Confidently stepping into my truck, I inserted the key into the ignition and it readily came to life. 

Backing out of my parking space I unknowingly accepted a ninety minute trip that that I believed would only take twenty five minutes. Ten minutes to drive to Buffalo Street in Farmville, five minutes to apologize to my girlfriend, and ten minutes to return to campus. However, intoxicated and driving twenty miles over the specified speed limit (55 in a 35), on Back Hampden-Sydney, early Saturday morning (approximately one thirty a.m.) compromises one’s chance in reaching his destination. I was also frustrated with a fight I had had with my girlfriend earlier that evening. But consumption and my emotions took what was left of my judgment and I drove to Longwood to apologize. Half a mile from her residence, blue light flashed lights in my rearview mirror. Later, after a visit to the court house. I was permitted to ride home with a sober friend. Grounded in reality, I looked over my DUI charge. I had threatened others.  I had risked my own life.  I had also risked disenrollment from the ROTC- which would terminate my chance to commission as an officer in the Army and end my career at Hampden-Sydney. I write this not only as an apology to all I could have easily harmed that evening, but also to serve as a cautious reminder. I am so thankful to have learned such a serious and valuable lesson at only twenty years of age. As a result I have reaped only minimum consequences. I think about how severe my condition could be if I were to have caused an accident. After consuming alcohol, wherever you seem to think you need to travel is truly not that important. Find a sober ride or stay where you are. The small satisfaction of getting from point A to B does not outweigh the potential unknown outcome of making the poor decision to drive. I sincerely apologize for my actions and hope that I have effectively communicated the important danger of my mistake.

Austin Sheppard