It’s pretty evident that Adderall and other prescription ADD and ADHD medications are everywhere on college campuses. Whether you’re getting it via script from your health center, the frat guy who thinks he’s a dealer, or your best friend, these drugs are abused all over the country. When I was younger there were only a handful of kids my age that had a prescription for Adderall or Ritalin, and now it seems every other person I know has it. Adderall is commonly referred to as “legal speed” because it’s an amphetamine, and without a prescription and correct dosage it can be really dangerous. I see kids in the library popping pills alongside energy drinks and wonder how their hearts don’t explode. I have a serious caffeine addiction, but at least coffee has its health benefits and you don’t need a prescription for it.

If you have a prescription, great. If you don’t, stop annoying your friends with prescriptions because if you really needed it then you would have your own. While it can make you sit down and knock out that ten-page paper or cram for an exam, try these alternatives first…

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Just kidding, of course it is. How can you say we’re all the same when there are SO many more stereotypes out there that we can place college students into? Extensive research into the subject–aka watching a few Old School-esque campus-based movies–will give you a little insight into the type of people you can expect to meet once you set out to earn your degree.

But how do you know if all of these stereotypes are true? Things may vary from campus to campus, but overall there are a few people you can expect to make and break the stereotypes that have been established by years of party school movies and headlining college scandals. Here’s a little guide to what I’ve learned to be true and false regarding college stereotypes.

Blame it on the M-M-M-M-M-Miley

So apparently drinking and doings drugs is cool again.

At least that’s what our friends over at Jezebel are telling us the stats at Drugfree.org are telling them. 45% of high school students don’t see a “great risk” in heavy drinking. And 68% of those high school students have had their first drink by age 14. Additionally, since 2008 the use of marijuana is up from 32% to 39% and the use of ecstasy is up from 4% to 6%.

But let’s step back from the statistics for a minute an discuss the stuff behind the stats. For the first time in years substance abuse is once again on the rise and the real question on everyone’s mind has to be, why?

The director of strategy at Drugfree.org suggests budget cuts to prevention programs, the legalization of medicinal marijuana or even the stress of difficult economic times. But for me at least, these don’t seem like viable options.  I don’t think medicinal marijuana is behind this increase, nor do I think it’s the hard economic times. I mean, if teens don’t see the risk of binge drinking do you really think they see the ramifications of the stock market crash? And, honestly, I don’t think it’s the loss of prevention programs either. Teens today live in a world without limits. All the information they could ever want is at their fingertips. Pamphlets won’t tell them anything Google can’t.

Still though, that poses the question, what are the real reasons for this increase in drinking and drugs in the past few years?

The media, perhaps? We can’t ignore the fact that we live in a time when just about everyone is glorifying drinking and drugs. The pilot of Gossip Girl has a then sixteen year-old Blair and Serena sitting at a hotel bar sipping martinis. In that very same episode, Chuck and Nate are stepping outside at a party to smoke some pot. The cast of The Jersey Shore dedicates their every night to binge drinking.  90210’s newest female lead has just started using marijuana, and that would be the second drug problem this teen soap showcases. And let’s not forget the Glee episode. So if high school students are more comfortable than ever with drugs and alcohol do we really have to ask why?

But then again we can’t ignore the peer pressure factor. It’s perfectly clear that the media portrays drug and alcohol abuse as the cool thing to be doing. So is this just something that teens are doing to look cool in front of their friends? Or are they even really doing it? Is it possible that they’re exaggerating their exploits to feel cool? They know the risks but they don’t want to look like the odd man out so they exaggerate their exploits. Any frat boy can tell you how that works.

I don’t have a straight answer. And neither does Jezebel. Or Drugfree.org. But that doesn’t mean we can’t discuss the possibilities. So lay it on me, ladies. What do you think the reasons for this increase in substance abuse is? Is it the media? Peer pressure? Attempts to look cool, or just gross exaggerations?

So I have to wonder how and why CBS is sitting idly by as story after horrific story surfaces about their golden child.

Okay, so we all know Charlie Sheen isn’t really the best role model and as a grown man, he shouldn’t have to be. It’s not like little 10-year-old girls are looking up to him. But wait, they are! Charlie stars in the number one family show on a family network. A show that families watch together, children and all. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist (or a TV executive) to realize it might be a bit of a problem to have a man who is famous for benders with 5 ‘escorts’ to maintain his starring role.

But CBS isn’t pulling him. In fact, they’ve announced that they will be shooting the show around when Charlie is high on coke and when he isn’t. (Well, not in so many words, but that’s the gist of it.) Way to be flexible, CBS.

But this is about more than CBS rewarding Sheen’s behavior with oodles and oodles of money and fame. Charlie has a real problem and it’s been going on since 1990 when he shot his fiancée in the arm. (True story.) From failed marriages to hospitalizations, the guy’s personal life is in shambles and he continues to put himself in danger.

So why hasn’t Sheen gotten the wake up call he oh-so needs? Why hasn’t CBS stepped in and tried to help? Why are we continuing to berate the likes of Miley Cyrus for smoking a LEGAL drug or the cast of ‘Glee’ for taking some “racy” pictures, yet saying nothing about the terrible message Charlie Sheen and CBS are sending to the world that you can mess up as many times as you want and there will be no repercussions?

Before the hate comments start to roll in, I will give Sheen props (although I say that through clenched teeth) for making an effort and going into rehab. That is a huge step for someone with a drug addiction.  But the whole letting Charlie slide under the radar for the stuff he’s pulling has got to stop. And if Charlie doesn’t have family or friends to help him through it, then it’s up to CBS to push him in the right direction. Anyone who’s ever seen an episode of ‘Intervention’ knows an addict needs to hit rock bottom before they’ll agree to help themselves, so maybe it’s time those CBS execs caught an episode and learned a few things. Maybe it’s time they created that rock bottom for Charlie. Maybe it’s time they tell him that he needs to get his act together or he’ll lose his job. Maybe it’s time they stop rewarding his bad behavior with bigger paychecks and a more flexible shooting schedule.

Maybe it’s time that they stop thinking about the ratings and the money for a moment and actually take care of someone who can’t take care of himself.

But upon further inspection, it turned out that Miley wasn’t smoking pot at all. Rather, she was smoking Salvia, a harsher, crazier drug that we’ve been hearing about for quite some time and have been far too scared to ever try. What is Salvia? What does it do? Why are we such pussies that we can’t handle it and Hannah Montana can?

It’s time to get schooled. Below, your guide to Salvia, Miley’s drug of choice.

What is Salvia?
According to the DEA, Salvia is a “Mexican herb that can be smoked to evoke hallucinogenic effects. Psychic effects include perceptions of bright lights, vivid colors and shapes, as well as body movements and body or object distortions.”

Where does it come from?
The plant was traditionally used by indigenous peoples as a healing and divinatory aid due to its unique properties when chewed or smoked. When consumed in this manner, the active ingredient, Salvinorin-A produces psychedelic effects in the body ranging from mild to extreme.

How do you do it?
Rolled into papers and smoked like a cigarette, chewed, or inhaled from a pipe or bong (AKA: Doin’ the Miley).

What does it do to you?
“When smoked, Salvia has an onset time of about 20 seconds to two minutes. Peak experiences will usually be achieved within this time, but depending on the size of the dose and the individual, peaks can take up to 5 minutes to
occur. The primary effects of the drug last anywhere from 5- 15 minutes during which the user goes through a ‘psychedelic’ experience.

What the hell is a ‘psychedelic’ experience?
Psychedelic experiences can normally include closed and open eye visualizations, time distortion, social dissociation, altered thought patterns, altered behavior, dreamlike/childlike states, increased in sensations, changes in body temperature, senses of fear or panic, increased perspiration, introspection, feelings of presences outside the norm as well as feeling like one has traveled ‘somewhere’ or ‘somewhen’ else.”

What does that actually mean?
According to one CollegeCandy reader, “I really didn’t see anything (mostly because I had my eyes closed most of the time), but I was moving my head & my whole body around in spirals & I was singing Enya (or what I thought was Enya – it was more like aaaaah-aaah-ahaaaaahhh). I also kind of thought I was an elf for a few minutes. It took me a while to realize I was laying on the ground until I realized I was feeling cold cement on my cheek. I had to have someone help me up. It was pretty intense.”

(Uh, intense or totally effing freaky?)

Is it illegal?
In some places, yes, but in others it’s totally OK, even for minors! (Editor’s Note: Yes, this blows our minds too!)

Where can you get it?
Uh, the Internet. For a discounted price with free shipping.

Is it dangerous?
It has yet to be proven addictive, but Salvia can damage the lungs. “Whether it is tobacco or Salvia, there really is no such thing as safe smoking,” says Dr. Len Horovitz. “In terms of taking a bong hit of Salvia, you are still enhaling thousands of chemicals, and the heat and combustion materials are harmful, too.”

And that, dear friends, is Salvia 101.

Have you tried it? Would you?

Is it bad that since reading of this new addition to the cast, my interest in the movie has dropped about 200%?  Mel makes my skin crawl.  Seriously, I know the dude wants to push “restart” on his career, but I can think of a bajillion other celebrities who deserve a second (or third, or fourth) chance to change their image more than a wife-beating, anti-Semitic a-hole.

Amy Winehouse
Not only is she legitimately super-talented, she writes songs with names like “F*ck Me Pumps.”  Talk about someone who deserves a chance to further pursue her art!  Those are bona-fide dance hits, without which our Thirsty Thursdays would be significantly duller.  There are only so many times you can shake your butt to “Apple Bottom Jeans,” but Amy’s “Rehab” is forever.

R.Kelly
When he’s not being gross, Mr. Kelly is actually pretty funny…whether he means to be or not.  “Trapped in the Closet” was an epic musical adventure that had me biting my fingernails with anxiety.  So maybe he touched minors inappropriately.  Give him one of those hot pink molester license plates, keep him away from parks and schools, but let the guy act!

Lindsay Lohan
Once upon a time, she was a cute little redhead with a twin.  Then God smote us all by revealing that that twin was merely cinematic trickery and that our favorite ginger had a cocaine problem and a crazy mother.  Ugh, unfair!  Hasn’t Linds has put in the time, people?  I mean, seriously, she actually put in time.  In jail.  And rehab.  Doesn’t she deserve a second chance to fill the hole she left in our Parent Trap-loving hearts?

Kanye West
Sure we love him since he started Good Fridays.  A new free Kanye track every week is pretty effing spectacular.  But his image still screams arrogant jerk, no?  Stick him in The Hangover 2 as an abused member of the hotel staff, perhaps sent on a mission to track down Taylor Swift CDs for Zach Galifianakis, and I think hilarity just might ensue.

Robert Downey, Jr.
Okay, fine.  So his drug problem is old news and his reputation has pretty much been restored.  Iron Man 1 and 2, Sherlock Holmes, Tropic Thunder, Due Date…it’s clear he can land a blockbuster movie.  But still, he’s hot.  Like really, really hot.  In that DILF kinda way.  They could have just thrown him in The Hangover 2 for a scene with Bradley Cooper to make the hearts of girls everywhere sparkle more than Edward Cullen in the sun.

How can you put Hallie and Annie in Jail?

Well, Lindsay Lohan is at it again… or is she?  Following her DUI in August 2007, Lohan was ordered to attend alcohol education classes weekly.  Now, in violation of her probation, it is reported that she has been attending every 21 days instead.  A court hearing set for May 20 will determine if she will have to serve jail time because of the violation.  The sad part is: this time, she didn’t actually do anything.  Of course failing to adhere to court orders is cause for punishment, but does Lilo really deserve to be put behind bars because of infrequent attendance?  After endless drama with her father and everything headed her way, I actually feel bad for her.  We all remember the adorable little red-head in “The Parent Trap” who was talented enough to play the roles of both Hallie and Annie, imitating an English accent only half of the time.  She really was a talented actress and showed so much potential.  Even in later years, her roles in “Freaky Friday” and “Mean Girls” were well portrayed.  She had proven herself different from other talent-less Hollywood cokeheads; she really had a lot going for her.  Obviously experimentation with drugs and alcohol was her choice, but it is impossible to know the kind of pressure celebrities like Lindsay face while in the spotlight all of the time.  At this point, the media looks for excuses to push her even further down into a whole.  Only the hearing can decide her fate, but hopefully she will be shown some slack and the chance to make positive changes in her life.

Week after week (after week after week…), CollegeCandy and our pal John bring you some of the weirdest, funniest, and saddest things he hears on his college campus. And we know he’s not the only one who hears this stuff. Join the Overheard revolution! Listen in on some weirdos’ conversations and share them in the comments or send ‘em over. You know there’s a lot of funny things to be heard on your campus, so get listening.

(Girl, guy at a basketball game.)

Girl: Oh, man, I can almost taste that KFC.

Guy: No. No, do not taste it.

(Girl, two guys at a party.)

Guy 1: Well, I mean, like, I’ve never done … water sports.

Girl: Water sports? What’s water sports?

Guy 2: You know, like, swimming, diving, water-skiing.

Guy 1: Uh, dude.

(Girl, taking a call outside a party.)

Girl: That porn star isn’t even cute ! . . . I mean I bet she knows what she’s doing, but no way.

(Two girls, eating dinner in a Chinese restaurant.)

Girl 1: There once was a man from Nantucket.

Girl 2: Who got his head stuck in a bucket.

Girl 1: Then he died in that bucket.

(Girls, talking during lunch.)

Girl 1: Apollo.

Girl 2: How about Poseidon?

Girl 1: No, I feel like that’s asking for trouble. Achilles.

Girl 2: Even worse.

Guy (coming over): What’s up?

Girl 1: Naming vibrators.

(Two guys, in the lunchroom.)

Guy 1: I’ll give you a hint. His name rhymes with Awesome.

Guy 2: Plawsome.

Guy 1: No.

(Guys, watching TV in the dorm lounge.)

Guy 1: I like this commercial. It’s cute.

Guy 2: How about “There will always be babies. There will always be … death. See this baby? It’s gonna die.”

Guy 1: “You will also die. Thank you for your attention.”

(Girl and a guy, eating in an Italian restaurant.)

Girl: Remember all those friends from home?

Guy: You know, I realize they weren’t my friends really.

Girl: Yeah, more like big drugs with legs.

(Two girls, in the grocery store seafood section.)

Girl 1: I don’t know. How do you even sedate a lobster?

Girl 2: Boil it for a few seconds. Just give it something to think about.

(Girl, guy, talking in a coffee shop.)

Girl: Can you even have a lint fetish?

Guy: Yeah, sure. You know what, let me check my belly button right now.

(Girl, other girl, at a basketball game.)

Girl 1: Can we trash-talk something nice? I don’t wanna be mean.

Girl 2: Hey Duke! Your coach looks like Sam Eagle!

Lesson Learned: Bloody hot mess on stage = best career move EVER

Is it just me, or does it seem like almost every celebrity out there had some giant scandal in 2009? I feel like I spent at least 3/4 of the year crouched in front of the TV or refreshing my news on the internet just to keep up. From Michael Jackson’s shocking death, to cheating husbands, to a family sending a silver balloon in the air and forcing their family to lie just to get on TV, the scandals have gone from serious and sad to very WTF worthy.

Seriously, WTF, 2009?

But I guess when it comes down to it, all of this (hot) mess can do some good. I mean, even if Tiger’s marriage doesn’t work out and Carrie Prejean’s sex tapes continue to circulate to the point that her career is really over, at least I learned a few things. And all without having a giant mess on my hands.

So thank you, celebs, for being the anti-role models that I need and teaching me some very important life lessons. Below, the top 10 lessons I learned in 2009:

1. Do Not Send Naked Photos. Just Don’t! You’d think I would know this already, but celebs just keep drilling it into my head. Too bad they still aren’t learning the lesson. Among others, naked pics of Rihanna, Carrie Prejean, Ashley Greene, and Vanessa Hudgens (again) popped up on the Internet this year. And got passed around quicker than the Swine Flu in a college dorm. So the next time that guy you barely know asks for some sexy pictures via text, think about this: there is 90% chance that those images could come back to haunt you. And a 100% chance if you break his heart.

2. Don’t Do Drugs! We’ve heard that message a million times, but it never rang more true than when the world lost Michael Jackson. Of course, we also have a few other people drilling this point home. Like Lindsay Lohan, Amy Winehouse, Steven Tyler….

3. If You Have Enough Money, You Can Probably Get Away With Almost Anything. Or at least raping a thirteen-year-old girl. That’s the case for Roman Polanski who did not get the punishment he deserved for his heinous crime but, thanks to his piles of cash, was allowed to return to his home in Switzerland under the conditions of house arrest. Wanna rise above the law? Start saving that money now, ladies.

4. Ignorance is NOT Always Bliss. The minute Carrie Prejean opened her mouth and started dissing gay marriage, she caused a scandal big enough to last for months. (Though, we can give credit to Perez Hilton for that…) I’m pretty sure it made everyone realize that we really need to think long and hard before we talk.

5. Business and Romance Do Not Mix. We’ve heard this one time and time again, but does anyone listen? Apparently not David Letterman. A little office booty and the next thing he knows, he’s all mixed up in an extortion plan and sharing his sexploits with the world. Want a successful future? Keep it in your pants (or skirt) in the office.

6. You Should Never Hit a Woman. EVER. Once a mega-star, the entire world has watched Chris Brown’s career go down the crapper ever since he laid his hands on Rihanna. Even now there are some places that are refusing to sell his music. The fact is, it is never OK to hit a woman and Chris Brown is only one of many men (like that teacher from Queens who knocked Snooki out) who must learn that lesson the hard way.

7. If You Cheat, You Will Get Caught. Before this year, I kind of thought that cheating was something that almost everyone got away with. Now, not so much. If I’ve learned anything from 2009, it’s that cheating will eventually come back to bite you in the ass, thanks to the affairs of Tiger Woods and Jon Gosselin. We watched Jon and Kate break up, leaving Jon behind as a pathetic, Ed Hardy-wearing attention whore who no one likes, all because he decided to have a little fun on the side. And don’t even get me started on Tiger Woods. His whole golf career is over because he couldn’t resist the temptations of ugly porn stars and slutty cocktail waitresses.

8. Everyone Will Love You If You Be Yourself. Lady Gaga might be the wackiest celeb out there right now, but she also had one of the best years ever. Who would have thought we could love someone who gave a bloody performance or shot sparklers out of her boobs? But we do. Why? Because she’s not hiding who she is. She’s a leotard-loving diva and we love her for it.

9. No One Likes an Attention Whore. Speidi, Jon Gosselin, Michael Lohan – I’m talking to you. These incredibly annoying stars have truly made me see that while the world may know your name, it doesn’t mean they love you. Or respect you. Or want to see your ugly Botoxed face (that one’s for you Heidi) ever again. And Balloon Boy’s parents? Well, I just hate you.

10. It is Possible to Bounce Back After a Bad Year. Last year, we all watched as Britney Spears rode first class to Crazy Town. But this year she proved that was not a one-way ticket.  Britney completed a world tour, got her sexy body back, and didn’t give the gossip mags much to be negative about. Ms. Spears has helped me realize that no matter what we do, even if it’s shaving our heads and holding our babies hostage, we can still come back.

Honorable mentions:
Birds and airplanes don’t mix.
Abstinence is not the answer.
Vampires are cool. Like, really cool.

No, I’m not being peer pressured (my guy friends aren’t begging to give me their weed for free…they want it for themselves!); I’m just curious and I sorta want to see what all the fuss is about.

And, yes, I know it’s technically illegal, but we’ll just skip that part and look at it realistically, shall we? Since we’re normally all law-abiding, good college students who would never do anything wrong or illegal, obvi. (Like those 2.5 years in college where we were under 21….)

Love it
Or rather, my friends love it. They always tell me about how good they feel afterward, like “a balloon that has just been released to go float among the clouds.” (Yeah, he was already high. I didn’t really get it, either.) Some claim it even helps them work better, especially for creative writing papers and art class. It relieves stress, helps you sleep better, gives you confidence (for my shy guy friends to ask out girls), and just makes you happier in general.

I’ve also heard friends say it helps with headaches, toothaches, and even sex. Oh, and I’m told some movies (like Pineapple Express) are ten times better high than not (which might be why I didn’t like it that much). Medically speaking, it helps thousands of people relieve the pain they suffer from glaucoma and many other maladies, so it can’t be detrimental to your body, right? I mean, even Michael Phelps is doin’ it and he’s the best athlete in the world!

Loathe it
It’s illegal.

If you’re caught with it, you could be fined or go to jail or, worse, your parents could find out and you’ll be forever labeled “the girl who does drugs” at family reunions. It also makes your clothes smell, makes your wallet lighter, and makes you on the lookout for your hit next constantly. (Editor’s Note: Or your next bag of chips. Those munchies are brutal, girlfriend.) You could get addicted and keep spiraling down and do things you normally wouldn’t do, like stealing and cheating just to get high again.

Also, I live a pretty healthy lifestyle (except the occasional tailgate) and don’t want to do anything harmful to my body, especially something dangerous and illegal like weed. It reminds me too much of smoking, which I absolutely hate, and I can’t help but wonder deep down that it’s illegal for a reason. Just what is it doing to people’s insides?

When it comes down to it, there are so many other fun things to do with my friends than light up a joint and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my life so far without it, so why change? I would rather spend my money on those Alexander McQueen booties I saw at Fashion Week anyway. But I’m in college and college is about experimenting, so I’m completely torn.

Help?