Have you ever looked back at a decision and wondered:

“What was I thinking?”

Most people have.

The truth is, making risky decisions does not mean someone is irresponsible or unintelligent.

In fact, some of the smartest, most successful people make poor decisions from time to time.

The difference is understanding why those decisions happen and learning strategies to reduce the chances of making them.

College is full of situations that involve quick decisions.

Someone offers you a drink.

A friend passes around a vape.

Someone offers you a prescription stimulant before an exam.

A party suddenly feels out of control.

Knowing how your brain makes decisions can help you respond with confidence instead of reacting in the moment.

Your Brain Has Two Decision-Making Systems

Scientists often describe decision making as involving two different systems.

One system is fast.

The other is slower and more thoughtful.

Your fast system reacts quickly.

It is influenced by:

• Emotions
• Excitement
• Curiosity
• Stress
• Social pressure
• Rewards

Your slower system takes more time.

It helps you:

• Think through consequences.
• Compare options.
• Solve problems.
• Consider long-term goals.
• Make intentional choices.

Both systems are important.

The challenge is that certain situations make the fast system take over.

Why Parties Feel Different

Imagine you walk into a party.

The music is loud.

People are laughing.

Friends are encouraging you to join them.

Your brain is taking in dozens of signals at once.

You may begin thinking:

• “Everyone seems to be having fun.”
• “I don’t want to be left out.”
• “Maybe one drink won’t matter.”
• “I’ll figure it out later.”

These thoughts happen quickly.

That doesn’t make you weak.

It makes you human.

The goal isn’t to eliminate those thoughts. The goal is to recognize them before acting on them.

How Alcohol Changes Decision Making

Alcohol affects parts of the brain responsible for:

• Judgment
• Impulse control
• Coordination
• Memory
• Reaction time

One of the first things alcohol affects is your ability to evaluate risk.

Ironically, as people become more impaired, they often become more confident in their decisions.

Someone who has been drinking may believe they are making good choices when their judgment is actually becoming less reliable.

This is one reason alcohol-related injuries, accidents, and risky behaviors increase as drinking continues.

Other Substances Affect the Brain Too

Alcohol is not the only substance that changes how the brain works.

Marijuana can affect:

• Short-term memory
• Attention
• Reaction time
• Coordination
• Decision making

Nicotine, including vaping, can affect:

• Attention
• Mood
• Stress levels
• The brain’s reward system

Misusing prescription stimulants may temporarily increase wakefulness, but they can also increase anxiety, raise heart rate, disrupt sleep, and create additional health risks, especially for students without a medical prescription.

Every substance affects the brain differently, but they all have one thing in common.

They can influence your ability to make thoughtful decisions.

The Power of the Pause

One of the simplest decision-making strategies is something psychologists call creating a pause.

Instead of reacting immediately, give yourself a moment to think.

Ask yourself:

• What are my options?
• What could happen next?
• Am I making this decision because I want to, or because I feel pressured?
• Will this choice help or hurt my goals?

Even a brief pause gives your brain time to move from an emotional reaction to a more thoughtful response.

Decide Before You’re in the Situation

One of the easiest ways to reduce risky decisions is to make certain choices before you’re under pressure.

For example, decide ahead of time:

• Whether you plan to drink.
• How many drinks you’re comfortable having, if any.
• How you’ll get home safely.
• Who you’ll stay with.
• What you’ll do if you feel uncomfortable.
• How you’ll respond if someone offers you substances.

Planning ahead removes some of the pressure from the moment and makes it easier to stick to your values.

Mistakes Do Not Define You

Everyone makes decisions they wish they could take back.

One poor decision does not define your future.

What matters most is learning from your experiences, asking for help when you need it, and making healthier choices moving forward.

College is a time for growth.

Every experience teaches you something about yourself.

Reflection Activity

Think about a time when you made a decision quickly.

Ask yourself:

• What influenced my decision?
• Did I stop to think, or did I react in the moment?
• What could I do differently next time?
• What strategies could help me pause before making an important decision?

Write your answers in a journal, notes app, or somewhere you can revisit them later.

Explore More

National Institute on Drug Abuse
https://nida.nih.gov

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov

SAMHSA
https://www.samhsa.gov

Coming Up Next

In the next post, we’ll explore how sleep, stress, and mental fatigue affect your brain and why these everyday factors can make it harder to make healthy decisions about alcohol and other substances.

Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes