Summary Of Smashed: The Story Of A Drunken Girlhood

I have chosen to write my final paper on Smashed: The Story of a Drunken Girlhood by Koren Zailckas. This book reflects on Koren’s experiences as a teenage girl in America, from ages 14 to 22. Koren took her first drink at age 14, when she and a friend stole it from a parent’s liquor cabinet. Her relationship with alcohol progresses over time. At 16 years old, Koren must have her stomach pumped. At age 22, she wakes up in an unfamiliar apartment in New York City. The focus of the book is the debilitating effects of alcohol, how Koren discovers herself, and her decision to get sober. Initially, I chose this book because I was drawn to the title. However, after reading the book’s description, I realized that I would heavily relate to its content. I am a 19-year-old female attending college, like the book’s main character.

I was struck by the similarities between Koren’s and my experiences. One example is when Koren discovers that alcohol makes her more confident and outgoing. After drinking for the first time, I realized that I did not experience social anxiety or nervousness while drinking. Also, Koren is emotion-driven and sensitive. I believe that we are similar in these ways. The most disturbing part of the book is when Koren gets her stomach pumped at age 16. She wakes up with no memory of the previous night, dressed in a hospital gown. I cannot imagine the shock and fear Koren felt at this moment. My personal response to this material is a realization that the effects of alcohol can be deadly. Every person, including myself, thinks that it won’t happen to them. In college, it is incredibly common to binge drink and experience “blackouts”, or not remembering the previous night. According to the National Institute of Health, in 2022, 3.2 million youth ages 12 to 20 reported binge drinking at least once in the past month (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,