Do you remember your life before cigarettes?

[Icanhike]

Hi everyone,

I was thinking about what I did before I started smoking cigarettes.  I basically know what I did;  I was an average kid who climbed trees, went to school, etc...   But I was trying to remember what I loved, what made me happy before smoking.  I started smoking when I was 11, so I'm having to think pretty far back in the past.   Do you have memories of your life prior to smoking?  

[johnny5]

I started smoking my freshman year in college at age 18.  I smoked one memorable (and disgusting) cigarette before then.

 

I ran cross-country in high school and was an avid runner, mediocre but enthusiastic basketball player, and overall fairly physically fit prior to becoming a smoker.

 

As I started to smoke in college , I found it gradually harder to run for endurance, stay physically active, etc. and I became a lot less athletic as staying physically fit slowly became less of a priority.

 

Smoking robs people of their quality of life in so many different ways.

Edited March 4, 2019 by johnny5

[Mee]

I had three brothers to keep up with.  We climbed trees, caught poly wogs in the creek near our home and made forts.  All the kids in the neighborhood played together.  I never saw that kind of togetherness in any neighborhood after my childhood.    I did not start until I was 18.  I had a very strict upbringing and would not dare defy my parents.  My smoking was me busting into adulthood.  I still can feel that moment I coughed through my first cigarette and felt so cool.  I am sure I looked very foolish.  

[Reciprocity]

Like many, I started around 17 years old as a result of hanging around a buddy who also started at the same time - it was the cool, grown up thing to do in those days. Before then I was just a regular kid doing regular kid things. 

 

The conversion from non smoker to smoker was seamless. The conversion from smoker back to non smoker ........ not so much 

[jillar]

I grew up in Alabama and on occasion during the summers someone would sneak a smoke from their folks and we'd sit around acting cool. But my real smoking started in high school out here in California. I still remember the day I inhaled for the first time and my sister congratulating me! That led to us putting our lunch money together to buy a pack of cigarettes for 52¢ a pack. When I finally quit, 35 years later, cigs were $5.68 a pack IF you bought them by the carton. Which being the dedicated smoker I was, I did

[Rozuki]

3 hours ago, Linda Thomas said:

I had three brothers to keep up with.  We climbed trees, caught poly wogs in the creek near our home and made forts.  All the kids in the neighborhood played together.  I never saw that kind of togetherness in any neighborhood after my childhood.    I did not start until I was 18.  I had a very strict upbringing and would not dare defy my parents.  My smoking was me busting into adulthood.  I still can feel that moment I coughed through my first cigarette and felt so cool.  I am sure I looked very foolish.  

 

I grew up doing similar stuff in my neighborhood,  @Linda Thomas!  Oh, how I loved catching pollywogs and watching them transform into baby frogs! I did not start until 18 either....and didn't learn how to "inhale" until probably 19! I regret all the time I wasted and the damage it caused my body but am grateful that I have had the last 2 years to get myself into a good place both physically and mentally since quitting.

 

[Lilly]

I can remember my life before smoking. 

 

I was more a girly girl so no tree climbing for me. I would be more likely to be brushing my dolls hair or having a tea party for all my teddies. 

 

 

[Mee]

7 hours ago, Rozuki said:

grew up doing similar stuff in my neighborhood,  @Linda Thomas!  Oh, how I loved catching pollywogs and watching them transform into baby frogs!

Kids today do not know what it is like to play in the mud or use their imaginations.  

[Doreensfree]

I started smoking at 11...rebelled... Started hanging out with older kids ..and tried to keep up ...

From a early age I was sent to Ballet school....so most of my days were spent there...I was on blocks at the age of ten...

My life was a strict schedule... Hence the rebellion...

My mother was obsessed ...

That rebellion cost me 52 years of my life ...

I would have loved to play in the mud and catch frogs ...

 

[Sazerac]

I had a great childhood.

Tadpoles, trees, horses for a spell.

We moved around every year or two and I LOVED that.

 

I remember at twelve or so, flying by myself somewhere.

(we didn't have to be chaperoned back then)

The ticket agent asked me,

'smoking or non-smoking'

I said, 'smoking'

because that's where all the hip people were.

 

I am thinking somewhere from 14-16, I was smoking.

Started hanging out with dealers, poets, musicians and pimps,

I was in such a hurry to be an adult.

 

[Icanhike]

Doreensfree, 

I was forced into ballet school, too.  I felt so out of place in ballet class that I used to deliberately hurt myself in attempts to get out of class.  LOL

[Doreensfree]

14 minutes ago, Icanhike said:

Doreensfree, 

I was forced into ballet school, too.  I felt so out of place in ballet class that I used to deliberately hurt myself in attempts to get out of class.  LOL

Snap !!!...

How I wish I,d thought of that ...LOL....

[Martian5]

Really I remember my life pretty well before smoking -- school, sports, running around with friends and going thru the high school life and all that came with that.  I did not start smoking until I went into the Army, smoking was part of the Army life then and it was so cheap to buy cigs.  Even got free cigs then with the c-rations at that time, so sad!!!

Edited March 4, 2019 by Martian5

[MLMR]

Memories...!

 

Building lots and lots of mysterious lego constructions, reading under the blankets with a flashlight, four years of ice skating(for which I lacked total talent), more reading, also catching tadpoles and watch them grow. I once went cleaning the bowl they were in and dropped it. We found dried mini frogs all year. I spent so much time with my younger sister, we did everything together. From annoying our parents to comforting eachother when they were having another one of their awfull fights.

 

I stole my first cigaret when I was 13, didnt have a clue how to light it. I almost choked and swore I would never start doing that, even pledged it in my diary. I recall writing something about vomiting and death, happy cheerfull kid that I was. One year later I was occasionaly having smokes with some of the badass neighbour kids and at 15 I spent my paper route money on Luckies. Which became John Player Special, Chesterfield, Gauloises, roll your owns Drum and later on Javaanse jongens 3/4. 

 

 

[JB 883]

I didnt start til I was 27, so childhood had already passed.

 

 

[Icanhike]

Wow, you didn't start till you were 27...that's got such a wholesome ring to it!  

[Wayne045]

I started on/off smoking at 18 (post high school) and daily at 22 in college.  So, like JB, my child years were pretty much behind me

 

I was an avid cyclist.  Still am but I use my exercise bike more than my real one.  Waiting for warm weather to return.

 

I also remember having more hair back then.  Can I blame that on smoking too?

[Sazerac]

16 minutes ago, Wayne045 said:

 

I also remember having more hair back then.  Can I blame that on smoking too?

 

well, as a matter of fact, Wayne,

Association between smoking and hair loss

 

the gifts keep on giving....