T-Peer Pressure
A-Teenagers
P-To inform people about peer pressure



Every kid wants to fit in at school, and the pressure to be popular is the number one priority. Kids these days are prone to peer pressure. Whether it?s smoking, doing drugs, or just wearing expensive clothing, kids will do anything to be in the ?in crowd.?

When people, such as your peers, try to influence you on how you act, to get you do to something, it?s called peer pressure. Everyone deals with peer pressure at some point in his or her life. Most commonly in middle or high school.

Your peers influence your life, even if you don?t realize it, just by spending time with you. You learn from them, and they learn from you. Maybe a few kids try to get you to cut class with them, this is negative peer pressure. But not all peer pressure is negative, there is positive peer pressure. Like maybe you read a book and you really like it, so you influence other people to read it. Or positive peer pressure can be used to pressure bullies into acting better toward other kids. If enough kids get together, peers can pressure each other into doing what is right.


Why do people give into peer pressure? Well, one reason is that they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that if they are different people will make fun of them. Another reason is that maybe they just want to try something new that others are doing. The idea that ?everyone is doing it? may influence some people to forget the better judgment, or their common sense.

It is not easy to be the one who says ?no? to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying more attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is the right choice. Inner strength and self-confidence can help you to stand firm, and walk away. It can really help to have another peer or friend who is willing to say ?no? too. It takes a lot of the power out of peer pressure and makes it much easier to resist. It is nice to have friends with the same values similar to yours and who will back you up when you don?t want to do something. Even if you?re faced with peer pressure when you are alone, you can still do something.

You have probably heard adults say, ?choose your friends wisely.? Peer pressure is the main reason they say this. If you choose friends who don?t do drugs, cut class, smoke, or lie, then you probably won?t do these things either. A simple solution to peer pressure would be to just not hang around with kids who do things that you don?t want to do.