In this week’s Grown-ish, Everyone wants a shot at the king

In this week’s Grown-ish, a drug dealer on campus is dead and after pondering over it for a few seconds the gang has concluded that it’s none other than their friend, Vivek (Jordan Buhat). Except it isn’t– because he shows up after the police have carried the body away wondering who got shot. It was one of the campuses biggest drug dealers but it wasn’t the drugs that got him in the ambulance, it was his girlfriend’s jealousy of who he was dealing the drugs out to. Zoey (Yara Shahidi) tells Vivek that if he needs someone then she’s there for him–partly because she’s still getting pills from him and partly because she’s his friend and doesn’t want him to end up in an ambulance too. However, Vivek isn’t worried about getting caught selling drugs. Quickly jumping into action, Cal U has decided to conduct a war on drugs, complete with unexpected drug testing and room searches. The students are not happy about it and are protesting. Even though Zoey voiced her opinion of not wanting her friend to get caught with drugs, that didn’t stop her from popping an Adderall in the middle of the protest.

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Vivek’s drug dealing business has developed tremendously since we last heard about it and now he is getting the VIP treatment everywhere he goes. He even gets acquainted with the richest kid on campus. He gets invited to “The Box”, where Zoey accidentally walks into a private area where she finds Vivek with the rich kids, who are sorting and using cocaine. The next day, Zoey confronts Vivek about what he was doing and some very real but harsh words are exchanged between the two. Unfortunately, Vivek’s determination to still sell cocaine gets him jumped and in the hospital. Zoey rushes to the hospital where she helps him out by telling his parents a lie about what happened. But nothing can truly stop the king because Vivek is now training others to be dealers – “He has to work smarter, not harder.” Zoey realizes she can’t ever turn into a person who gets that deep into the drugs, so she trashes her pills for good.

This week’s episode brought us all the details of how the drug world works on college campuses. Let’s see what our roundtable had to say about it!

Here to voice their opinions about drugs on college campuses is our Grown-ish roundtable!

Jeria (@jereyea) – Student, Stan, and Tweeter

Bre (@MichaelBaby18) – Realist with a dash of optimism and lover of my bed and music

Ryan (@legendarylevy) – child actor, TV & movie buff

Miya (@MsMiya_) -Writer, Film Enthusiast, Singer.

Chi (@polyhansen) – college student, free writer, pop media enthusiast, practice in promotion and sales.

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1. What do you think of the way the school handled the drug problem?

Jeria (@jereyea): I think the school did a semi-good job at the random searches, but like Aaron said, minorities will be targeted.

Bre (@MichaelBaby18): Getting caught with them and getting expelled, I would have done the same thing if I were the Dean.

Ryan (@legendarylevy): Drug searches and room searches are the answer for the school but that may seem to be fighting the problem but can do very little to deter drugs being used or sold.

Miya (@MsMiya_): I believe it was an interesting approach! Whether or not it was effective is the real question because Vivek was still selling drugs!

Chi (@polyhansen): The school clearly didn’t handle it well seeing as Vivek was still getting away with it and getting beat up while doing it.

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2. Do you think the way drugs and violence were shown and discussed in the episode is similar to that of a real college?

Jeria: The violence and drugs were exaggerated a little from my experiences, but in other communities, it might be different.

Bre: Not to that extent. But then again, I’m not in college. I know there are drugs on campus because I mean, it’s college. It’s always going to be there.

Ryan: I like how they point out Zoey’s Adderall usage. The discussion about drug use in college is similar to real college. As college is the first time away from home for some people, they may try new things. Drugs and drug use is an issue in college.

Miya: I believe so! I also think it depends on the college one goes to because every school isn’t the same.

Chi: Being a college student, I don’t think it is as serious as they are making it out to be. At least not at my school, most of the drugs that get used are alcohol and marijuana and no one is getting beat up over it or on it.

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3. What type of person are you when you’re sick? Do you wallow in your sickness or do you power through it?

Jeria: I’m a huge baby when I’m sick. I cry and don’t go anywhere.

Bre: I swear by DayQuil and Theraflu. Also, Vick’s. I’m absolutely miserable when I’m sick, I just want to stay in bed. The whole body aching sucks. But then you remember, oh I have to work and this and that so you kind of have to power through it.

Ryan: I try to power through it until I can’t then I rest and sleep and watch TV and get better.

Miya: I definitely wallow in my sickness. I don’t like to move and I’m practically living in my bed with Netflix until I get better haha!

Chi: I definitely tough it out, being so involved on campus I can’t afford sick days. That only applies to slight illness like a cold, anything else I’m MIA.

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4. What are your thoughts on Zoey telling Vivek that no matter how hard he tries he’s still going to be seen as a cab driver’s son?

Jeria: Zoey is right. Nobody even remembered that his father was a cab driver. Vivek is going to continue being self-conscious about it until he becomes okay with himself.

Bre: I both agree and disagree. You can’t change where you come/came from. But I don’t think that should change the way people see you. Vivek is a good dude, but I think he’s trying too hard to change people’s perspective of himself.

Ryan: Zoey wasn’t trying to be mean she was being honest that no matter how much money he makes he will still be his father’s son. This is the truth and nothing is wrong with what she said.

Miya: I agree with what she said! I believe a person can try to change themselves for the better, but deep down they will always be the person they once were, just with different characteristics.

Chi: She told him the truth and nothing is wrong with that as long as he makes something better of himself and being a drug dealer is not it.

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5. What are your thoughts on Vivek continuing to sell drugs?

Jeria: Vivek is hardheaded and isn’t going to learn until he gets in serious trouble.

Bre: Stupid. I honestly think that him being jumped didn’t make him think any different, he’s still going to keep doing it. And what if something worse happens to him? Getting mixed in with the wrong crowd and selling drugs automatically puts a target on your back.

Ryan: Vivek saw a way for him to get what he wanted and took the chance to take advantage of the time that others are not dealing. This puts more attention on Vivek making it more possible for things to go wrong for him.

Miya: I was kind of sad about it, but not surprised. Sometimes even when a person gets their wake-up call, it doesn’t mean that suddenly they will change & things will be different.

Chi: He’s going to get caught up sooner or later, especially selling hard drugs like coke. He’ll learn though.

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6. Are you the kind of friend that Zoey is and will come running even if the person needing help isn’t your closest friend?

Jeria: I only help my closest friends and I don’t have close friends.

Bre: If I am able to help a friend out, I will do everything in my power to. I hate seeing people suffer.

Ryan: Yes, if someone I know asks my help, I help. It’s just the type of person I am. I like to help others like I would want them to help me.

Miya: Yes. It’s a major flaw of mine too! I have the tendency to gravitate towards any and everyone who made need help regardless of what it is. Sometimes people take advantage of that.

Chi: Not at all. I barely have friends, so I wouldn’t help someone I don’t consider a close friend and I especially wouldn’t lie to cover their butt. See how well that worked out for Zoey.

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7. Do you think Zoey is truly done taking Adderall?

Jeria: I hope she’s done with it, but she has become so dependent on it that she’ll probably need it soon.

Bre: Nope, she pretty much depends on it to help her get through school. So if that gets taken away from her, what else is she going to do?

Ryan: She has said before she was done and continued so I am not sure if she won’t again. I am going to say no she won’t take it anymore, but I do have my doubts.

Miya: No! I definitely don’t think she is done. She may be for right now, but I feel like eventually, she will hop back on the wagon. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Chi: I think Zoey is done, she may be clueless about some things, but overall she is a smart girl so she learns from her mistakes.

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Drugs, money, and rich “friends” won’t change who you really are

This week’s episode some shed light on drugs on campus. While in real life the events may not be as extreme as getting VIP everywhere you go, the message was clearly told. Most colleges have people who use alcohol excessively and marijuana but there are some places where cocaine and even harsher drugs are being distributed– the underground scene no one talks about. The show did a considerable job of showing the consequences of what dealing with those substances could do to a person. It would have been nice to see some of the other students’ views or thoughts on drug use or even how some of them that do use it feel about the school’s stance. Although it was a little exaggerated, the topic of violence and drugs on college campuses was portrayed well. It’s something that isn’t talked about enough and we’re glad that Grown-ish decided to touch on it.

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One of the best scenes in the episode came from Zoey and Vivek’s conversation on why he’s hanging out with the rich kids and selling cocaine. We agree that Zoey was right in the words she spoke. He’s always going to be seen as his father’s son and no amount of hanging out with rich kids and making more money is going to change that. In order for him to overcome that insecurity, he’s going to have to realize that there are better ways to be successful than selling drugs. However, Zoey doesn’t fully understand his pain on the situation because of the world she grew up in. She may think she can see his point of view fully but Vivek making that a change isn’t as easy as it seems.

Next week, Zoey and Luca (Luka Sabbat)  have a hard time getting a project completed, while Jazz (Chloe Bailey) and Sky (Halle Bailey)try to figure out dating in college. It sounds like it’s going to be a fun one so we can’t wait!

grown-ish returns Wednesday, March 3rd at 8/7c on Freeform.