Stop Peer Pressure

So you're in high school, and you're not the most popular person in your grade. One day, one of the popular and cool people approaches you and asks you to have lunch with them. You're delighted, you never thought they would speak to you of all the people. You don't think twice about the reason for picking you, you're just glad you finally get some recognition.

Everyone is subject to peer pressure in one way or another. Adults make it sound as though they are not affected by peer pressure, but they are just as much as teenagers. Commercials, salesmen, friends who suggest different products, foods, drugs, television programs, you name it. We are all victims of peer pressure. But peer pressure in high school can be much more dangerous than you might think.

Read more about what happens every day in high schools accross the nation.

The only problem is what comes after this great day of social changes. Sometimes nothing happens, and you go back to being your unpopular self. However, on some other occasions it happens that you get accepted and initiated into the group you wish to join. The initiation can range from being asked personal questions or from being asked to spurn another student or insult them.

Maybe this is a price you are willing to pay for being a part of such a prestegious group? Well think again, because that is not the only price you will pay once you join a different group. First, you will be asked to change who you talk to, and you will no longer be able to even consider speaking to your old group of friends. You will eventually start withdrawing from your usual habbits, and your grades can start to drop. Your new group might ask you to hang out with them after school, or to do something together on the week-end.

You will have a hard time explaining to your parents why your behaviour and hang-out habits are changing. This will lead to your parents being more critical and watching you more closely. In turn, you might feel the need to rebel against them and get away from them more often. This might cause you to hang out with your new group even more. This doesn't seem so bad, but once you have been effectively "friend washed", the bad stuff begins.

If your new group is into drinking, smoking or drugs, this will surely rub off on you in one way or another. One day, one way or another, the question will come up: do you want to try some of this? You have been taught my your parents to say no, but really when faced with this kind of a situation you might wonder if it's really so bad to just try it. Think again, the type of drug or activity (it can be graffiti or other forms of vandalism) is extremly addictive.

Once you get started with this kind of activity, others will expect you to continue and it will be hard to say no again. In fact, you might not even be asked in the future, it will just be assumed that you will do it. This is why it is so crucial to say no to anything that you don't feel comfortable with, or that you know to be wrong.

After you've made it clear to your new friends that you are not into that kind of stuff, you can get to know them as people and friendship will really grow. Or you might find that you miss your old not-so-popular friends, since they might care more about you. It's up to you, but at this point you've managed to ward off peer pressure and all of the things you do, will be your decision.