Because facts are constantly under attack, it is important that we all have a shared basis of understanding and agreement on what the words we say actually mean.

I’m a humanities major. Everyday, I hear the stereotypes—I have no idea what I want to do, I don’t have real work, or I am just taking random classes that I find interesting and probably won’t help me in the job world. Yet just because I’ve been put in a box doesn’t mean it isn’t right—I actually have no idea what I’m doing with my life.

As I’m riding in a bus filled with rowdy college kids en route to a fraternity formal, more than excitement and even anticipation, I’m feeling relief that my date isn’t some stranger who was desperate for a last-minute setup.

Just say the words “drug user,” and all sorts of negative connotations come to mind: shady back alleys, gang violence and lengthy jail sentences.