Peer Pressure : Ways to Handle It

SAY “NO” TO PEER PRESSURE

Today I will talk about a much serious topic – peer pressure which is a rampant thing amongst colleges and schools today. It is so sad to see young teens do things without thinking just to fit in or appear as “the kool one”!! I was particularly shocked when my cousin advised me to start drinking in order to mix up and fit in with other people.. It was the outrageous thing I ever heard !! Hence today’s topic – PEER PRESSURE

peer pressure
I studied in a convent girl’s school where – “mean girls” or “queen bees” were a common thing. They were a group of those girls who were hip, happening and always glamorous. They were the reason most of the girls really wanted to be accepted into their group since they were considered as “popular crowds” of the school.

The same trend continued in college. And I watched some of the classmates be thrilled as hell when they were accepted into such “gang”. Some of the girls changed completely in a matter of days.. It was as if they were made to do things they were not comfortable with. It wasn’t as if the others were threatening them to do such things but so much emphasis was put on the word “FITTING IN” that girls simply lose who they truly were. . It was saddening. .

We live in a complex world and day by day peer pressure too is becoming evident and rampant in the society. I too must admit there was constant pressure when I was college from other people to smoke or drink but fortunately for me I had enough strength to say NO. For many the idea of standing up against something is frightening.

peer pressure

Now peers can influence a positive or a negative effect on people. While a positive effect can prove to be beneficial by improving grades and confidence, a negative peer pressure can be a disaster -detrimental to self-esteem, influence clear decision-making, and increase stress. A positive peer pressure when teens surround themselves with people who are making good decisions and who are involved with positive activities and choices, typically it makes teens want to be better.

peer pressure

Positive effect results in teen being able to make healthy relationships and improving communication skills. The saddest thing to see is that negative peer pressure affects the teen’s family too. It increases distance from family members, results in less time spent at home, increases negative behaviours/attitude and most importantly hurts communication between family members and the teen.

So the question lies – WHY DO TEENS GIVE INTO PEER PRESSURE? Teens might feel cool for having a group care about them or they might be worried or confused about how to make their friends happy while making a different choice. While some might feel a sense of relief that they fit in somewhere. Boys and girls experience different kinds of peer pressures. But girls give in easily into such pressures. Both, however, can have positive and negative consequences depending on how each one reacts to pressure.

How you deal with it is entirely up to you. Please feel comfortable talking and sharing with someone else about what you are experiencing and get some advice from them about what to do. Or STAND UP AGAINST to challenge the views and ways of your peers. The problems with peer pressure go much deeper into how girls feel about themselves, than we will ever realize. GIRLS PLEASE ENJOY your own self being. Realise your own self worth. The one thing you should NOT do is bottle up your feelings. You will only be miserable and end up hurting yourself. Although it can be hard to walk away from peer pressure it is not impossible to do so. You need to find the strength to say “NO” to harmful pressure from others. Pay attention to your own feelings, beliefs; find your inner strength and confidence – AND YOUR READY TO ROCK ON LIFE !!!

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46 thoughts on “Peer Pressure : Ways to Handle It

  1. Goshhhhhhhh!! This is such a great article Rids…..Very much needed in today’s trends….Awesssomeeee!!! :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo:

  2. rids it is so funny that i was just about to write an article about mean girls 😛 because some of them are bothering me :/ they are soooooooooooo mean and i have never meet chicks like that even in my school and i was in a girls school :/

    1. komal,

      mean girls harass their boyfriends/ husbands and spoil their relationships, and also breed grumpy, morose kids. So in the end it’s alright. :toothygrin:

  3. thanks rids for writing this article…even i also had a friend of mine of who went through this….i will be sending this link to my college going couzins…
    :thanks: :thanks: :thanks: :thanks: :thanks: :thanks: :thanks: :thanks:
    :bravo: :bravo: :bravo: :bravo: :bravo: :bravo: :bravo: :bravo:

  4. great article Rids.
    I was in co-ed school. And girls had so much problem with me….I don’t know why :((. They use to be jealous for no reason. I usually had only boys as my friends during school and college days. I am so comfortable with no mess-no bitching guys group :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:
    And now my BF always doubts….do you have any girl friends?? :tongue: :tongue: :tongue:
    But these days he is happy becoz me having so many girl friends through this blog :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:

      1. hawww………….why u laughing Rati? :((
        you supporting me hai na…..not my BF!!!!! :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

    1. hehehehe chalo anth bhala toh sab bhala 🙂 🙂 BF NO PIC TOH BATAV YAAR
      heard he’s super smart … !!!! :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:

    1. thnks ankita !! its RIDS !!!! hehehehehe …. anyways ..i never had chance of stayin in hostel so i missd out on tht

  5. This is a great article Rids. :yes: :yes:
    I’m sure it would be of great help to many. :))
    Thankfully I never really experienced anything like this ever….i mean nothing negative… 🙂

    1. thnks aditi .. gud for ya … even i didnt experience it soo much … i guess i dont giv into such things easily 🙂

    1. I like this movie………….Lindsay Lohan looks cute :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:
      I like the part when she starts being mean….and gives fattening bars for weight loss :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:

  6. Wow Rids.. this is a really nice article! 🙂 I really hope people (teens are not the only ones influenced) learn to stand up for themselves and make a better life for themselves!:)

  7. Reaaal nice article Rids…. it needs a strong mind to say NO…. although i never faced it… thanks so much for introducing to Peer Pressure.. i never knew the meaning…

  8. Well written article Rids!!i especially can relate to what you said “to start drinking in order to mix up and fit in with other people”….in school/college i hav never faced any such pressure…this corporate world is hopeless!!!!!!

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