T h i s p r o j e c t
High school is the period when teens are
exposed to major changes (emotional, mental and social)
in their lives. This project responds to the needs of adolescents
who want to experiment with drugs, but who do not have the
knowledge on this topic due to the lack of information available
online or the lack of support from their environment (friends /
family). Therefore, even if the case study was Romania, due to
my personal understanding of the place, the public is every high
school teenager who knows English and is in a place where
drug-related topics are still taboo. In certain places, I strongly
believe in the need for such a project, because being informed
means L I V I N G! The guide is both educational and engaging
– I didn’t use a scaremongering approach, as anti-drug
campaigns do. Rather, my project involves horizontal
communication and really speaks for teenagers.
P u r p o s e
By creating this guide, I intend to help readers
who want to use drugs, to do so in a more responsible
way. As teenagers go from middle school to high school,
they need to see the big picture. Consequently, it was
thought in a way that, if teenagers do not receive answers
to their questions from someone, they will find them in
this guide, as well as receive advice on what to really
consider and what to avoid if / when taking drugs. There
will be quoted excerpts from the answers I received from
people who have tried drugs at some point in their lives,
and decided to share experiences and perspective.
T h e c h o i c e s
The mentioned drugs are chosen after analysis in
interviews with appropriate subjects (due to their age and
experience). I also collaborated with a Romanian psychologist
in this process, to make sure I was sensitive enough in the
communication. A long-term benefit of the guide could
be seen in society, in addition to the one it will have in the
life of each individual. It would create a more sustainable
future, as this would help reduce domestic violence,
crime, rape and child abuse, which are often associated
with drug use. In addition, through the choices that
I made concerning the illustrations, the guide promotes
the care of adolescents, as well as it reinforces care as
a lifestyle, focusing on social wellbeing, social cohesion,
friendship and the community. Last but not least, it is
about social inclusion, as it takes into account the real
questions that teenagers might have, as well as the
opinions of those who have tried drugs, giving them
voice.In total, I managed to create 6 different scenarios
for 3 different drugs, the most commonly used
in Romania(cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy).
I used digital illustration as the main medium to create the set and setting. Then I used a platform
called Twine, for interactive games, because I wanted the result to be online, interactive and captivating.
A sneak peek at the guide:
