONTINUED … • (Jade’s Decisions is Based on a True Story)