Grace grew up in a large Victorian town where drug and alcohol use and abuse were common but she experienced little of this either at home or among her school friends. When she first began to drink in her late teens, Grace's parents purchased small amounts of alcohol for her to take to parties and ensured that she came home safely at night. It was when she came to Melbourne to study that Grace's world opened up to a much greater number of clubs and other venues, and to a wider variety of substances. After some experience, Grace learned about her safe limits and came to understand the importance of keeping communication open with trusted friends who would have her best interests at heart when it came to managing alcohol and other substances.