text: why do so many people start smoking when they start college? i'm 20, and a sophomore in college.  i want to start off by saying that i don't smoke, for obvious reasons.  the thing is, i've noticed that a lot of people my age started smoking when they got to college.  i really can't understand what could be going through their head.  i mean in this day in age, everyone knows how truly dangerous it is.  i can kind of understand people that have been smoking for 40 years and are addicted, but people my age?  they should really know better. i started smoking 9 years ago when i was 14.  both of my parents smoked and i hated them for it.  so why did i decide to smoke?  because everyone else was... or so i thought.  i wanted to be rebellious and show my friends that i wasn't afraid to do bad things.  i'd imagine that's part of the reason young people like us start smoking.  fortunately i was able to quit for some time, but picked it back up because i am addicted.  i wish i'd never started in the first place, it's truly an awful habit, and even more awful to break.  just remind yourself how awesome you are for not smoking, and let others make their own mistakes.  they'll eventually realize it was a bad choice.  i know i did.