Missy Blog

Although you are faced with peer pressure all your life, in one way or another, it is never more pronounced than in those last years of high school into the beginning of your college career. There are so many things to be pressured about during this time: smoking, drinking, drugs, and sex top the list. However, it is so important for young people to realize this doesn’t have to be the case.

The one falsehood about the term “peer pressure” is that friends do not force you to do anything. If someone is truly close to you and cares about your feelings at all, they will not feel the necessity to pressure you into doing something you don’t wish to do. The only people who will make you feel bad or call you names, like “baby” and “chicken”, are not your friends. So, when you walk away from them, you can feel confident and say to yourself, “Who cares what they think?”

Some things to keep in mind at all times:

• Don’t follow along with a crown taunting or teasing someone else. Be kind at all times. As the old saying goes, “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.”
• If you are underage, avoid tobacco products and alcohol. Getting caught with these things when you are under 18 for tobacco and 21 for alcohol is illegal. If someone offers you one or more of these things, simply walk away.
• No matter what your age, avoid drugs! They are illegal and can hamper your personal life and your school performance. If someone offers you something, say “No Thanks”!
• You studied and now your “friend” wants to copy your test or homework. It would not just be your “friend” cheating…you would be, too. Keep that paper to yourself and tell your friend to do the best they can. A true friend will respect your decision.
• Don’t limit yourself to one “crowd” or “clique”. Interesting people can be found everywhere, so why deny yourself the opportunity to get to know another just because they don’t run in a particular “circle”?

The most important thing to remember throughout your life is you only have to live with one person – and that is you. If you give into peer pressure and do something you feel is wrong, how will you live with the person in the mirror? Making good choices and walking a path of your choosing will always provide you with better results.